Sea legs...

Life Lesson for Nat #36,642

Sealegs are not intended for ice.

It all started with a visit from my friend Grace (from my Beloit days). Then she met my friend Leah (from my Williams-Mystic days) who is living here in Stockholm. They seemed to think that part of a true Scandinavian experience lay in donning a pair of ice-skates. I was not so sure that was where the essence of Scandinavian living was to be found...

As I was outnumbered on the skating issue I gave in and we headed for the skating rink in Kungsträdgården, one of downtown Stockholm's grand garden squares. The rink itself is an octagonal death-trap around a statue, it is smothered in schmultzy Swedish pop music, and packed with reckless dare-devil skaters all day long. Honestly it was hardly the place to go for a nice evening skate--especially for a re-beginner like myself. The last time I was on skates I was six years-old. It was a kamikaze mission.

The whole way to the rink Grace and Leah were talking excitedly about the majestic joy of skating in the city's grand old park...

...while I was having visions of my near future....

...the pain...

...the chaos...

You see, I belong on the water...liquid water. Not this frozen solid stuff. For all my comfort and stability on a rolling deck, I am worthless as a two-legged creature on ice. Sea legs just are not intended for ice. Look it up in your Bowditch!

But for all my slipping and sliding, I dutifully put on a pair of skates and inched out onto the ice. Oddly enough, once I put on a pair of skates and began to scuffle my way around the rink in a cold sweat, it wasn't so bad. I think I like skating Sam-I-am!

THWACK!!

I went home with only a few major bruises...