ICE SKATING

My wife's two nine-year old nieces wanted the family to go ice skating for their birthday present, so yesterday we did. I haven't been ice skating for a very long time, so it took me a while to get used to it again. On a public rink, it's a bit like being a commuter at a busy international railway station, except that the people whizzing past you are not hard-pressed bankers, late for the office, but seven-year old budding ice hockey players, honing their skills.

After an hour or so, I was mentally congratulating myself on being one of the few over-50s on the ice, when I was walloped from behind by one of the other over-50s. Unfortunately, he happened to be some 15kgs heavier than me, so I went down with a crash. Luckily it was right on my buttock, so I was able to continue; but I have a very sore bottom, and expect a bruise within the next day or so.

As for my attacker, he merely said sorry and continued skating. That seemed to be a rather puny penance, but I wasn't big enough to do anything about it.

Walter Blotscher