The Enchanted Speed Skating Oval

Friends:

This little slideshow is the record of a first impression.

First impressions are not always correct.

I love fairy tales.

Peace and goodwill to all!

One winter day I headed out to walk downtown along the riverbank.

It was a bit too cold to stop for lunch.

The mountains were gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

I was worried the ducks might be cold. Suddenly---

I saw before me, where once was a field of grass, a beautiful Speed Skating oval

It was built of magic pine beetle wood, and was as majestic as a palace.

Entranced, I walked up and stood beneath the magic pine beetle wood awning.

A door was open just a crack. I squeezed through.

For a moment I was blinded by bright light.The air around me was as warm as a summer day.

I had entered an enchanted world of the fairies-- a giant silver oval of ice beneath a roof of stars.

And round and round the oval skated the fairy speed skaters, handsome and beautiful and dressed in brilliant costumes.

Around and around they skated in a magic ice dance

Faster than the wind

I hid behind a pointsettia plant and watched for what seemed like hours.

And then... to my great sorrow, they stopped skating

And began to disappear

In an instant they were gone

I humbly departed.

Oh what wonders I could tell of this magic place

Of its secret rooms of hidden treasure

Its precious ornaments

And fearsome statue

And towering walls of glass

As I looked back I saw a fence had sprung up behind me all around the entrance.

And I saw giant nets strung up-- to capture others as they had captured me?

There is a darkness in my heart

For now the world around me, though so clean and lovely

and full of life, no longer interests me

The Enchanted Speed Skating Oval has bewitched me. At night I dream of it. And all the day long I hunger to return.

I would pay any price to go back to watch the fairy speed skaters glide around

their oval of ice

I am afraid, though, that the price will be very high.

End