Waltz of Her Life

"Here, let me help you," Linda said, as other skaters swished by them. She reached out and held both of Molly's elbows tightly and gently pushed, leading her to the left, then to the right.

Molly looked down at her feet and started to stumble, but Linda pulled hard and got her to steady herself.

"And don't look down," Linda said. "Look at me. I won't let you fall." Away from the snack bar, in the corner of the floor, they had a much bigger area to work with. Gently, Linda swayed Molly to the left, then to the right as the both of them traveled in circles over the carpet.

"I'm doing it!" Molly squealed. "I'm going backwards!"

"See? What did I tell you? It's easy!"

Overhead, the lights dimmed, then the glitter ball threw rays of light everywhere, while the D.J. announced "Couples only!"

"Do you feel like you're ready to try it on the rink?" Linda asked. "Now's a good time."

"We're two girls!" Molly objected.

"So?"

"We can't go out there! They'll think we're queer."

Linda tried to guide Molly out onto the floor, but her little sister held back, as stubbornly as if she'd been a goat. "You said you want to learn how to skate backwards, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Well, if you don't do it now, you'll never do it!"

Molly's resistance broke, and since Linda was stronger, she was able to guide her onto the floor, steer her clear of the couples swishing and gliding beside them and carry on with her instruction. "I can't believe you're making me do this! I feel so stupid!"

"Just keep looking at me, and you'll be fine. Glide and push from side to side, just like we were doing over by the snack bar. There you go! You're doing it!"

Molly grinned sheepishly and then grimaced and ducked her head when she looked over the wall and into the snack bar area. Linda glanced over there and saw a couple of Molly's friends laughing.

"I feel so queer," Molly said, as together they completed one sweep around the skating rink floor.

"Would you stop that?" Linda told her. "Look, I'll put it in a way that you can understand: No one gives a shit!"

When they completed another arc around the floor, Molly loosened. Soon, she had straightened up and was now pushing and gliding on her own, with little help from her.