Free Skate

Why did I ever stop skating? Probably because the last time I had skates I made the undoubtedly unwise decision to attach myself to our dog and threw a ball so he would run at full speed with me in tow.  As you can imagine, that ended with scrapes and bruises and a decided antipathy towards roller blades.  

Every Tuesday night is free skate at the Tamarindo, and they have a mountain of skates of all sizes because some hockey groups decided to donate skates and gear and and sticks and helmets and the like, as well as skates in kids sizes.  Last week I laced up skates for the first time in probably ten years, with no expectation that my body would remember any of it.  It turns out that skating is like riding a bike - you never really forget.  Free skate is by far my favorite night at the Tamarindo, though it is a miracle I haven't fallen since the boys who are good skate far too fast and too close, and the ones who are not make wild turns and fall flat in the rink.  I tend to think of roller blading as something that doesn't apply to anyone over the age of 12, but it's hard work and the skill and fitness required for the guys who are skating and playing hockey is impressive.  It is hugely entertaining, both for the speed and for the community it creates in the rink.  The boys are trying to teach me to skate backward - I haven't quite gotten over the fear of falling, and not being able to see where I'm going is a problem. Maybe next week.

Did I mention that I love the Tamarindo kids?  "Kids" is a broad term, but it is fitting.  I slept over at the Tamarindo again, and perfected my table tennis skills with Alfredo, Filipito, Owen, Marlon and Chucky.  Gio, all sweetness and light, made coffee and brought sweetbread for all of us.  We shared food and laughed a lot, and settled down eventually after my resounding defeat in the final ping pong match.  Each of the boys turned on his phone, until we had a cacophony of conflicting music that ranged from traditional spanish to reggaeton to love songs.  It is a good thing that phones have a finite battery life, and they were running out of juice by the end of the day.  Conversation mixed with music and I caught only a little of each, but the friendship and laughter rose above it all and made the darkness close and warm as we drifted off.  

I made sure to not be the first one asleep - there is paint in the Tamarindo and the jokes among those teenage boys are all too likely to become practical jokes, regardless of my status as girl and noncombatant.