#229 Roller Skates-Another Jane Story

When Jane was around 6 years old she was given a pair of roller skates. This was long before in-line skates were invented. They were the old steel ones with clamps and straps to hold them on. They weren’t that comfortable, but they did offer mobility. For a young girl like Jane, they were a God-send. They were her preferred method of escape from a home life that was much less than perfect.

She spent most of her days skating around the town. Even in those days there was progress in small towns. The community was growing. The area in which they lived was being built up. With housing developments came sidewalks that were perfect for skating. This provided her the mobility to escape the house and the adults who were not that tolerant of her.

She even took her skates with her when they visited her father’s family in Johnstown. Apparently Johnstown was a bit larger than Carlisle so she had a little more space to explore.

There was one difficulty with which she had to contend—the hills. She wore the wheels down to the rims using the skates to slow down when going downhill. She never mentioned if her father replaced the wheels.

Skating may have been the beginning of her wanderlust. To this day she fondly and sadly remembers her travels. The sadness comes from the realization that she does not travel anymore. She has lived in El Paso, TX for more than 45 years. She claims it is the one place she was meant to live. Recently when my brother offered to get her a plane ticket to come visit me, she demurred by saying, “You know I never did like to fly.” I reckon we will just have to visit her.

#229