I’m Dana Sullivan, almost native of Houston—a former Dallas-ite.I came into skating after one of those life changing events—becoming a widow.
Once I was newly single again, I was encouraged to venture out into the singles scene.
Most of my life I have been (and still am) an equestrian. I came to a time in my life I was looking for a new hobby, possibly something less expensive than owning a horse.
I had a former co-worker, Starving Marvin, who worked as a furniture salesperson with me during the day and had a band called The Drop Kick Chihuahuas. His girlfriend encouraged me to come out and see the band play at Rockafelllers on Washington. That’s the first time I met Paul Weber. He asked me to dance, and then we sat near the stage. I had just received the glass of wine I ordered—a very full glass of wine. I was holding it in my left hand and some person stumbled, bumping my arm and sending most of the contents of the glass all over Paul. I was sooo embarrassed and offered the only thing I could offer to help him dry off: a tiny cocktail napkin.
The next time I ran into Paul, I had gone to see The Drop Kick Chihuahuas at the dive called the Blue Iguana. He came in on skates with a bunch of others skaters.
Shortly after that, I found myself buying inline skates. My first pair were Bauers.
I got them home. I set a chair in my garage, opened the garage door, put on my skates, stood up and pushed myself gently. I rolled ever so slowly out my garage, across the alley behind my house and GRABBED the telephone pole and held on tightly. That was exciting!
Before long I was skating from Shiloh’s in the Heights on Wednesday nights….Coming out of King Biscuit I landed on my rear end because of that dip….And from The Big Easy on Thursday Nights to downtown…Skating into Sanora’s, the biker bar that no longer exists, was a trip. Still a newby, I was so nervous that I’d run into and knock over a Harley, and get one of those tough biker dudes upset!...Getting back to The Big Easy to hear Luther & the Healers, was a ritual….I’ve skated quite a few Art Car Parades…A couple Blankenship Memorial skates. I’ve skated around town with Skate Trash… I skated most of one Toe Jam, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
Time is drawing close to travel time. Getting excited!
Paul is going with me to Barcelona a few days before Paris. It’s been my dream to revisit where I lived as a preteen with my family. I haven’t seen it since. My memory is definitely fading.
I hope I won’t be the only one on bicycle, especially on Friday Night!
See ya in Paris!
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