Happy Wheels
Jessica Tomlinson
It’s rain, rain, rain and more rain. I feel bad for the tourists. No, really I do. Recreation has been moved indoors for the past three weeks due to inclement weather. It’s time for new forms of entertainment.
Hence, I find myself driving through an industrial area to get to Happy Wheels, an indoor roller-skating rink, on a Tuesday night. Every Tuesday is Adult Night at Happy Wheels which means you must be 18 or older to skate. The age demographics run from twenty somethings up to senior citizens.
The music however is restricted to one decade: the 80s.
I am struck by this crowd. These are not the girls in the Portland Roller Derby league. These are regular folks. The most amazing skater of the night is a guy about 23 who looks like he could be a volunteer fireman.
He dominates that rink with grace. He effortlessly floats and flies, twists and twirls without ever breaking a sweat. He is dancing on his wheels underneath the glittering disco ball while the DJ plays “Let’s Hear it For the Boys.”
Meanwhile, three feet behind him is a woman who would never turn my head if I saw her walking down the street. Tonight, all eyes are on her. She is a superstar on Tuesday nights. She is making the loops with ease and style, swaying to the sounds of Prince, Gloria Estafan and Cindy Lauper.
There are former hockey stars who have swapped blades for wheels as well as grandmothers who never put away their skate keys. Many are there by themselves skating alone.
It is obvious that these are regulars. They do not rent skates, they own them and adorn them with special laces and pom poms. They can skate backwards just as easily as they can frontwards. They often skate together, doing complicated synchronized moves that I could never do standing still, let alone in rapid motion.
The referee, on skates and wearing a black and white striped jersey, has an easy night of it tonight. There are few spills and no misdemeanors. I would think it a violation to text or talk on cell phones will skating but she never blew the whistle on the offenders.
The night ends when the DJ plays a song for couples only. New friendships form. The lights come on and everyone heads for the lounge at the nearby Holiday Inn where the fancy foot moves continue as another DJ keeps the 80s music going.
Happy Wheels has a website; see here.
www.happywheelsskatecenter.com
Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 in Permalink
Views expressed in this blog belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect either Down East's editorial stance or the views of Down East Enterprise. We ask that comments be civil; anyone who refuses to self edit runs the risk of being banned from commenting on Down East.com content.