Wanted For My Skates

This post refers back to my blog from yesterday where I mentioned being booked as an extra in the new Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie. Although I am booked to appear in the baseball stadium crowd scene, we are still allowed to be an extra in other scenes. They have a hotline to call to find out what kind of extras they are seeking for the next day's shoot and if you fit the description you call them back at another number and tell them you're available (i.e., for one scene tomorrow they are looking for parents 40-50 years old, any race).

I called the number today and they said they are looking for extras to roller blade along the beach (but you must have your own blades). Well, wouldn't you know it, right before I moved out of Nashville I was digging through a box and found my little-used roller blades. Deanna and I each bought a pair about 5 years ago when we were in Pennsylvania. Dee returned hers because she knew she would never use them and since I didn't have anyone to skate with, mine remained in the box, brand spankin' new. I didn't have the heart to return mine because I figured I'd use them SOME day. I always wanted to blade, but..well...just never did. I didn't know when I WOULD use them (there aren't a lot of parks in Amish country for skating), but knew if I returned them I'd probably never go blading. And who wants to look back on life and realize you've never gone roller blading?

After rediscovering my skates in Nashville I decided I would bring them with me to Chicago because, doggonnit, I was gonna use them. My buddy Amy and I went blading this past weekend down at Lakeshore Drive but Amy's blades were purchased from a used sporting goods store and a wheel fell off and she had a nasty spill (don't worry, she's OK. And now when I replay it in my mind, it was kind of funny).

So I figured thus endeth the blading of Ed.

UNTIL NOW.

I have my own blades, I know how to use them (you won't find me on a halfpipe any time soon, but I can at least skate without falling down), and now my refusal to get rid of them and determination that they would come in handy some day is actually paying off. In a weird weird way that I never imagined.

Cool, huh?

The moral of the story is: Dont' get rid of your skates. They don't take up a lot of room anyhow, and when you need them you got 'em.