First Skate

"Wow! I can't believe this line! Are all these people waiting for a turn to freeze their asses off? This is a joke!" The constant complaining of the father in front of me almost became pleasant; against the blaring Christmas carols, the light rail bells and whistles, the passing traffic, the tourists, and the screaming children, this guy seemed benign indeed.

I had said I was going to do it and here I was: ice skating for the first time. I just didn't picture the crowds nor the throngs of children. Of all the possible nightmares in my life, a long