Tuesday night I was suiting up at speed skating, chatting with one of the inline skaters about this and that when she stopped mid-sentence, adopted a bewildered look on her face and said, "oh wow..." I turned around. One of my teammates and her girlfriend had just walked in. My teammate was wearing a tiny tank top, teal tights and very sparkly derby skinz booty shorts. Her girlfriend was sporting teal tank tops, orange tights and a FABULOUS very short orange/red/mauve paisly skirt with orange hot pants underneath. They both have a fair number of tattoos. I looked back at my speed skating friend in her usual black biking shorts and T-shirt and we both busted up laughing.
I have to admit that one of the best things about going to speed skating and bringing my derby friends to speed skating is the marvelous juxtaposition that those two worlds provide against one another. As a general rule, I have found speed skaters to be sort of straight laced. They tend to either be older, working professionals or really intense kids. They are insanely athletic, thin and muscled. They either wear generic sport clothes or skin suits - either one of which I would describe as fairly prosaic. It's comical, then, when derby walks through the door in all its glitter, bright colors, tattoos and stickered helmets.
I suppose it would be very easy for the speed skaters to dismiss us outright. We could be like the embarrassing cousin who shows up without RSVP'ing to the family reunion while smoking with an unexpectedly pregnant girlfriend. Instead they walk us through their drills and give us tips on technique. They politely inquire as to our names and/or what we would like to be called. When I asked one of the coaches whether it was OK to invite a lot of my friends her response was, "all I ask is for no drama." The look in her eyes clearly stated that she didn't care whether you had a throat tattoo, what color your hair was or how shiny your ass was, you had better be there to work.
And I love it.
<originally posted on 2.24.12>
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