Zamboni Operator
Just the word, Zamboni, brings a twinkle to the eye. That boxy machine, lumbering onto the ice when the gate is opened. At any ice event, you will find a Zamboni. The sound of it bouncing around as it clears an ice surface. It is a creator of smiles and memories. You may not remember the name Zamboni, but you will remember being mesmerized by it.
Charlie Brown can be quoted as saying, "there are three things in life that people like to stare at: a flowing stream, a crackling fire, and a Zamboni clearing the ice." He's right, people will forgo a bathroom break during an intermission to watch the Zamboni circle the ice. Interestingly enough Charles Schulz made over fifty references to the legendary Zamboni in his cartoon strip. Obviously a man bitten by the bug.
The name Zamboni is in every NHL hockey arena in North America and in many local arena's. To children, the person that sits atop that mighty beast is a hero.
As an operator of such a machine I have watched small children stare with mouths hung open. Their eyes looking and watching, taking it all in. I have even heard a four year old gleefully tell his mother that he wanted to drive a Zamboni when he grew up. Men watch it while trying to look aloof, remembering that excitement that they once felt. Parents hold small children up so that they can fully experience the joy of watching that slow machine turn the ice into one sparkling sheet of ice.
People are awestruck that such a job even exists. When you tell them that you drive a Zamboni their first response is usually one of pleasure. They ask if its fun, then usually how it works. You can almost see a little bit of jealousy creeping into their eyes as they think about the job, perhaps they wish they had known about it.
Watching a Zamboni go around and around never gets old. A clean shiny path of ice following in its wake. I myself am constantly amazed at the process, and I see it on a daily basis. A Zamboni clearing the ice seems to work as if by magic. The working parts of a Zamboni are cleverly concealed, allowing the magic to radiate.
But did you know that it can take years to perfect a technique? Di you know that certain area's hold an annual Zamboni Olympics, where skilled operators get to show off their crazy skills. To anyone who operated the big white beast, they understand the art, the technique and the science. They understand what it is to be the hero of the day for at least that ten minutes or so. It is a pleasure to giver other's pleasure and memories.
