Balboa Park Dancing lessons.

"I am scared of making a mistake. "
" Well you just follow me and shut your eyes. I will lead you to heaven."
The above interchange occurred in Balboa Park Sunday evening. I had time to spare after leaving Old Town and the wonderful guitar music of Augustine. My buddy,Sam the Taxi Man, had invited me to stay with him in downtown San Diego. I had a couple of hours and knew the lessons began at seven thirty.
 Yet my breathing had been labored for a couple of days. The Mac Donald's on Park Blvd would give me some coffee to perk me up. It was going on six o'clock. I took a good look at my puffer and found out it had been on empty. I removed a brand new inhaler and gave my lungs two good hits. In a matter of minutes my bronchial tubes began to unplug the bacteria. My nose began to run.
  Well now, I couldn't wait to get to Balboa Park. I drove up Park Blvd and made my right turn on President's Way. Going on seven, a few couples already made their way to the Bay Ballroom. Three old spinsters.
   "I overheard one damsel remark that the way she handled stress is by cooking in the kitchen. For once I shut my mouth, paid my three dollars and sat down, that is until the pregame dancing began. A computer played several type of dances. Of course I took advantage of it and danced with a lovely oriental maiden." 
The first class began at seven thirty. Cupcake taught the beginners-that's me. The cute dimpled midget taught the fox trot. Fifteen men stood on one side and the ladies the other. Cupcake's easy personality made the lessons fun. We watched a few times. 
   "One, two, and touch three four." We needed to hesitate while our shoes touched each other. He then led us into a few other variations. 
   By that time almost two hundred had showed up Many took the intermediate and advanced classes with great teachers. Then I remembered what Cupcake mentioned. 
   "The men's bathroom is not working. You have two options: go to the third building to your right or give the Cactus bush a hose job." I did the second even though my pants took some of the burden. 
The lessons are only three dollars for members and well worth it. Before buying two hundred dollar dancing shoes try it out first. You will like it. 

Wednesday's One O'clock Dance

Out of the corner of my eye, a beautiful face removed her shoes for white laced dancing ones.
   I had given Marty my three dollar donation and walked towards the nosh table. Another dry day made my lips parched and a cup of apple juice satisfied my thirst. My thirst gazed at the beautiful face on the south corner of the room. It was going on ten after one o'clock.  I
   DJ Marty played a polka and I went to the face. Well, she like me, no longer had the body of a forty year old. But them eyes. Wow! This one looked right at me and threw her body into mine. She was born to dance. 
   'You'll need to show me how?" 
   "Don't you worry, Uncle George has all of the moves and then-some."
   We danced a Tango and her bumpers hit mine in just the right places. I also danced with English Jane a few numbers. Like always Jane told me she "loved me". I returned to the nosh table and grabbed a few sweats. Something about the face told me to ask her again, since nobody else did 
    I asked the face her name. "My name is Jessie."
    "You speak perfect English. How did that come about?"
    "I come from just outside the Bakersfield area. Dad was a laborer and my parents had four kids." 
    "I notice you wear a ring. Are you married?" 
     "I was married for twenty two years, and long enough to have three girls and one boy. I have four grandchildren. My parents made us learn English. In fact the school I attended forced us to speak English. None of my kids speak Spanish, probably because I married an English man."
     "When did you get married?"
     "I married at eighteen years old and tried to keep my pregnancy a secret. They knew after all and it was all right since we got married."
    "I am going to a dance tonight. The Moonlight Sonata Band will be playing in Poway."
     "It is a bit too far for me but make sure you go to the Town and Country in San Diego during Thanksgiving. Over one hundred bands will play Dixieland music. I left early at two thirty 
    
 The one o'clock dance has become a habit with me. Wednesday's dance club his hosted by Marty and Shirley. It is off of Encinitas Blvd.in back of the Napa Auto Parts fixture in the front. Over forty seniors hear the sound of the fifties and sixties inside this dancing ballroom. Nearly anyone is out-of-shape or on the heavy side of thin. Most attend two dances a week. 
  This Sunday afternoon a fourteen piece band will play at the Lafayette Hotel in San Diego. I begins in the early afternoon.