Should I TellHer

SHOULD I TELL HER?

Why did you pick me to dance? You seem to know what to do on the dance floor. Can’t say that about most of the other guys around here.”

“Just saw some pretty legs that seems they should be on the floor.”

“Thanks. I’m glad you thought so.”

“This one sounds like a cha cha beat. Wanna go for it?”

“Don’t think I know how to cha cha. Wanna show me?”

“Love to. Those pretty legs shouldn’t be just standing around.” He was hoping they’d be wrapped around his neck before the night was over.

“Are you from around here?” she asked. “Haven’t seen you here before.”

“Visiting my friend Ed. He said this place has a good band on Saturday nights. Is this a regular spot for you?”

“Prety much” she answered. “I like this band. Catch them every time they’re here.”

“OK. Lets’ go. You start out with your right foot and go with my left. That way I probably won’t step on you.

When the number was over, she went back to the table with her friends. He went back to the bar where Ed was working on his second screwdriver.

“You looked good out there” Ed said. “Didn’t know you could dance. Did you learn that in jail?”

“No, not there. Glad that 18 months is behind me now. Ready for something new. Learned some dance moves with one of my exes. Took some lessons. You should get out there with one of her friends. They’re all at that table wishing they had someone to dance with.

“No way” Ed said. “Homey don’t dance.”

“Too bad. Bet you’d have better luck with the ladies if you tried.”

“Maybe so, but I’ve gone this far in my life without it. Why start now?”

“Get one of her friends. I’ll show you a few steps.”

Ed thought for a second and looked over at the table she went to. “Maybe another time.”

“No time like the present.” He got up and walked over to her table.

“Wanna try some more?”

She got off the stool at the high top she was at and took his arm as they walked out to the floor.

“Whata we do with this song?” She asked.

“it’s a basic swing. Kind of like the first one we did. I’ll try some basic steps. Just follow as best you can.”

As the band played an Allman Brothers cover of ‘One Way Out’, he led her in some turns and a couple of other moves that had the ladies at her table clapping and pointing. There were other dancers paying attention.

They walked back to her table, hand in hand. When they got there, one of her friends spoke up.

“Does your buddy there dance like that? She asked.

“He’s a little on the shy side when it comes to dancing” he said. “If you can convince him, I’d be happy to show you a few moves.”

“Leave it to me” she said. She was hot with long, brunette hair and  a prominent cup size. She pulled down her top to reveal a little of her cleavage.

“If this don’t get him, he’s probably a zombie.”

The three of them walked over to the bar where Ed was sitting. She leaned forward so Ed couldn’t miss the attraction.

“I hear you’re gonna dance with me.” Ed speechlessly set his drink down.

“I don’t know how to dance” he said.

“My neither” She said.  “Not like they’ve been doing out there. Gus here said he’d show us some moves if you were willing.”

Ed looked at Gus with eyes that said “Fuck you.”

Gus laughed. His dance partner put her arm around his waist. He put his around her shoulder.

“Come on” Gus said. “Just some beginner steps.”

Ed looked down at the cleavage in front of him.

“How can I say no to those” he said.

“Good. Let’s go” Gus said. He walked up to the vocalist on the stage.

“Can you guys do a couple of twelve bar blues numbers?” he asked. “Gonna show these folks a few dance steps.”

“No problem. I like what you were doing out there.”

The band broke into a Willie Dixon cover of ‘Little Red Rooster’.

Gus said. “OK. Take both your hands. Ed you start with your left foot. Veronica, you start with your right. This goes step, step and then one back. Gus demonstrated a couple of times. Ed, you move forward on the step, step and then back on the third step. Veronica, you do the opposite. That’s an east coast swing move.”

Another couple came over and were paying attention. “Mind if we follow along?” the guy said.

“No problem” Gus said. “I’m not really a dance teacher, just know a few moves of my own.”

“You look like you know what you’re doing” the guy said.

After everyone got comfortable with the basic steps. Gus said. “OK, lets try a turn.

“Glenda and I’ll show you.

On the step, step, Gus raised her hand and led her into the turn as he continued stepping in time with the music. By this time there were two other couples following along. When all of them had been able to get the turn down. Gus said “That’s it for the lesson. They don’t pay me to be a teacher. Work on those when the music plays and have fun.”

After a few more tunes, Gus and Glenda went back to her table. Ed and Veronica had retired from the dance moves and had gone back, her to the table with her friends and Ed to his spot at the bar.

“So, what do you do when you’re not dancing?” Glenda asked.

“Just on auto-pilot right now. After I leave Ed’s place, I’m going to New Orleans to eat Po Boys and craw fish and then head out to see my daughter in St Louis. Back to Maine after that with nothing on the schedule.”

“I’m a month from retirement” Glenda said. Spent the last fifteen years working at the Ladies Correction Facility in Talahassee. Time for the next chapter in my life. Not sure what that’s going to be. Guess I’m on auto-pilot too.

Gus excused himself to go back to the bar where Ed was sitting.

“Hope you’re happy” Ed said when Gus got back.

“So, you had to dance with that chick with the big tits. Better than flying solo all night at your seat at the bar.”

“Yeah, got a date for next Saturday. Band they got scheduled is one of my favorites. How about you and that chick you’ve been dancing with?”

“Nothing. Turns out she’s  a prison guard at a ladies prison.”

“Did you tell you just got out of jail up in Maine?”

“Didn’t mention it. Might be a deal breaker. We’re going back to her place when the joint closes. Better not to mention it.”

Ed laughed. "Secret's safe with me."