Smile...

Well, last night was an experience.

Let's rewind a few days. I was at the K300 race, waiting for the mushers to come in. Believe it or not there was a pretty cute girl there. And by Bethel standards, pretty amazing! I had just gotten done volunteering and she just started. I was trying to think of how I could possibly put the moves on her. I pondered it for a few moments... then reasoned with myself that the chance that a good looking girl would be up here by herself was pretty doubtful. So I stood there, two feet from her, and didn't say a word.

Five minutes pass: pretend to be looking at pictures on my camera.

Ten minutes: put my hood up, pretend to be looking for the dogs to be coming in.

Finally some woman broke the tense sexual curiosity between the young lady and I. Of course I had to eavesdrop. I heard her asking about swing dancing and why her and Ryan don't come.

Of course, as I predicted...

So I kept pretending to be doing something. I think at this point I was "warming up my hands" by blowing on them. A little bit later I was acting like I was coughing. Really kind of an awkward moment. In between coughs the older woman who interrupted the moment I was sharing with the Lone Beauty turned to me and asked-

"So Ryan, working to late so you can't come swing dancing?"

"eh. eh. I am not Ryan, but I dance!" -Trying to act like the Ryan-nemesis that I am.

The lady turns back to Cutey, "He looks like Ryan, come with him."

No more coughing on my behalf.

"You want to come learn dance?" (She was Taiwanese or something...)

"Well, if it weren't for my left foot battling the other left foot for prime position I definitely would."

We discussed things for a while, eventually I met her husband, the dance teacher. We had a long talk, I told them I would come to the waltz class on Monday. Due to a long day, rough kids, grading papers (read me being a woos) I did not attend. Tuesday a few emails came from the dance instructor and eventually I got the guilt trip into coming to the swing dancing.

I was pretty sure this was all set up as a candid camera moment for me. I was told by the instructor that there were "many" single women there and that I could meet a lot of people "wink, wink; future wife." All 40+. I was half the age of everyone. But I stayed. During warmups we had to do the "hip thrust" then "double time." Wow, that wasn't uncomfortable with the woman next to me in the belly shirt really, really getting into it.

The ladies tried encouraging me that I was doing fine, but really I looked like a hippo trying to jump.

But, I'm a survivor and learned a few moves.

We're supposed to practice.

I feel somewhat awkward asking Claes to help me learn the moves.