A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Rink

Actually when I got to the rink. And no, it wasn't funny. Since I still work in Long Island and I'm fairly close to Great Neck, I decided, why skate there? There are two evening sessions that I recently discovered, and since Great Neck isn't THAT far, I thought, why not? I put the address into my phone GPS and off I go; 7 miles down dark, twisting roads without adequate street signs. Speed limits changing from one block to the other and that odd realization that Long Island doesn't have a heck of a lot of sidewalks. I make a wrong turn, ask someone for assistance, and find my way to the rink. Several years ago, I skated at the Great Neck rink. It was on Sunday mornings and I am much better with directions when it's still light outside. However, as soon as I walked in, I remembered this rink. It was colder than any rink I'd ever skated in and it still is, in more ways than one. Seeing a woman who worked at the rink, I asked who I had to pay for the Great Neck Figure Skating Club session. First, she looked me up and down, twice. Then she pointed to the man driving the Zamboni. I nodded and said thank you, and went into the lounge area. As I was trying to navigate around the small children from the public session (which included a small boy who apparently just discovered turning around really, really fast can make you dizzy and he liked it), find a seat and warm-up my feet, that same woman came looking for me. This isn't a freestyle session, she informed me. I mentioned that it was on the schedule. Oh, well it's a freestyle session for club members only. So, you can't guest on this session, like at every other skating club? No. It's for club members only. There's a public session at 8:00. No thank you; not sticking around for that. Not giving you my money. And I left. Great Neck doesn't need my money; they are rich and generally obnoxious. Was I turned away because I'm an adult? Or because I'm over-weight? Or because I'm black? I've skated at a lot of different rinks, at a lot of different club sessions and I have NEVER heard of a club session for club members only. Even the Cantiague club sessions that were basically closed to anyone not in the club, allowed guests if there was room. That was a few years ago; now they welcome guests. Money is money. However, Great Neck Figure Skating Club, you won't be seeing mine. You may be the closest rink to my job, but after today, I only have two words for you.... BYE FELICIA!