going to sneak out early to avoid
the adults.”
Our plan was to leave at seven thirty before the DJ kicked us out,
and before the adults could ask us to babysit.
“Is that allowed?” I don’t know why I asked.
It seemed that everything we had done so far wasn’t allowed, but I kept doing
them anyway, like some foreigner in a new world, following blindly.
The DJ tested the microphone and the crowd quieted down. I could
feel the buzz all around me like a high voltage wire, vibrating down to my
bones.
Then, as if on cue, Freckles appeared at the table and touched his
backpack with confidence. “I got it.”
“Finally. We were afraid you would let us down,” Julie said. She
opened the bottle of Coke and poured it into the cups filled with ice while
Freckles lowered them under the table and filled them with whiskey.
The DJ played the first song and shy looks passed between the
girls and boys. The adults jockeyed for position on the dance floor. Couples
were already dancing by the time Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch got on the floor,
but everyone made room for them as they moved toward the center.
Our group hung at the edges for what seemed like hours but it
really wasn’t that long. I took a few sips of whiskey and Coke, waiting for
someone to make the first move. Finally, hands connected, feet shuffled, and
the old wood floor buckled and swayed underneath me. Julie and Tommy made the
first move, which didn’t surprise me. Julie loved the attention and Tommy liked
pleasing Julie. Owl and Wendy slipped in beside them, dancing the swing like
everyone else. I’m glad Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch had given us dance lessons.
A few sips later, Reds put his drink down and
innocently tucked his hand into mine. He took my drink from my hand and coaxed
me onto the dance floor. As we were dancing, I felt the sweat under my arms,
and my footwork was jumbling together.
“Just relax and follow my lead,” Reds yelled over the music.
The music was intoxicating, or maybe it was the whiskey, I
couldn’t tell and didn’t care. Then something extraordinary happened. I relaxed
and remembered the dance lessons my aunt and uncle had given us. I couldn’t
dance particularly well, but I could follow easy enough. Excitement raced
through my veins, and I smiled at the concept of having a boyfriend. Everything
was so new to me, like the sparkling stars I saw on the river my first day.
By the end of the dance, everyone had paired up the same as last
Friday night. Reds pointed to Freckles, who was standing by the black-haired
girl in the corner. Then he grabbed my hand and led me off the dance floor to
them.
“Hey, man, what’s up? We’re ready for another drink. How about
you?” Reds asked.
“Been ready,” Freckles said.
“I’ll pour the pop and you take it from there,” Reds said.
“Cool.” Freckles was a soul of few words. Owl and Wendy soon
joined us.
We finished our drinks and as the night continued, we got louder
and my head got lighter. We were all dancing together in a circle, each one of
us doing our own thing. I liked dancing with a partner, but this was fun too.
The music felt like it was coursing through my veins, banging in my heart.
Suddenly I was in the middle of the circle. I had become like Julie after all,
and I felt like the queen of the dance. When the DJ played a Roy Orbison’s song
I started to sing to the words, and pretty soon, I felt both pretty and like a
woman. I was twirling and moving and raised my hands up to the ceiling.
There were other kids at the dance, but they remained on the
outskirts because we were the popular group. We were The Untouchables. I had
arrived!
Julie tapped my shoulder. “Okay, dancing queen. Let’s go.”
I looked over at Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch to see if they were
paying attention to us, but they were too busy dancing to notice us.
One by one we left and waited until the last
person was safely out of sight before we headed to the river. The moon was high
and bright
the adults.”
Our plan was to leave at seven thirty before the DJ kicked us out,
and before the adults could ask us to babysit.
“Is that allowed?” I don’t know why I asked.
It seemed that everything we had done so far wasn’t allowed, but I kept doing
them anyway, like some foreigner in a new world, following blindly.
The DJ tested the microphone and the crowd quieted down. I could
feel the buzz all around me like a high voltage wire, vibrating down to my
bones.
Then, as if on cue, Freckles appeared at the table and touched his
backpack with confidence. “I got it.”
“Finally. We were afraid you would let us down,” Julie said. She
opened the bottle of Coke and poured it into the cups filled with ice while
Freckles lowered them under the table and filled them with whiskey.
The DJ played the first song and shy looks passed between the
girls and boys. The adults jockeyed for position on the dance floor. Couples
were already dancing by the time Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch got on the floor,
but everyone made room for them as they moved toward the center.
Our group hung at the edges for what seemed like hours but it
really wasn’t that long. I took a few sips of whiskey and Coke, waiting for
someone to make the first move. Finally, hands connected, feet shuffled, and
the old wood floor buckled and swayed underneath me. Julie and Tommy made the
first move, which didn’t surprise me. Julie loved the attention and Tommy liked
pleasing Julie. Owl and Wendy slipped in beside them, dancing the swing like
everyone else. I’m glad Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch had given us dance lessons.
A few sips later, Reds put his drink down and
innocently tucked his hand into mine. He took my drink from my hand and coaxed
me onto the dance floor. As we were dancing, I felt the sweat under my arms,
and my footwork was jumbling together.
“Just relax and follow my lead,” Reds yelled over the music.
The music was intoxicating, or maybe it was the whiskey, I
couldn’t tell and didn’t care. Then something extraordinary happened. I relaxed
and remembered the dance lessons my aunt and uncle had given us. I couldn’t
dance particularly well, but I could follow easy enough. Excitement raced
through my veins, and I smiled at the concept of having a boyfriend. Everything
was so new to me, like the sparkling stars I saw on the river my first day.
By the end of the dance, everyone had paired up the same as last
Friday night. Reds pointed to Freckles, who was standing by the black-haired
girl in the corner. Then he grabbed my hand and led me off the dance floor to
them.
“Hey, man, what’s up? We’re ready for another drink. How about
you?” Reds asked.
“Been ready,” Freckles said.
“I’ll pour the pop and you take it from there,” Reds said.
“Cool.” Freckles was a soul of few words. Owl and Wendy soon
joined us.
We finished our drinks and as the night continued, we got louder
and my head got lighter. We were all dancing together in a circle, each one of
us doing our own thing. I liked dancing with a partner, but this was fun too.
The music felt like it was coursing through my veins, banging in my heart.
Suddenly I was in the middle of the circle. I had become like Julie after all,
and I felt like the queen of the dance. When the DJ played a Roy Orbison’s song
I started to sing to the words, and pretty soon, I felt both pretty and like a
woman. I was twirling and moving and raised my hands up to the ceiling.
There were other kids at the dance, but they remained on the
outskirts because we were the popular group. We were The Untouchables. I had
arrived!
Julie tapped my shoulder. “Okay, dancing queen. Let’s go.”
I looked over at Aunt Lori and Uncle Butch to see if they were
paying attention to us, but they were too busy dancing to notice us.
One by one we left and waited until the last
person was safely out of sight before we headed to the river. The moon was high
and bright
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