IT�S �ALL SKATE�
AT THE WHITEROCK SKATE CENTER

by Autumn Rhea

Strapping on 10-pound, clunky, used roller skates to celebrate one�s birthday might not sound appealing to you, but it was a true experience in childhood glee for me this year.

Remember when congregating at the local roller skating rink secretly meant rendezvous with the �boyfriend� (chosen through careful survey tactics of �please check one, �yes,� �no� or �maybe,�) wearing those coveted furry pink leg warmers and finally the chance to exhibit total mastery of that week�s skating move. And there was that earth shattering moment when you might get chosen to join in a sweaty-palmed �couples only� skate. I relived those moments and more and am proud to say that the ritual has mystically maintained its reputation.

The Whiterock Skate Center in Dallas, Texas set the stage for this minor time travel experience, by providing its glistening wooden floored rink, spotless snack bar, rock star disco ball and enthusiastic workers - who were more than happy to help me become the spectacle of the evening. Twenty or so of my �twenty-something� friends met at the rink, in anticipation of the evening�s happenings. �Are they going to serve beer at this place?� (scary concept) and �Will they play �Xanadu� so I can skate backwards?� The questions subsided, while we laced the frayed laces - each skate was fully equipped with the stop-wheel in the front. I was told the look did wonders for my birthday skirt outfit. After mass confusion on locker assignments, how to maintain balance with these foreign objects attached to our feet and general chaos subsided, we were ready to prove our skating abilities and that we could still play with the best of them. The floors were slicker than I remembered - to say the least.

�YMCA� was requested and while we showed off our spinning talents in the middle of the rink (I think that�s against the rules, but they let it slide - how often did the skating staff get this kind of entertainment?) I noticed that we were the only ones re-enacting �The Village People�s� arm motions to the song lyrics. Feeling a little dated, some fellow rink patrons (5th grade boys) approached me and said �Happy Birthday, ma�am.� I admitted to myself that I was probably their elementary teacher�s age and laughed. Then we raced and they left me in the dust, seeking the refuge of the padded carpet walls.

The rollerbladers in our group sped circles around the rest of us, but I rationalized that they could not be experiencing the same heartening feeling of crunched toes and the sheer joy of wearing the same skates worn 15 years before. Some party members braved the speed racing contest, others casually lulled around the rink to the carefully picked �Chicago� ballad. But the ultimate moment came when the announcer blared on the loudspeaker system that it was hokey pokey time. And my presence in the center of the circle was requested

I was adorned with a headband of balloons, decorated with colorful markers with my name while gliding toward the epicenter of this strange tradition. The song began and suddenly everyone in the place was �shaking their right foot in and their right foot out� and�you get the idea. It was almost a moment of �Zenness.� Maybe a slight exaggeration,� but there was a minute where all was right with the world.

It was eleven o�clock and curfew for most of the rink�s customers. We skated two more times around the circle, although �last call� had been called. It reminded me of when the lifeguard would blow the whistle for break time and you would pretend that for some reason you couldn�t hear the high pitched signal. Finally, I removed my ancient skates, tried to regain walking composure and complimented myself on the fact that I hadn�t fallen once that night.

If you want an economical way to regain your childlike perspective, take a lap around the Whiterock Skate Center at 10055 Shoreview Road, Dallas, Texas 75238-4411

(214) 341-6660

Admission (including skates) is $5.25 for morning and afternoon sessions and $6.25 for evening sessions. Hours of operation vary, so call to get details and to make party reservations.

-Updated 4-14-00-

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