Diagonally Parked in a Parallel Universe

Dance

Dance is a curious thing. Dancing with the Stars, Last Tango in Paris, having to dance with the stinky boy in fourth grade gym class. Then there's Meg Ryan's memory of twirling with her mother in the The Shop Around the Corner in You've Got Mail.

I wish life were like Grease where everyone suddenly bursts out into song and choreographed dances spontaneously erupt in the high school cafeteria.

The Dance. Political candidates dance around the issues, tobacco companies have their song and dance men.

I Could Have Danced all Night: The song my mother always came home from fancy parties humming when I was a kid.

Bodies, like puppets, dancing at the end of a rope. Swing your partner to and fro.

Dance. Swirling, twirlilng images of dance.

Spicy

Sometimes it only takes one word to bring back a memory. This time it took two: Bloody Mary.

My father always took me out to lunch when I was in any sort of trouble as a kid. His logic? That's easy; who's going to throw a temper tantrum in public.

I was older at this point, but in trouble nonetheless. And as I was "of age", our 'lunches' often took place sitting at the bar of some local establishment.

I guess I sensed that I was in a particular pickle at this point so I decided to order a bloody mary. My dad followed suit, but added to the young bartender that he would like his with extra character. (My father meant extra horseradish.)

We watched with greater and greater curiosity as the young man opened cabinets, looked under counters and moved bottles around. Finally he sheepishly returned to our end of the bar and said, "I'm very sorry sir, but I don't seem to have any Character."

Submitted for Sunday Scribblings.

Am Not! Are Too!

Me 1: I'm not superstitious!
Me 2: Are too.
Me 1: Am not!
Me 2: Are TOO!
Me 1: Superstitions are hooey!
Me 2: Explain New Year's Eve day then.
Me 1: What about it?
Me 2: Generally cranky that day?
Me 1: Hey! I'm busy that day. The whole house has to be cleaned and every stitch of laundry must be washed and put away!
Me 2: And could you explain to the nice people why?
Me 1: They know why. If all is neat, clean and tidy and all the laundry is done then it will stay that way through the next year. Jeez!
Me 2: Hmmmm. Well then, could you please explain to the nice people why, when you receive a knife as a gift, you run around like a crazy person looking for a coin to give to the person who gifted you with that knife?
Me 1: Knives can sever relationships, but cannot sever coins. I don't want to lose any relationships. (Especially if they give really great knives!)
Me 2: I see. Well, I'm sorry if I took up any of your time. You're right. Not superstitious at all. Shall we discuss why you always buy a new broom when you move into a new house or hide a coin when you go to someone else's housewarming?

Me 1: End of conversation! Look what you did with all your chatter...you made me step on a crack and now I have to go check on my mother's back.

Submitted for Sunday Scribblings.