She wants the world to know that it's really, really, really okay to let her back into the pristine world of figure skating. That she's not who they think she is anymore. I'm a lady now. Harding is in the lobby of a Holiday Inn, sipping coffee, smiling, rising occasionally to give a hug of greeting to one figure skater or another whom she hasn't seen in, well, years. It was suggested by a publicist that this meeting would involve kicking back with a few beers, but Harding was having none of that.
Coffee is fine.
And then room service. A little television watching, and straight to bed. It's a big week for Harding. Last night she made her competitive professional debut here at the Huntington Civic Center in the ESPN Professional Skating Championships. The event continues tonight, and will be aired on ESPN on Oct. 25.