When I was a young teen going to the roller rink was a big deal. That roller rink was a good distance from home, a good twenty miles. We rarely traveled that far from home. Mom and Dad may take us as far as Riverhead (25 miles ) on a Friday night but it had to be for a special reason. Christmas shopping or shopping for school clothes may warrant the journey. But going to the roller rink was always with a group and always in a bus. I can't say with certainty, the years have been too many, but probably with the church youth group. I did a lot with that group of kids over the years.
Going to the roller rink was an adventure. Mom would be a bit worried about it and make sure I was prepared. Clean socks were essential ! Clean underwear too, in case you had an accident that required a trip to the hospital ! Hey, Mom always said, you never know. And of course, finances. You had to have some spending money but not too much. The likelihood of being robbed in a place like Hampton Bays was a distinct possibility, best not to carry too much cash.
I do remember well skating in that circle. I was never very adept at it but managed to propel myself forward with a minimum of spills. Those skates sure were heavy ! The only other skates I ever tried were the one you strapped to your shoes. They had thin metal wheels and hardly any weight to them at all. They also didn't roll quite as easily or smoothly. I remember, as a general rule, avoiding doing the " hokey pokey " using the excuse it wasn't cool. Truth was I was afraid of falling down and looking foolish. Spinning around wasn't one of my skills. The only thing I became decent at was building up speed. I wasn't always in control though and would get yelled at by the attendant. That was in the " early " years. Later I only went to the roller rink to hopefully hold hands with the young ladies. I remember when that was a big deal too ! Bigger than going to Hampton Bays or Riverhead ! Ah, for those days again. I can still hear that hollow sound of the skates on that hardwood flooring, I can see the colored lights and hear that stereo music ! It was sometimes hard to even speak to one another it was so loud. I was always glad Mom wasn't there, she would have told them to turn it down ! I didn't go often so I suppose that is why I didn't go deaf ! Being twenty miles away did have that unexpected benefit.
I did go, a year or so ago, to a roller rink in Delaware. My granddaughter Morgan had her birthday party there. Yes, grandpa was talked into strapping on the skates. And yes, I still got it ! I found my skating skills hadn't diminished very much despite all the years. I can still go forward without falling down too much. And the best part, holding hands with my granddaughter as she laughed and giggled her way around the rink. She was as unsteady as I was ! I did not participate in the hokey pokey either. I was surprised that the whole routine hadn't changed much at all. All skate, girls skate, boys skate, the hokey pokey, musical corners ( a new game to me ) and reverse skate. The lights and music were still the same. If I closed my eyes during the hokey pokey I was back in Hampton Bays.
They were certainly good times, those trips to the roller rink. I remember how my legs would ache later on from using unfamiliar muscles. It was a feeling of independence. Funny I do not recall who drove the bus or the chaperones at all. They were good chaperones that much is certain. I do not remember there ever being a problem of any kind. We just went skating and had a great time. What private dramas may have taken place I cannot guess. Worst that ever happened to me was a young lady didn't want to skate with me. It was pretty embarrassing but a soda from the concession stand took care of the injury. Life was a lot simpler then.
Going to the roller rink was an adventure. Mom would be a bit worried about it and make sure I was prepared. Clean socks were essential ! Clean underwear too, in case you had an accident that required a trip to the hospital ! Hey, Mom always said, you never know. And of course, finances. You had to have some spending money but not too much. The likelihood of being robbed in a place like Hampton Bays was a distinct possibility, best not to carry too much cash.
I do remember well skating in that circle. I was never very adept at it but managed to propel myself forward with a minimum of spills. Those skates sure were heavy ! The only other skates I ever tried were the one you strapped to your shoes. They had thin metal wheels and hardly any weight to them at all. They also didn't roll quite as easily or smoothly. I remember, as a general rule, avoiding doing the " hokey pokey " using the excuse it wasn't cool. Truth was I was afraid of falling down and looking foolish. Spinning around wasn't one of my skills. The only thing I became decent at was building up speed. I wasn't always in control though and would get yelled at by the attendant. That was in the " early " years. Later I only went to the roller rink to hopefully hold hands with the young ladies. I remember when that was a big deal too ! Bigger than going to Hampton Bays or Riverhead ! Ah, for those days again. I can still hear that hollow sound of the skates on that hardwood flooring, I can see the colored lights and hear that stereo music ! It was sometimes hard to even speak to one another it was so loud. I was always glad Mom wasn't there, she would have told them to turn it down ! I didn't go often so I suppose that is why I didn't go deaf ! Being twenty miles away did have that unexpected benefit.
I did go, a year or so ago, to a roller rink in Delaware. My granddaughter Morgan had her birthday party there. Yes, grandpa was talked into strapping on the skates. And yes, I still got it ! I found my skating skills hadn't diminished very much despite all the years. I can still go forward without falling down too much. And the best part, holding hands with my granddaughter as she laughed and giggled her way around the rink. She was as unsteady as I was ! I did not participate in the hokey pokey either. I was surprised that the whole routine hadn't changed much at all. All skate, girls skate, boys skate, the hokey pokey, musical corners ( a new game to me ) and reverse skate. The lights and music were still the same. If I closed my eyes during the hokey pokey I was back in Hampton Bays.
They were certainly good times, those trips to the roller rink. I remember how my legs would ache later on from using unfamiliar muscles. It was a feeling of independence. Funny I do not recall who drove the bus or the chaperones at all. They were good chaperones that much is certain. I do not remember there ever being a problem of any kind. We just went skating and had a great time. What private dramas may have taken place I cannot guess. Worst that ever happened to me was a young lady didn't want to skate with me. It was pretty embarrassing but a soda from the concession stand took care of the injury. Life was a lot simpler then.
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