DANCIN' FOOL

"Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Jest, and youthful Jollity,...
Sport that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it as you go,
On the light fantastick toe."
Milton

When I was four years old my Mother enrolled me in tap dancing lessons. I was the only little boy in the Class and I cried to and from it. I don’t remember if I cried during; I would like to think that I did not out of respect to all the little girls.
When I was in the Eighth Grade, I danced my first Rock and Roll dance to the music of Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride”.
I didn’t ‘get” the music back then.
I was very awkward.
Two years later things were different. I had the Music in me. I found my Groove.
I don’t know how much it had to do with Marijuana and the little “Strawberry Fields” tabs that were going around, but I could bust a move on anything from “I am the Walrus” to “Court of the Crimson King”.
I don’t know if I looked very good doing it, but it sure felt good.(correction; I did not look good)I had a girlfriend, Jeri that looked REAL good dancing, so that freed me up to do whatever.
I could not "Shut the Funk Up".

The next year at the Halloween dance , I went as an Ape from the “Planet of the Apes”. Jeri was no longer in proximity to me for reasons detailed in "STAFF SGT. RENFRO" No one was dancing so I asked the Captain of the Drill team to dance. She watched in wonder as I whirled like a Dervish ,”Tripped the Light Fandango” and did “Cartwheels across the floor”. At some point I fell down and found myself staring up at the ceiling. Her face appeared within my field of vision and she mouthed the words ‘Are you OK?”
I just grinned and started squirming about.
“Break Dancing “ was born that night.
“The crowd called out for more”
Thanks Mom!