Tuesday, January 26, 2010

you'll always be a part of me

moving "home" has made me all kinds of nostalgic. maybe it's the fact that i work with restless suburban teens all day. or that i bump into high school acquaintances on a semi-regular basis. or simply that i catch myself doing the sway-and-snap every time i hear mariah carey's "always be my baby"...which averages once/month.

by the time mariah hits the first verse, i'm back at bonaventure, skating and feeling slightly uncomfortable with all the hand-holding going on around me. puzzled more than envious, all feelings temporarily take a back seat to the present fear of falling. with a few hours of free skate and 4" of recent growth, one can never be too careful about these things.

an attractive employee flashes an encouraging smile. now you wanna be free-ee-ee. so i'll let you fly-i-i... the music, the braces-free grin, the smooth confidence with which he skates backwards. it's too much and i'm in love.

i've made it 3 times around the rink without falling, but it's not enough to get his attention. i need something more. something sassy. like the cross-over turn; that nifty one all the hockey kids know. you'll always be a part of me... i build speed and take a deep breath. oo darlin', (this is for you, bonaventure man) cause you'll always be my baby. do-do doooo do (bom)...

i get caught up in the song and my skates. epic wipeout. do-do-do-do-do-do-do... he's by side in 3 seconds flat, flashing another perfect smile. but mariah's voice is fading now and the lighting's changed. it's the same smile i get from my older brothers when i fall down the stairs. how did i miss that the first time?!

there's only one way to heal this heartbreak: rope candy.

1 comment:

Elizabeth Downie said...

Great post! I love it. I had many similar experiences at a young age in a roller skating rink. :)