Act 23: Go Salsa Dancing

The nice thing about having friends is that they are there for you when times are not-that-great.  They buoy your spirits and help you hold the course when life's waters get a little rough.  I'm lucky to have a several people in my life who do just that for me.   The not-so-nice thing about having friends is that they sometimes shake you out of your comfortable patterns - even when you think it's the last thing you want to do.

I put "Go Salsa Dancing" on my list in deference to my girlfriends Heidi and Meldy.  I figured they were going to get me out there eventually, so I might as well accept it.  Besides, I like the idea of getting out and doing something fun.  However, when the opportunity - Heidi's birthday celebration - came along, I think I can safely say that I was NOT in the mood for getting out and doing something fun.  As a matter of fact, I was in the throes of what I thought was a pretty impressive wallow.  Still, Heidi's birthday comes once a year, and it turns out that Cinco de Mayo, the newest Mexican restaurant to open in my little corner of the world has a salsa DJ and dancing on Friday nights.  This was happening.

Let me help you to understand how monumental this would have been under normal circumstances: the dancing started at 10.  PM.  AT NIGHT!  That's 30 minutes after my normal bedtime!  And it happened to coincide with the Netflix release of Tina Fey's new show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  Late at night!  And up against Tina!  Were my friends out of their minds?  Add to that one of the worst weeks that I've had in recent memory, and I was not up to party.

But friends are friends.  And this was going to happen.

I got all tarted up to  go out - because when you go salsa dancing, you have to at least TRY to look hot.  I think I did ok, though I couldn't pale in comparison to my girl Heidi and her fierce look.  I arrived a bit late (Hello!  Kimmy Schmidt!  I'm not made of stone.)  The party was already in full swing.  Now, anyone who knows me knows that words like grace and rhythm are NOT words that you might use to describe me, so I made a beeline for the booth where my friends were sitting.  And sat down.  In the corner.  Literally.

Proof of both the experience
and the patience of Dr. B.

I sat through one song, and I made a decision.  I was out.  I was looking good.  I was here to challenge myself.  So doggone it,  I was going to dance.  I grabbed my friend Kelvin, and made him dance with me.  I knew no steps, didn't recognize the music, and was completely out of my element.  And I had a blast!  I laughed more that I had in weeks.

Meldy & Rigo show us how
it is done!

There were a few kind souls who tried to teach me a few steps, and after a while, I started to maybe kinda look like I knew what I was doing.  I eventually got the concept of one-two one-two  or one-two-three-kick, but every time I tried to spin or turn or vary at all, it almost always ended up in me getting WAY off beat, stepping on someone (usually my partner, but not always), and laughing my head off.  I was rubbish at dancing, but I had so much fun.

I didn't stay out long, because real life and Kimmy were calling, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed the time I was there.  I had nothing to prove.  I wasn't trying to impress anyone, and I forgot my troubles for a little while.  And I have my girls to thank for that!