My grandmother, Maria Bastardo was a huge fan of roller derby. Saturday evenings were reserved for roller derby. Nana B would sit on the edge of her easy chair with an unlit Benson & Hedges in one hand, a can of Genesee Cream Ale in the other and she would howl and critique each match up. She loathed the team from L.A. and always rooted for their opponent.
Her team was the Jolters. She knew all their names, "Lookie lookie they have a jam coming their way!" she'd yell at the TV. I sat quietly by taking it all in and silently cheering on the Jolters. I was just a kid and didn't know anything about roller derby, but Nana B got me hooked. And I loved it! She used words like 'lunkhead' and 'malarkey' to describe the action.
During a featured match between her beloved Jolters and the cheating L.A. T-Birds, the Jolters were behind and looking to score twice on the final 3 laps for the win. The T-Birds had been laying out cheap shots all evening and Nana B was hot! She had already thrown the pillows across the room in disgust, now she could hardly maintain a seated position. Down to 2 laps...
"Beat those skunks! C'mon Jolters! Get a jam! Show 'em who's boss!"
The Jolters lead jammer broke the pack and scored! One more to go! You can do it!
On the final lap the Jolters did it! They won! I leaped up an shouted "Woohoo! Way to go Jolters!"
Nana B looked over at me standing on the couch, the one who had quietly sat through dozens of matches, and she smiled,
"Well, well, well... the Reverend has spoken."
Her team was the Jolters. She knew all their names, "Lookie lookie they have a jam coming their way!" she'd yell at the TV. I sat quietly by taking it all in and silently cheering on the Jolters. I was just a kid and didn't know anything about roller derby, but Nana B got me hooked. And I loved it! She used words like 'lunkhead' and 'malarkey' to describe the action.
During a featured match between her beloved Jolters and the cheating L.A. T-Birds, the Jolters were behind and looking to score twice on the final 3 laps for the win. The T-Birds had been laying out cheap shots all evening and Nana B was hot! She had already thrown the pillows across the room in disgust, now she could hardly maintain a seated position. Down to 2 laps...
"Beat those skunks! C'mon Jolters! Get a jam! Show 'em who's boss!"
The Jolters lead jammer broke the pack and scored! One more to go! You can do it!
On the final lap the Jolters did it! They won! I leaped up an shouted "Woohoo! Way to go Jolters!"
Nana B looked over at me standing on the couch, the one who had quietly sat through dozens of matches, and she smiled,
"Well, well, well... the Reverend has spoken."