Weeknd Locks

This is about Kyle’s hair, but Ella is a synchro skater and we were in Evanston for a competition. I don’t know if it’s really a 2 billion dollar complex (like someone on her synchro team said), but the stands are heated. Anyway, the fire department was leaving as we walked in. There had been a small flood or leak. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but now everything was delayed. And we’d already lost an hour to Daylight Savings. So late afternoon quickly became late evening. We were sitting in the heated stands for hours watching kids synchro skate. And these were not the best kids. Sure, they had pluck and heart. And adorable matching outfits. But some of them weren’t any better than me. And I can’t skate. I’m a very serious danger to myself and anyone else out on the ice.

The thing about synchro skating is that it should be a true feast for the eyes as everyone on the team spins and turns and glides in glorious unison all decked out in their glorious sequined and bedazzled outfits. But a lot of it was barely a side salad. There was one girl, maybe she was five, she could barely make it to center rink. Every other step was a fall. Of course, she only fell a foot because she was so little, but we had to clap and cheer each time to bolster her confidence. My fave was the tall girl who kept shrugging the whole time like it was her first time going through the routine. Each stop and turn was a complete surprise to her…