As a boy I skated every winter, sometimes on Park Rill, the dugout Wally created, or Mud Lake. The first half hour was always fun but then when the cold started to settle into my bones and my toes, it became a challenge to see any fun in it.
Years on, as a man I skated once in a while. Then in the 1990’s I ceased skating altogether and somewhere along the line even sold my skates.
Today Nelly and I were walking in a City of Edmonton park when I saw a skate rental sign. I must admit that at first I was feeling quite positive about renting skates, then I started second guessing my desire to be on skates again.
My main concern was, what if I fell? When Nelly encouraged me to go for it, I gave in and rented the beasts! I had forgotten the struggle you get to put them on your feet. I even went back and got a larger size. Finally, with laces done up as tight as possible, it was off to the ice surface.
There was a hand railing to support myself going down the three steps to where the ice began. On top of the ice there was a patch of crusty snow extending out about two feet from the stairs. I stepped into that, and was expecting to glide through it and onto the ice that was snow free.
Instead, the snow caught my skates and I stumbled forward and began to lose my balance. I straightened up and fell backwards crashing onto my right shoulder. Fortunately, by this time I was far enough away from the stairs so that when I hit the ice I did not crack my head on the stairs.
I scrambled to my feet, looked around and saw a woman looking at me with astonishment, as if to say, ” old man, you should stay in your rocking chair!”
With the falling business out of the way, it was time to get on with the business of skating!
I tried to stand up straight and skate like the young men around me were doing, but I was too wobbly to maintain that balance. Lean forward and crouch, that was the only style for me. I skated a short loop and my leg muscles were aching.
I went over and hung onto the stair railing for a minute or two then decided that a two minute skate was not worth the $9.00 rent on my skates. Off I went again, this time wobbly skating around the island that was in the middle of the pond. That was all of ten minutes then I was done.
Back in the change room I had forgotten how difficult it was to get the skates off! I unlaced them as best I could but was unable to make any headway in removing them.
As I hung onto the bench, Nelly pulled them off my feet. I don’t remember ever having someone help me like that when I was a little gaffer.
As I write this I do have a little stiffness in my shoulder where I fell and my right hip feels tender, but I’ll see what I feel like tomorrow.
On a different note, I have managed to contact Gunnar Kuehn with the help of a few of his relatives. Before I give you his letter, I must make a correction that both he and my sister Trish have mentioned. The year of the Reach For The Top contest for them was 1961.
Gunnar’s letter is as follows.
” WOW! A real flash from the past! I actually thought REACH FOR THE TOP was 1961, but ok it has been a long time. I am currently on the road with my actors ( THE AMERICAN DRAMA GROUP EUROPE ) doing THE CANTERVILLE GHOST by Oscar Wilde, through Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary. Therefore, I will not have any time to look into this** more exhaustively for a few weeks.
Briefly though, I am a producer and part owner of the above company, an international touring theatre company ( based in the beer capital of the world, Munich, Germany ) that has performed in English, French, and Spanish in around 40 countries throughout the world ( not Canada unfortunately ) and am currently in Bologna, Italy, ready for a 11:00 show for schools.
Normally I do not accompany my actors on their tours but when they go to Italy I insist on sharing the company van with them as I love the country so much. The actors kindly accept my presence.
In fact whenever I do go along I often insist on driving the van. There are two reasons for that; one, I have been to these countries numerous times on our various tours and thus know the routes and theatres like the back of my hand, and secondly, seeing that most of the actors are Brits they are not used to driving on the right side of the road. And I just love their accents!
Unfortunately I have to rush. The actors are waiting for me down in the hotel lobby.”
Gunnar went on to mention that he has been living abroad for nearly 50 years and that he hasn’t had much contact with Canada since his parents died.
I have enjoyed writing this series. I know there are others who participated in the Reach For The Top journey such as Sandra Shaw and one of the Olgilvie boys.
If anyone is aware of the names of the rest of the participating students, please drop me a line.
** The Reach For The Top details.
ruralreportwithlairdsmith@gmail.co