Roller Skating 1978

"S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, night!
 S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, night!

Gonna keep on dancin' to the 
rock 'n' roll..."

The music blares over the speakers 
and you propel yourself as fast as 
possible around the planked wood floor; 
courtesy of your leather, laced up, 
four wheel roller skates. 

The year is 1978 and you're 10 years 
old, skating at your city's roller rink. 

Your velocity blows the long hair
past your face as your eyes dart 
about, looking for your buddies. 

Next song is "Frankenstein by EWG"
and the guitar riffs have you 
ramped up.  When it comes to the laser
keyboard notes, your head bounces  
left to right with the timing. 

Some kids have learned to skate backwards 
and others can perform crossovers,
spins, twists and turns or shoot the duck 
...showing off their skills.  

You can only go forward
...as fast as possible.  

Thirsty now; so you exit the floor at 
full speed until you roll up to 
the concession stand with a loud bang
from your skate toe stops. 

"Boston baked beans and large root beer,
please."  It's draft poured, of course;
so when they hand it to you, the foam 
pours out of the cup.  You take that first
sip and it tickles your nose.

It's limbo time...

"Every limbo boy and girl
All around the limbo world
Gonna do the limbo rock
All around the limbo clock"

These kids really stretch out 
to glide under that pole. Some 
do the splits, reaching for their right
or left leg.  

The really limber kids grab each ankle 
with legs spread as far as they can and 
duck their heads between their legs. 

Ahh...we have a winner. 

"All Open Skate", you hear over the speakers. 
You're off again, gliding at light speed
to the "Star Wars disco theme", play-shooting 
your friends with laser beams as you roll past. 

Next up, "That's Rock n Roll" by Shaun 
Cassidy.  Your body flies around the rink as
you bob your head up and down to the beat. 

OK...time for Couple's Skate...so grab that
special someone and dim the lights.  Time to 
slow it down a bit so they play "My Special 
Angel", a favorite of the rink owners who grew 
up in the 50's.  

Skaters slowly round the rink, hand in hand,
feeling like the luckiest kids in the world 
to be chosen.  Closest thing to love at
such a tender age. 

Lights go back on...it's open skate 
...more rock and disco.   

Sweat pours from the exertion but you have a 
smile across your face and it feels great to 
be alive!   

You wish it could last forever but mom has
arrived to pick you up in the family station wagon.  

That's OK. You will be back next week for a 
classmate's birthday party.