ONA

On Friday and Saturday nights in my hometown, I swam in the recreation center’s baby-blue pool or skated on the wood floor that doubled as a basketball court. The building smelled like chlorine and youth. Occasionally, a boy would ask me to skate. While holding sweaty hands, we’d watch the mirrored disco ball go round and round.

Roller skating meant freedom. It got me out of my head and out of my crowded house. (I was the oldest of six children.) I could feel the floor moving underneath me after I took o my skates.

Even though I haven’t skated for decades, I bought a pair of roller skates a few months ago. I blame social media.

I’m addicted to watching reels featuring the Gri n Brothers, skating siblings who have more than 400,000 Instagram followers.

If the Gri ns make me smile as they side-byside skate around a rink, then Estro Jen (aka Michelle Steilen, the founder of Moxi Roller Skates) makes me nervous as she rips down a city street or pops a handstand on the side of a concrete skate bowl. If you look closely, you can see scrapes and bruises on her arms and legs.

When I was a kid, I didn’t own safety gear. Now?

I have elbow, wrist and knee pads. I also wear an old bicycle helmet when I skate outdoors, which is better than no helmet, but not ideal; the padding is falling out. The fi rst few times I tried my skates on the street, my husband ran alongside me holding my hand.