Xanadu

When your girl picks up a sweet pair of purple wheels at the rummage sale, there’s really only one thing to do, and one place to do it.

How lucky were we that the kids’ school had a spirit night at Skateworld the same week as the dreaded rummage sale?

My girl and I arrived ready to roll, and she waited patiently in her spiffy kicks while I laced up my sad brown rental skates. 

Then we were off, ready for our mother daughter bonding moment! 

She ditched me almost immediately. For a second grader. 

I  told her it was fine, she was slowing me down anyway. I love to skate, and I like to go fast. I feel pretty cool up there on 8 wheels. Sure, there were moments of awkwardness when my girl tried to hide from my view and when I nearly bowled over the Principal. But still, I knew I was looking good out there, I could feel it.   

I did my thing while the girls rocked the Macarena and the cha cha slide. I would occasionally sneak up on my girl and propel her at breakneck speed to the other side of the room. She liked that. Deep down inside, where it counts.

Just when I really started to hit my groove, I had one of those moments when the floor slips out from under you and you can’t help but pinwheel and shriek and possibly lean on the closest waist high person for support. I didn’t fall, but there was really no recovering from that spectacle, so I slithered over to the wall to sit a few songs out. The girls did the limbo, had a slushie, dorked out.

I was watching the time, thinking maybe we could slip out after an hour or so, I was sure my girl would be tired after a long day of school and drama club and helping out at my workplace. I was about to call her over when the lights went down and these came up

And the DJ played Xanadu! I was back out there in a flash, and when the next song began with its saga of a small town girl livin in a lonely world, I was all in. It’s funny how that song has become such a youth anthem, everyone in the place was belting it out. They did not stop believing.  Dancing Queen kept the momentum going, and then they brought the house down with a Total Eclipse of the Heart! Okay, maybe it was just us moms turning around (bright eyes), but we had soul.

I’ve still got it.