Madison and the Ice Skates

Illustration by Summer  Age:  8  Paris, TN

           Madison opened her eyes and snuggled deeper into her bed.  Today was the big day.  She would use her brand new ice skates for the first time.  They had been her biggest Christmas present yesterday when the presents had been opened.  Now they sat in their box on a shelf above her chair.  Her sister, Marie, was supposed to take her to the lake and show her how to skate.  Her excitement built as she thought about gliding across the lake like her sister, Marie, did.

            Madison climbed out of bed and dressed quickly.  She didn’t want Marie to leave her behind.  Down the stairs she dashed holding the box with her ice skates in her arms.  She almost plowed right into her mother who was coming up the stairs to wake her up.

            “Good morning, sunshine!” her mother said.  “Wow, you’re up early and already dressed.  I wonder what in the world could make you do that,” she said with a smile.

            Madison just grinned and went straight to the breakfast table.  Marie and her friend, Grace, were already at the table busily eating.  Madison crammed down her breakfast, and then waited impatiently for her sister and friend to finish.  Finally, they were all bundling up in coats, hats, mittens, scarves, and boots for their day of fun.

            As they stepped out into the cold, Madison could see her breath in front of her face.  She had to hurry to keep up with Marie and Grace, but she didn’t mind.  All she could think about was gliding on the ice.  Before long the lake came into view.  Already several people were skating around in a big wide circle.  The girls found a bench and began to lace up their skates.  Madison struggled with the laces and had to ask Marie to help her.  Once the skates were on, they all stumbled toward the lake. 

            Once Marie and Grace reached the ice, they immediately glided off joining the flow around the big wide circle.  When Madison reached the ice, she immediately fell on her bottom.  She tried to get up, but couldn’t manage to get her feet under her.  The ice was just too slippery.  Suddenly she heard her sister say, “Need some help?”

At first, Madison didn’t want any help, but when another attempt to get up ended with her again on her bottom, she took her sister’s hand.  She clung to both Marie’s and Grace’s arms as they pulled her along.  All she could think about was trying to keep her feet upright and going straight.  Her feet kept wobbling from side to side threatening to take her down at any minute.  She didn’t even notice that now she, too, was in the flow of people going around the big wide circle.

            More than once, she stumbled and ended up on the ice, but each time Marie and Grace would help her up and off they would go again.  Finally after 30 minutes of stumbling and being pulled along, Madison started to get the hang of it.  After another 30 minutes, she started to try to move her feet like the other skaters.  She even let go of Marie and Grace and struck out on her own.  It wasn’t the gliding she had imagined, but it was so much fun to slip and slide along the ice.