Dancing in the Streets

I swear, I was just being me.

I went out to dinner with a few friends to celebrate Jeanette’s last night in San Francisco. Jeanette was one of my housemates and one of those souls that just clicked with me from the get go. So I went out to celebrate with her as we were walking to catch a bus home, she stopped on the sidewalk.

There were two older men playing some jazz on the street. That’s pleasant.

Me: Jeanette, what are you doing?

J: I’m asking him to play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

Me: Uh, ok. [chuckle, chuckle] It doesn’t sound like he really knows that one. Ok, well, just have him play whatever then.

The moment lingers as the music gets going and my feet start moving. And my hands reach out to grab Jeanette’s. And before you know it we are spinning in circles, dancing on the street.

A small crowd forms around us. My skirt flies and my body relaxes and I just let my mind go free for a moment as I just feel the music and my friend’s hands.

And then some random stranger makes his way through the crowd and catches my hand, asking if he can dance with me. Well, sure why not? At one point, he picks me up and spins me around (is this for real?), sets me down and asks me if I have plans tomorrow night.

All I can do is laugh.

I was certainly enjoying myself before this stranger joined my dance, but there is also something quite validating in having complete stranger see the beauty of your spirit when you are just completely being yourself. I’m not trying to boast my fabulousness here, but I’ve got a small pom-pom that’s waving and a voice squeaking “go me!.”

And I can’t wait to dance again.