Sunday, June 3, 2012

Dance with me


Oh no, I was late for an important meeting. I gathered up my notebook and my papers, grabbed my handbag and ran. Running in high-heels is an art form that I haven't quite mastered yet so I know I should've slowed down.

Around the corner I went and then crashed into a human wall. My papers went flying everywhere. I quietly muttered "So sorry" and heard the same come back at me.  He gathered up the papers and handed them to me. I looked up with a "Thank you" about to leave my lips when my eyes met his and I froze. I know that face I thought, I know those eyes. But how could I? I had never seen him before. He smiled and walked on.

The meeting was so boring, I couldn't wait to get out. Each face I looked at morphed into his. "Concentrate," I told myself, but my mind started to wander and I suddenly found my thoughts drifting back to 39 years ago ...

My first high school dance was coming up. There was so much excitement everywhere. I was a shy, quiet girl, chubby, awkward and timid. I wanted to go but I didn't want to be the one who no one danced with. Tickets were selling fast and I still hadn't bought mine.

We were lining up for assembly, supervised by school prefects. Each class had 2 allocated. They were both standing near me. All was quiet, then I heard the dreaded, "Suzy, I hope you bought a ticket 'cos I've sold all of mine." Relief, tickets were sold out, I had an excuse not to go. I shook my head. "Oh, he'll be sad if you don't come," she said, looking at him cheekily. I glanced at him quickly and caught his eye. "I've kept one for you," he said quietly. Then a ticket shot out at me. How could I refuse? I took it slowly and muttered that I would pay for it the next day. He wouldn't take the money.

We were all lined up in the school hall, nervous 13 year olds, excited and scared. I hid behind the girls in my class hoping no one would see me. And then I saw him, making his way towards us. I slowly inched behind the pillar praying, "Not me, please not me". He wove his way through the throng of my classmates and then he stood in front of me. "Would you like to dance with me?" he asked softly.

My heart was beating so fast. We danced quietly, not a word was said. And then a slow number came on. We stood looking at each other for a few minutes. I had no idea what to do. Did he want me to stay or did he want me to go? Questions went around and around in my head and then my little 13 year old brain panicked. So I turned and walked off the dance floor. He never asked me again. I watched him dance with one girl after another and I felt the sadness wash over me.

The meeting was finally over. I walked back to my desk and saw the message light flashing on my phone. One missed call was the message showing on the screen. I checked the missed calls and saw his name come up. I looked at it for what seemed an eternity and then I picked up the receiver. I pressed the message button. "Enter your password," came the command. Tap tap tap tap, I entered the password. My heart was beating wildly. "You have one message, press 1 to hear your message," the voice said again. My finger hovered over the number 1 and then slowly I pressed it. "Hello," said a deep quiet voice, "Would you like to dance with me?".

It's Saturday morning and I'm having breakfast out on my patio. The sun is shining, the skies are blue and the hills look so serene. My cup of tea in hand, I savour every sip as I watch him read the paper. Now and then he reads out a snippet that makes me laugh. I love the sound of his voice. My thoughts drift once again to that day in high school and a smile creeps over my face.

He puts the paper down, and looks at me with those beautiful, warm eyes. I'm sure he can read my thoughts. He stands up, walks to my side and takes my hand. "Would you like to dance with me," he says, with a twinkle in his eye.


Warm Regards
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Linking to:

GBE2 = High School
BFF = Full Circle
Sandra's Writing Workshop Blog Hop = Write in the close first person




60 comments:

  1. OMG this is SO romantic! I want to be her put on the platoon, and picking up that message. Yes, a close first person narrative, well done. I especially like how naturally you move from the present to the past; and consistently written all in the past tense. Then you switch to the first person in the present tense, put on thecpation-- an effective shift ,grounds the reader-- as if the whole piece, the moment in the office and the flashback to the distant past, has been an a t of remembering. So glad you linked up-- stay tuned for my next prompt!

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    1. Thanks Sandra. I want to pick up that message too. I look forward to the next prompt.

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  2. I was reading and lived the story :)
    I loved the last paragraph as it describes exactly how I feel whenever i get a text message or even a phone call

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    1. Thanks Nikky. I'm glad you lived my story.

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  3. It is such a lovely post Suzy...Romance with a whiff of mystery makes it wonderful to read it till the last word.

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    1. Thanks "Me". Happy you enjoyed it. Romance and mystery do make an interesting combination.

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  4. Oh, this was such an engaging and romantic story, Suzy! It took me back to memories of my high school dances - some much better than others.
    Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece with us.
    Blessings!

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    1. Thanks Martha. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Memories are made of this.

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  5. Such a wonderful story. We have a few people from high school who got hitched. It seems unbelievable! Thanks for sharing.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2012/06/gbe2-high-school.html

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    1. Thanks Joyce. I know a few too who got hitched. If only my fiction was fact!

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  6. So sweet! I'm now following. Hope you will consider following back. I look forward to reading more.

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    1. Thanks Galen and thanks for following me. I'm following you too. Love your 10 steps.

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  7. Great story Suzy! So romantic.

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    1. Thanks Kat. Glad you liked it. Sometimes stories just flow - this was one of those.

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  8. Love your story! That girl could have been me in high school, but I never got offered a ticket so have no reunion story to tell. Janet

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    1. Thanks Janet. The ticket among other moments is one that will live in my memory forever.

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  9. very nicely done. I loved reading and feeling it. ♥

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    1. Thanks Jo. I loved writing this. It came straight from my heart.

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  10. Lovely. I normally give romantic stuff a pass, but this captivated me. Lots of emotion without an overdose of mush.

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    1. oh gosh thanks Phoenixritu for the nice comment and thanks for visiting.

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  11. The romantic in me loved it, Suzy. ♥

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    1. And the dreamer in me wrote it. Glad you liked it Corinne.

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  12. awwwww -- makes me misty! true love wins in the end XO

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    1. Thanks Linda - yep, it sure does and I love a happy ending - now if only all of it was true.

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    2. oh, suzy, break my heart! it must be true -- it's the only reality i will accept ;-)

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    3. Well, if I dream hard enough and long enough it may come true. It's a nice dream anyway. lol.

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  13. Lovely!Nothing is as beautiful as a high school romance!:)

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    1. Thanks Laila. And more so because he was such a lovely guy. Thanks for visiting.

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  14. What a wonderful romantic story!! Brilliantly written, bravo!!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks Kathy. It's one close to my heart.

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  15. A little too cute for my personal taste, but well written *smile*

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    1. Thanks Mojo Writin. It was all pretty cute back then. :)

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  16. How romantic...I remember wanting to hear those words at a dance in high school...beautiful ending!

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    1. Thanks Anna. Glad you liked it. I think all girls want to hear those words. :)

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  17. you turned me into mush. I had decided not to fall pray to it again :p loved it. <3

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    1. Thanks Tikulicious. In the words of a Beatles song .. love is all we need.

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  18. Oh, I so love this!

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  19. Replies
    1. Thanks Drchoneydewcrm. Have a lovely day :)

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  20. Lovely story. I married my high school sweetheart, but we didn't meet until junior year and were together from then on. Still together, nearly 49 years later.

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  21. Such a sweet story! I'm so impressed!

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  22. Beautiful written! Simply beautiful.

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