Love at the Roller Rink

"Too cold to go outside. Good inside Ice skating weather.  I walked to the towns roller rink in an upper state New York town. A dancing figure almost hit me. I turned and saw the figure of the man. Never in my life had I ever seen such a handsome brute. He could jump, twist and had all the moves of a great ballerina. . . I asked my girl friend his name and skated up to him. 
   "Hi Thomas, my name is Roberta and wish  to skate with you." 
   "My name is Thomas and glad to meet you. Think that you can keep up with me?"  
    We kissed on the first date. He was gorgeous and just must have enjoyed my lips. He proposed after the second month. My Dad would have something to say about this. I introduced my big hunk-of-a-man to him. 
     "You know she is only eighteen and you are five years older. And on top of that, you are Irish!" 
    "Well my Dad also married when he got my Mom pregnant. I think he knew I too was expecting a baby so he relented. Soon I moved in with him. He had fifteen brothers and sisters so soon we found a little flat and started a family. 
    "Can you excuse me. I need to go to the rest room, thanks."
   I return to the third floor library inside the Senior Complex and she continued to speak about her life. Of course I had no idea that she would just continue to talk but she knew I was fare game.  The little one with penetrating eyes also had found a few books to keep her company this Sunday in Huntington beach.
    "Thomas had learned carpentry from his sisters. At the age of seven, he learned the trade. We were a perfect mix and any nicks we fixed immediately in our forty seven year marriage. We had seven children, three of whom live in the area. I have 21 grand children." 
     "He did not wish to go to live in California but when I told Thomas I was leaving without him, he asked if he could come too. That gives you a glimpse of our relationship. He has been gone now for three years but what I really miss is his mother." 
    
 "Thomas' mother was firm and strong. Guess she would need to be married to an alcoholic. He was a trucker who carried boxes to buyers. She told me that she warned her girls never to live the kind of life she did. Never should she have had fifteen kids." 
     I had no relationship with my depressed Mom. She cooked and then lay down on a couch. we moved around a lot and I went door to door to sell subscriptions to his paper 
   
 It was time for my nap so I thanked her for our conversation and went my way. Outside cars were buzzing by since a world surfing contest as being held at Huntington Beach. For me I hated the smell of Barley-Corn or suds, but give me an interesting story and my mind flashes with excitement.  Of course it no longer was a simple Sunday. In my mind I was the brute of a roller skater and she became my wife. 
    Most of the women in my complex are without husbands. Whether deceased or divorced, each will exclaim: "Once is enough!" Now I don't quite know what happened to their husbands, but in my Senior Apartments on Florida Street, so far I have come across one  married couple - except for the Vietnamese. So far I have not seen any weighing more than one hundred pounds. They are tooth picks. 
   With the help of walkers, canes, or electric wheel chairs the Americans get around and wait for a shuttle bus to take them shopping or to the doctor. 
   The Vietnamese couples come out of a mold. They still hold hands and walk everywhere. They seldom own dogs but have one vice. They love to gamble. Just before eight o'clock they wait for the Hurrah's Casino bus to arrive. It takes them to Escondido. 
   Well got to go now. I need to get to the Huntington Beach Senior Center to play the piano and eat their turkey roast with gravy. See-ya. 

Nuts and Bolts for today: We need to edit our lives every day to make them more exciting.