Joanne and I have been rollerblading since we were little, but since we outgrew our latest pair from Kid's World, we started sharing our Dad's from time to time. They were a little bit on the big side and the shifting inside the boot strained our feet, but if you strapped in really tight, they were usable even for 10-year-old feet.
They came out for the first time a several years a few weeks ago when I decided to take up skateboarding again. Joanne wanted to learn, so I let her use mine while I used our old friend's brother's board that came to us like 15 years ago.
We were all set, or thought we were, until the old board literally started to fall apart with me just standing on it over the carpet in our house. The rubber keeping the trucks secure onto the deck was cracking away on one side. And then the other side. And then both trucks on the deck were completely unsupported. Useless.
So as an alternative, we broke out the blades.
They worked for a while. But then my ankles started to hurt. And then I couldn't strap in securely because the rods of the fasteners were nudging themselves out of their hinge with every stride.
(Women's) Size 8 rollerblades, seeking
Patti was the first person who actively responded to my inquiries about the listed rollerblades. She had a Size 7 men's which could translate well into a size 8, 8.5 women's. One of the other rollerblade Craigslisters noted (generously) that you should always go a size up rather than size down.
Most Craigslisters, at least from my rare experience, are fine with email and text. But this woman who was trying to sell her men's blades was insistent on the phone. I emailed inquiries a couple days before leaving for Chicago, and she called me at least once every day in between that and actually leaving for Chicago. She left me voicemails and even apologized for having missed my call (what, me, making the first phone call? Don't think so). She called me the morning of our departure, saying that she would bring the blades with her to the daycare she worked at so that I could possibly pick them up before our 1:30 call time. Wow, thank you lady, but really, you shouldn't have. I emailed her, of course, telling her not to go through the trouble (I know I should have called). A few days later I got an email in my inbox saying that sure! she'll hold the blades until I got back!
I guess she really wanted to get rid of them.
I think she's since lost her patience with me, this go-getter, on-the-run middle-aged mom-type since I've come back to Chicago. Her emails are less excited and I haven't checked my phone but I'm pretty sure she didn't call me this time. She's definitely trying to convey in her emails that she doesn't go online often. I hope I've conveyed that I don't do phones often. I wish we could meet halfway, via text.
So now I'm set for her $25 blades and either $20 women's blades from somebody in North Arlington or $25 blades from somebody in Annandale, whoever contacts me first. Joanne hasn't expressed a desire for a new pair of rollerblades, but I don't want to go skating around town alone.
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