Wednesday, October 7, 2009

RECESS ROLLER KINGS


Have you ever had a crazy Memory Fart? It’s one of those goofball blasts from the past that just pops into your head for no reason at all. Yeah, I know you’ve had them, and I get them all the time. The most recent one arrived yesterday around 5:30 AM.

In this Fart, I am back in elementary school, 1st or 2nd grade, and it’s recess. I’m sitting with some other girls at the east upper tier of the Mound School playground, and we’re watching some older boys, like 5th or 6th graders, roller skate around the building. This isn’t just a leisure roll, either. These guys are going full tilt, pushing each other for the lead, and since the school was built on a hill, they maneuver up and down steps. Will they keep their balance or fall flat? “Watch out!!”

In spite of the fact that these guys’ presence made it impossible for girls to jump rope or play jacks on the smooth walkway, we weren’t mad about them monopolizing the sidewalk. We were totally entranced by their skating ability. None of them were wearing a helmet or knee and elbow pads because that would be sissy stuff. (Safety was not paramount back in the 1950s. Bruises were cool!) I was especially impressed by the leader of the pack, a swarthy kid named Dennis whose hair was cut in a Mohawk. A true grade school renegade!

That’s about it for this Memory Fart. Guess I’ll wipe it away and make room for another one to blow out of my brain.
 

1 comment:

Sarah said...

I love it when old memories pop in. ;) Most of them anyway.