Alice, Her Dad's Death, and the Charm City Roller Girls

I was all set to have my first post be a spew about an idiot headhunter who had my resume from way back when and called me about a dumb job two hours from here that he thought I'd be willing to commute to.

But, I got word today that my friend Alice's dad died on Saturday. He had progressive supranuclear palsy, and had been in hospice care, so it's not like it was unexpected. He died the same day that Alice was going to try out for the Charm City Roller Girls, which is Baltimore's very own roller derby team.

The ladies were going to participate in a bout this Sunday at home against the Long Island something-or-others, and I was all psyched up about watching her first bout and screaming her onto victory.

I'd sent Alice a message asking her if she'd made the team; I'd seen her practice, and to me, her making the cut was a given. And then I hear that her dad had died, and that his sister had died a few days after that. So no tryout for Alice.

Damn. It hurt like hell to have to read her message. She's from a very close-knit family, and I know it must be ripping her apart to have him finally die.

And it kicked my ass to have her not be able to tryout for the team. She lives an hour away from the rink, and had been travelling up faithfully to practice. She'd bought new skates especially for the purpose of joining the team--good skates--the ones any serious roller derby girl would need.

I was, and am, so proud of her. She's a really sweet person. Used to be a Montessori school teacher, and is the mother of a four-year-old and now has an office job. And a great boyfriend, which helps. And talk about Girl Power!!! How cool can you get, participating in roller derby.

I wrote her back and told her how sorry I was, and I'm teary-eyed writing this post just as I was when I wrote to her. I also told her that I'm sure that if she asks, the team will let her have her tryout whenever she's ready. I'm sure women will be dropping out for whatever reason, or maybe they'll just need more people than they already got. Alice would be an asset to them.

Alice told me to go to the bout anyway, but I told her that it wouldn't be the same. I want to have a reason to cheer and scream. If she's not on the team, then I'd like to have her there with me cheering them on with the same passion I like to show when I'm rooting on the home team.
I want to see Alice in her new, upscale skates out there in her helmet and pads slamming away for the joy and glory of it all.

I can't wait to root her on for the fun, the glory, and the Girl Power of it all.