Head-On

Falling is part of skating, and I've done
my fair share of it.
In fact, though I don't do it much anymore,
it's a given that I will fall, on my own,
or in a tangle with someone else.
Last nights incident was with my youngest
team mate.
We were on the start line together and he
was unsteady from the word "Go!".
Skating over the first cone, to my inside,
instead of around it, he finally went down
coming out of the corner, tumbled and then,
sprawled across the floor directly in my
path which was on the outside.
There he was, inches from the wall, with my
left boot flying towards his head!
He saw me coming, and I saw the look that
flashed across his face..
In horror, his and mine, I knew in an instant
that I was going to run him over..as simple
as that.
So I chose the only alternative, the wall,
along with the tiny bit of space between it
and him.

And a picture from Nationals flashed across
my mind...
In one race, I'd gotten too close to the wall
trying to miss a fallen skater, in the exact
some situation...it took me out and probably
cost me a podium placement..

With my right shoulder on the painted cider
block, I picked my left boot up and back to
miss him and and that's the way I fell, sliding
down the floor along the wall with my left leg
back, behind and under me.
Crack! My bad knee!
My first thought was "Is he OK??", did I miss
him?"
Both of us got up to finish our laps but I was
shaking, and mentally upset.
You know when you were a kid, and you ran across
a busy street without looking ?
The traffic missed you, you were alright, but
your Mom or Dad, though relieved you were safe,
were so upset that they spanked your butt?
That's how I felt last night.
I wanted to spank butt.
Gee, I could have seriously hurt that boy..
Took me awhile to discharge the emotions that
followed..