Backstep
"Left, Right, Backstep", I'm muttering this under my breath in the subway. "Left, Right, Backstep", and my feet make small suggestions towards the steps. I'm humming quietly and making these tiny shuffles, but I don't think anyone notices.
I picture the old swing dance instructor walking between the dancing couples, his curly hair bobbing while repeating those words over and over, "Left, Right, Backstep", and he continues moving between the twirling girls and rotating boys.
My hand is lightly touching a girl's waist and it gives me the same rush of adrenaline that school & wedding dances did. Her dark blond hair reminds me of my first dance. Being this close to a girl made my heart pound, sweat covered my forehead, and I swear it was happiest I had been. I didn't know any dance moves except the 2-step. But those two words were all I knew, so I walked in a circle going "left, left, right, right", and squeezed my eyes shut and hope she didn't notice. My hand on her side felt like the most intimate gesture man had created. Later we ran around going up and down hotel elevators as lightning flashed through walls of glass, full of breathless smiles.
Yet I'm still on the subway. With these flashes of the past. These romanticized moments and these dance steps waltzing in my head.
I picture the old swing dance instructor walking between the dancing couples, his curly hair bobbing while repeating those words over and over, "Left, Right, Backstep", and he continues moving between the twirling girls and rotating boys.
My hand is lightly touching a girl's waist and it gives me the same rush of adrenaline that school & wedding dances did. Her dark blond hair reminds me of my first dance. Being this close to a girl made my heart pound, sweat covered my forehead, and I swear it was happiest I had been. I didn't know any dance moves except the 2-step. But those two words were all I knew, so I walked in a circle going "left, left, right, right", and squeezed my eyes shut and hope she didn't notice. My hand on her side felt like the most intimate gesture man had created. Later we ran around going up and down hotel elevators as lightning flashed through walls of glass, full of breathless smiles.
Yet I'm still on the subway. With these flashes of the past. These romanticized moments and these dance steps waltzing in my head.