"Old man, I bet you cannot in line skate" said the younger, cocky counselor, my employee at Oakview Treatment Center in 1989. Back then in line skating or "rollerblading as we called it" was the bomb. Everyone and their brother, especially on the west coast was buying these skates that required no skate key, and the wheels were different from the roller skates we had as kids. I put on those skates rolled around the parking lot, heroin addicted/cocaine infused/alcohol dependent patients all looking at me with an odd belligerence until the claps at the end prompted a bow of appreciation. I knew I had found it- something that I could do in athletics where I felt secure. I went out that night and bought my first pair of in line skates, and I have never regretted that decision.
In the 80's and early 90's it was easy to roller blade- parking lots, streets, light rail stops and Loch Raven Reservoir, every Saturday and Sunday closed up sections just for rollerbladers. I was there many Sundays, zapping down hills, speeding around corners, with knee pads, helmets, water bottles and an attitude of "I can accomplish anything". I enjoyed the skating camaraderie, embraced my fellow sports enthusiasts who got the adrenaline rush of blading, and the aerobic benefits.
But like many things, in line skating became pretty unhip. Parking lots posted no roller blading or skate boarding signs, cops started kicking me out of places that were once friendly and Saturday and Sunday drivers took over Loch Raven, and the in line skating stores all closed except for some large sporting goods stores which kept the product for us hangers on. But I continued the rollerblading quest long before the gym and my current workout pattern became a part of my fitness need.
In line skating offers me a different sort of experience now. It is just part of what I do, whether it is at 2 am on a hot summer August night, 11 am Saturday NPR listening and skating, or after work when I skate to burn out some angst and anxiety. It has now been 20 years since I started skating again. Oh, I certainly skated a lot in the 50's before NPR, before my anxiety disorder appeared, and before signs were posted steering me away. I always lost my skate key, and those damn old time roller skates would fall off many times speeding down a hill and I would be forced to grab hold of some Edsel to protect myself from the asphalt. . I loved skating back then, but I was probably more fond of my bike.
Usually when I roller blade, I put on my headphones, and listen to country music, ( I use that term loosely, as most country music is just silly pop music) or NPR. My skates and I have become very fond of Terri Gross, Wait Wait, Michael Feldman, Studio 360, Car Talk, All Things Considered and all the others. I will not skate during Prairie Home Companion because I find that show jumped the shark years ago, and my idea of real Hell is having to listen to Garrison Keilor sing hymns. And I find other stations to listen to when WYPR is money begging. But after my 45 minutes of skating, I am happy, joyous and free. Well, I can't got that far, but I am at peace. I skate from March to early October. I would do it all year but skating over dead leaves and ice is problematic for me..
Sometimes I find that when I am skating if I am particularly anxious that the 45 minute session becomes a catalyst for me to expel my anger and I find that all kinds of emotions arise- anger, fear, loneliness, regret,shame. It does not scare me but I always allow those endorphins to do what they need to do. It is great for my anxiety disorder which can get fed by the slightest nod of indecision.
A few years ago, I was at the Lite Rail stop at Warren Road in Cockeysville, MD, skating away listening to Dierks Bentley, happy camper and a police car pulled up with one of Maryland's finest driving. Cute cop, about 23 got out of the car, buffed and angry- a combination I really needed at that point. He told me to halt, and then asked me" Is is difficult to roller blade" I told him how easy it was and how it had really helped me." He said he had a young son and thought maybe it would be a fun thing to do. No attitude, a nice guy. I offered to let him try, but he backed away from that offer and told me to have a nice day. As he was driving away, he rolled down his window and said to me " If feels good to see an old guy like you rollerblading, it really does " I smiled and in my mind I was kicking the shit out of his parole car. But in retrospect a 63 year old is an old man to a "steroided" cocky cop.
Sometimes I get all settled to roller blade, put my headphones on and discover that the batteries are shot on my clock/ headphone/ radio. I have learned to adjust. I have a few Cd's that I know the approximate length, Cd's I know well like Jackson Browne's," Late for the Sky "or Jennifer Warnes, "Jennifer", produced by John Cale,an album that went out of print in 73 and is just now being re released.. When this happens I have been known to sing the entire CD loudly as I skate around the Warren Road Lite Rail . I know every chord of some of these albums, so I know I am pretty close to skating close to the actual time of the album. I always skate at least 40 minutes.
Also, if the headphones are not an option, and I do not in line skate with my IPhone, because a fall could mean death to my IPhone, I will pray. Yes, pray, and pray hard. I have been known to have 45 minute prayer sessions, a real good way to feel closer to Christ, and to keep my prayer chops going. For me some of my most sacred times with God are when I am outside rollerblading and feeling that need to open up to HIM. I cherish those times.
One day after a great session, I threw my Trident bubblegum on the asphalt, got in my Toyota and drove . The next day, I returned, put on my skates and boldly stated over the dried up pink gum which send me sailing through the air, hitting my head on a car bumper, scraping my knees and somehow getting a black eye. Proudly, I picked myself up in pain, cursed like a sailor, threw the gum away in trash receptacle and sailed on rollerblading bleeding and happy.
Lately, I have combined rollerblading with dancing, weights and aerobic moves, a combination of psychic angst and real work. It is not easy doing Arnold lifts, while skating around listening to pump it up music. I call it soul blading, similar to the soul cycling movement that is so current. It is so amazing to me how much fun I have being creative with the skates, although, the negative, condescending looks that some people transmit to me baffle me. The other day, when one overweight man gave me a most despicable look and verbal negative comment, , I yelled out at him, " Hey buddy, maybe you should try this and you wouldn't have a size 44waist and man boobs like Dolly Parton." He was ready to strike but thought better because I had the 10 pound dumb bells in my hand and a don't fuck with me look in addition
Life is good and I am grateful every day that my buddy JR challenged me in 1989 to roller blade. It was the best gift! I would love other folks to release their inner "blader".
No comments:
Post a Comment