Fearless (080)

My roller blades were white plastic with bright pink and orange laces, and bright pink wheels. Those are the ones that I remember vividly when I think about zooming around my neighborhood as a kid. I’m not sure how many pairs I went through back then. I’m thinking about the time from roughly third to sixth grades, when I was completely fearless on wheels. My neighborhood was full of hills, but also free of potholes. It was a dream for kids like me who loved to spend their days on wheels. I’d go full speed down hills, zipping around corners, and jumping over sewage drains and curbs. I could go backward for a while and do quick spins smoothly. 

Mike convinced me to go out this evening to try out our new rollerblades. I had been feeling sick all day, physically as well as the new mental shit state I keep finding myself stuck in. But once I ate chicken wings and potato wedges for dinner, I felt some energy and decided to give it a go. Jorah came with us, and Mike held his lead after going back inside to retrieve my helmet. I’d decided that I was a bit too wobbly and maybe switching the brake to my left foot wasn’t the best decision. We set off through the neighborhood, and immediately my feet and ankles started to throb. I figured this was simply due to years of not using blades, but eventually decided that I tied them far too tight and I had lost circulation to my feet. 

After we stopped so I could loosen the boots, I stood back up carefully and we rolled into the new neighborhood with very fresh pavement. Watching Jorah run alongside Mike made me forget about the feeling of blood rushing back to my feet and ankles long enough to realize how much fun I was having. I’m hoping to get out and do it enough so that I get back to a neighbor of fearlessness. Tomorrow, I’m going to purchase a set of knee, elbow, and wrist pads to assist in that process.