Everybody dance now

It was implied to us, we could skip dinner, but it would be a good idea to attend the party afterward.  We did.

Ron had a beer.  Then someone came by handing out free drink coupons.  I got a diet Dr Pepper (hard to find them).   Ron had a whiskey.  Then someone bought him a drink.

I was a little worried, but everyone was drinking.  I had a headache, and took some excedrin, and a couple of diet sodas.  Ron had another whiskey.

I really wanted to dance.  When I was in school, I loved to go to school dances, and never missed a one unless I was sick.  Back then, I would walk home alone at 11 pm, after the dance.   "Loves to dance" was not a priority on my list when I dated Ron.

For once, if he'd been caught dating me, he would have gotten 20 years in prison.  The age of consent was 18.  We couldn't exactly go to the club.

I asked Ron to dance.  No.  Just one.  No.  How about if I took his chair out on the floor, and just held his hands as I danced.  No.  What if I took him to the edge of the dance floor and then danced in front of him.  No.

Well, I can't say I was surprised.  I got a dance out of Ron, once, at a wedding in 1994, and it was a huge production.  It was a slow dance.

I had a fun time watching women doing the macarena in 5 inch stiletto hells, the cowboys two-stepping, and blind people getting down.  I've never seen so many blind people in one place.  It was pretty wild.

One of the vendors did the "blender" break dance move.  I was impressed.  The program director did the chicken dance, with a couple dozen other people.  I didn't see any of the consultants; they must have had their own party.

By this time, they whiskeys were working on Ron.  Heather, he allowed.  He might consent to one dance only, if he sat in the wheelchair, didn't have to move, OFF the dance floor.  I told him I could go for that.

I waited for the right song.  They were on a slow streak.  I finally got up for "Everybody dance now" and parked Ron by the dance floor, danced in front of him, and then took him back to the table afterward.  He was OK with that.  The room was pretty empty.

No one bit him.  That was fun.  About 15 minutes later, he said he could go for another.  I picked another fast song, took him out to the edge of the floor (the dance floor was only an inch or so of wood on top of the carpeting), and started dancing.  Ron nodded his head to the music for a while, then held up one hand.  I held his hand and danced.  He held up the other hand.  I danced, holding both hands.  When the next song started, I started to release his hands, but he held both of mine tightly.  He then released my hands, put the brakes on the wheelchair, and stood up!

I had a couple of fast dances with Ron, a lot of fun, until we were both completely out of breath.  I kept thinking Heidi would say "See, if you were working out, Heather, you could have danced longer!"  As I took him back to the table, I noticed the program director grinning at us.

I've got no rhythm, and very little balance.  I'm not a "good" dancer, but it was clear we were having fun and that's what they wanted.  We went back to the room.