My strongest memory of Vernon’s Roller Rink located on the outskirts of Catonsville, MD is going there at the age of ten with my first boyfriend from St. Timothy’s dancing class. We met at St. Tim's as Mr. Pinkerton, our ballroom dancing teacher, played his Guy Lombardo records and shouted-out the foot movements above our heads.
"Back on the Left
Back on the Right
Side Step
Feet Together"
On our first date to Vernon's I wore a short, red corduroy skating skirt with a white satin lining. I felt like a movie star that day. It was the only time I saw Charlie not wearing his McDonough Military School uniform. We rented our skates which had wooden wheels and laced above our shins. Charlie and I had had plenty of practice being a couple on the dance floor so this was just another venue for us to be partners as we glided around and around in circles on the wooden roller rink. We took several breaks so that we could visit the snack bar and have a treat or two. When the date was over his mother picked us up in her powder blue Buick and took us home.
Back on the Right
Side Step
Feet Together"
What a sweet memory!
ReplyDeleteSt. Mark's CYO had skating parties at Vernon's all the time out there in Oella where they still had outhouses in a lot of homes. Skating and holding hands with a girl was about all this shy Catholic school boy could take in a night.
Good memory about Oella and Vernon's. And yes I agree with you about holding hands...that's all we could figure out.
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