“Never trust a girl on 8 wheels with a smile.”- Source Unknown

“We all fall down at some point. It’s what you do when you get up that matters!”- Helen Wheels, #67, Denver Roller Derby

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Sue pulls into the parking lot in her battered Civic and pops the hatch. This is a big day. Now that she’s turned 18, she’s finally eligible to sign up for the “Reckless Rollers”, the feeder program for the main “Bay Area Derby” (BAD) team.

The discussion with the folks around this decision went better than she expected. (A hell of a lot better than the discussion around her decision to get the sleeve...)

The three of them were sitting around the dinner table the day before yesterday when she broke the news. “Have you really thought this through, Sue?” Her mother asks, “I’ve seen videos of those girls. They’re monsters! You’ll be like a hobbit out there!”

Dad was more supportive. Turning to her mother he said, “Margaret, she’s 18, now. She can make her own decisions. – besides Love,” he grins, “The Hobbit won!”

Turning back to Sue he briefly looks her up and down (it doesn’t take very long) and says,

“Kiddo, I know you’re tough. It’s hereditary. You’re Irish.

Your Granddad, Uncle and I all got in our share of trouble. Given your juvie record, it’s pretty clear you also have the gene…

...not that those guys didn’t have it coming by the way… except maybe the Wilkinson boy. You didn’t really need to use a chair did you?

The thing is, you’re smarter than any of the men in the family. Clearly, your mother brought the brains into the gene pool. I don’t want you to waste that.

You’ve got my backing if this is what you really want to do.

You graduate in a couple of months. Real life is out there. Keep that in mind ok?

Priorities.”

Sue is surprised. She didn’t expect that level of support. “I will, Dad.” She says, getting a little choked up.

There’s a long moment of silence as they look at each other. Eventually, Dad gets up and moves towards the living room. Stopping at the door he turns back to her. “Sue?”

“Yeah, Dad?”

“Try not to hurt anybody.”

It really is a time of transition, she reflects as she hoists the heavy bag of equipment out of the hatch and slings it over her shoulder. Turning 18… Graduation in a couple of months… Looking for a job… She should be nervous.

She is, but she’s more excited than anything else. The “Rollers” is another big milestone – if she gets in.

When Sue first learned about roller derby at thirteen she got hooked on the sport almost instantly. After years of roller blading, she swapped her in-line skates for old-school quads and had been living in them ever since.

She’s been going to games and following the BAD girls for years now. – For the first few, her parents had to drive her there.

When the team lost to Montreal in the playoffs, she wore a black arm band to school and had to have a talk with faculty who were concerned she was making some kind of subversive political statement.

When they learned it was “an outward expression of internal grief” she ended up having to spend a few sessions talking with the school counselor.

Her friends later later asked her about the school’s reaction and her capsule summary was simply:

“Morons!”

Hopefully tonight she can start learning from the ‘big girls’.

Mom was right.

The Roller’s coach was huge and looked like she just stepped off a Viking long boat! The woman was 6’1” at least, blond, blue eyed and clearly in terrific shape. –

“Probably a combination of weight lifting and MMA…” Sue mused.

The giant looks at her and smiles, “Welcome!” she said, “you new?”

“Yeah,” Sue replied, “’It’s my first time here! I’ve got my insurance papers and equipment. – Oh, and I just turned 18!”

“Great!” grinned the coach. “Everyone is welcome. Let’s get you signed up and out to practice. – Do you have a skater name?”

This was a question she’d been waiting for years to answer. “Yes,” she said solemnly, “they call me, Sue Nami.”

The older woman gazed down at the red head who barely came to her chest. Squeezing her lips tightly together to suppress a knowing smile, she made a slight bow and said, “A pleasure to meet you Sue. Let’s get started.”

Three months later, after practice, Sue is talking with her teammate, Full Metal Jackie.

“Nice job tonight, Sue. You’re a natural jammer!”

“Thanks! I think I’m just starting to figure out a few things… A lot of the girls aren’t used to getting hip checked right above the knees!”

Jackie smiled. “You know, in six months they’re going to have tryouts for BAD, right? You interested?”

Sue locked eyes with Jackie. “I’ve been interested since I walked in the door! I just hope I’m ready by then.

Dad says now that I’m 18 and have graduated I’m going to need to start paying rent if I want to stay at home. Sounds like I need to find a real job. The part time stuff I’ve been doing to help the family isn’t going to cut it anymore.

I hope I can find one that wont cut into practice time too much...”

Jackie mused, “A job is important and can be really helpful in figuring out what you want to do in life. What are you good at?”

“I like organizing things and have a really good memory. Once I learn a name or a birthday I never forget it. I’m also kinda A.R., actually...

Sophomore year I set up an amateur Derby league between a couple of the local high schools. It was fun. I got to put together the schedule, come up with posters and promotional stuff. I made everyone on the teams participate in a fund raising drive and we made a little money and were able to get the teams shirts. ...I guess I’m bossy.”

“Well,” Jackie said, “how are you with computers?”

“’Love ‘em! I’ve got everything on mine. Last Christmas Mom and Dad got me a used iPad. – I think that’s where things are going to be going.”

“Interesting observation,” says Jackie, “Have you ever worked in an office?”

“With these tats and my juvie record? – Come on!”

“Now that you’re 18, your juvie record is sealed. As for the tats, you’d be surprised what some companies are comfortable with...”

Jackie continued, “Listen, if you are interested in tech and have the grades, maybe I can help. When I’m not here, my day job is running a small research team at the Johnson Development Center. I could put in a good word if you like.”

Sue was shocked. “You work at JDC?! Patrick Johnson’s company? Crap! This is like a repeat of a conversation I had with Miss Behavin’. Turns out she’s an Associate at a stock broking company in San Fransisco! Does everyone in derby have a ‘secret identity’?”

Jackie laughed. “Most of us. Mine’s not so secret after last year’s Christmas party, I’m afraid. – One too many trips to the punch bowl and somehow the news slipped out!

It’s not necessarily bad, though. Some of the ‘nerd bullies’ who were being a pain in the ass got intimidated and have been a lot easier to be around now that the word is out. In fact, there’s a small JDC fan contingent that’s started showing up at BAD games!”

“Awesome! How do I get started?”

“I’ll make some calls. – I think JDC might be a good fit for you.”

Next Chapter: Human Resources, Johnson Development Center, 2011