This week will be cold but relatively free of precipitation, so any rinkspace recovered will likely survive a few days. It looks like a blasted moonscape out there right now, but a couple hours of shoveling will uncover the byways of our lost civilization, that culture of pure leisure we established whose spirit survives.

All right-thinking people will consider gathering beer and enjoying the unique sunsets throughout the life of this temporary open space. As relayed to me in tones of joy and wonder, the rink is viewed by awestruck tourists from Va Bene, by the hopeful residents of St. Luke’s, and by people new to town in Hillside apartments. It was discovered quite by accident by fat-tire cyclists, and by lonesome people taking moonlit strolls on the Lakewalk. I’m sure it can be seen from space, and we should write skateable cursive scripts greeting the astronauts. Perhaps a vast pentagram can summon the summer. Mostly I just want to skate, and by God it’s going to be on the surface of Lake Superior.