{Mama Kat's Writing Workshop} Sock Hop

Sock Hop.  I think that's what they called them in junior high, right?  Why?  We didn't dance in our socks.  Or did we?  No, because smelly junior high boy feet is a real turn off I would imagine.

Lights barely glowing, cafeteria cleared of all its tables.  It is way too big for the amount of kids present.  The boys were on one side of this gigantic room, the girls on the other.  The tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.   There was one or two awkward dances (do I put my arms here? hold your hand?) with awkward boys (do I put my hand here? how about here?) and then right back to the "girls side" I would shuffle.

Fast forward to freshman year in high school.  There was this boy that I had my eye on since sometime in junior high.  Probably since that last sock hop.  Let's call him John Ralphio, because that name makes me laugh.  Though he wasn't cool enough to really earn that nickname, but humor me.

My first high school dance, this time in the auditorium.  More kids, less dance floor.  He was big, tall, built - a jock.  For every two fast songs played, the DJ would play a slow song and the dance floor would fill up fast.  I don't remember John Ralphio's surely awkward asking me to dance.  All I remember was the dance itself.  The lighting was different at these dances...moody...red...misty, almost. 

And then, the song came on - "November Rain" by Guns N Roses.  Remember that one?  I can't forget it.  And every single time I hear it I think of this one event.  Probably forever until the end of time.  I'm listening to it right at this moment to help me write this post.  Inspiration, you know? 





I didn't realize at the time, but this song must be the longest song in the history of the universe.  It's somewhere around 9 minutes.  That is an eternity when you're awkwardly dancing with someone you barely know.  Around 7 minutes it gets really quiet.  You think it's over.  But it's not.  Then?  It starts in with the faster beat and the rock-y guitar and you briefly wonder if you should fast dance.  But, how?  We keep slow dancing because everyone else is.  Thank the Lord above for that. 

So let's get even more awkward here. 

Throughout the entirety of this 9 minute song, John Ralphio has been doing something strange.  At first, I thought he was just a heavy breather.  But somewhere around minute, I don't know, say minute 2.5, I realize that he is not a heavy breather.  He is purposely blowing on my ear.  Ew.  What does this mean?  I quickly figured out he wanted to kiss me.  I ignored the big beast because how uncouthy (don't even try to spellcheck that word, it's partially made up) can you be, man?  Come on.  But really?  We had to be dancing to the longest song in the history of the universe while this whole ear-blowing-trying-to-fetch-a-kiss was transpiring.  Who does that?  A 15 year old boy, I guess.

That right there, was one of my most memorable school dances for so many awkward reasons.  Unfortunately. 

This post was written in response to one of Mama Kat's writing prompts.  Slow dancing with boys...talk about one of your first school dance experiences.