Anyone Willing to Teach Me to Skate? I'm Anxious to Get Out and Play!

Hello Corner Forum readers. My name is Gladys Baxley, and I'm a nearly 20-year resident of Emerald Street.

For many years I have been an avid speed walker. No doubt, some of you may have seen me walking around Capitol Hill. Well, a couple of years ago I decided to take up in-line skating. I thought that if I could cover four or five miles in a little over an hour just by walking, then surely I could cover twice that distance in half the time if I were on skates.

So, I bought some skates and started practicing in my house. Oh wow, a piece of cake — or so I thought. When I bought the skates, I also bought all the paraphernalia that goes along with them — the knee pads, the elbow pads, the wrist pads, the helmet, the whole nine yards. I had everything I thought I needed.

The one thing I didn't have was a big fluffy pillow for my "bum."

I was told by the guy who sold me the skates that, before going on the streets to skate, the most important thing I needed to learn was how to stop, so I practiced stopping in my house. After a few miscalculations (for example, I fell one day and slid into my computer and ended up having to replace my modem), I think I finally got the hang of the stopping thing.

Now, I'm ready to really take to the streets and join the masses of other skaters. But, there is only one problem — I'm not sure I know enough about the intricacies of in-line skating to feel secure about skating on the streets of Washington.

So, I'm writing to see if there is anyone among the Corner Forum readers who might be willing and able to take me on as an in-line skating pupil. I have a friend who wants to go skating with me, but she knows less about in-line skating than I do. If I go skating with her, then surely it would be like the blind leading the blind!

If there is anyone out there who can help me, you can reach me at 397-7071. Perhaps there is someone who might be interested in starting a skating club. If I have stirred your interest, then please let me know. The weather is getting good, and I'm anxious to get out and play. §