Once Around The Dance Floor

My mother and father started going to the legion dances on Saturday nights after they got all us kids to the point where they didn't need babysitters for us. I joined them once or twice but it was not really my cup of tea.

My father would sometimes ask me to dance to songs that didn't move me. "That song doesn't move me," I would say. He couldn't understand my need to be moved by the music before I could move in rhythm to it. "The music does not need to move YOU," he would say, "YOU just need to move your feet." "Sorry, Dad, I can't do it. " He would walk away, exasperated with me, not understanding.

Then when I did agree to dance with him, it was nothing like when I was a kid. I kept trying to lead. (Not surprising if you know me.) Again he would get exasperated with me. "You keep trying to lead," he would say. "You are supposed to follow me." "Sorry, Dad, I'm trying." We would both walk away exasperated when the dance ended. He would go find a partner more willing to follow; I would go to gladly sit out the remaining dances - giving my all to enjoying the music.

Only once did I come across a dancer who swept me off my feet. I literally felt like my feet never touched the floor. It was at a high school dance. I didn't know the boy but I found out afterwards that nobody liked dancing with him because he preferred to do the ballroom style of dancing. When I imagine myself dancing, it is that dance I go back to in my mind.

The dance I remember as being the most fun was the Mexican Hat Dance. It was on the same night as the ballroom dancing experience, and I was the same shy teenager (agonizingly so) - but I loved the music - I loved getting to interact with all the different people without being awkward and out of step - and I just Loved the fun of it.

The most mischievous I have been on the dance floor was when I was "hanging around" with the man who would become my second husband. He prided himself on being self-contained at all times. We were at a house party and everybody was waltzing. I noticed that his boot socks(being loose at the toes) were right where if I positioned my feet just so, he would dance right out of his socks. Well, you know, I Had to do it.

This same self-contained man liked to hold me too close after we were married and waltzing in public. I would, of course, pull back- it wouldn't be proper. Why did I never think to invite him to waltz with me at home until now that it is too late. We interacted with each other in a lot of wonderful ways, but I let that wonderful opportunity slip right through my fingers. DARN!