Dancing in the Park
James was walking three feet ahead of me, in a rush to get to the event before it started. Which made sense as he was going to be one of the dancers.
Out of the crowd in front of him burst Christa, wearing a pink dress and a gorgeous yet mischievous smile. She ran toward him. And then around him in a graceful little dodge. Straight at me.
"You!" she said as she closed in.
I opened my arms to hug her.
"Bad!" she said as she crashed her open palms into my chest.
As I stumbled a half step back she wrapped her arms around me in a hug and laughed, her head against my chest. The smile on my face was indelible for the rest of the night.
***
Christa had invited me to Dancing in the Park back in May. She's done Scottish Country Dancing for more than a half dozen years. And on Tuesdays every June - weather permitting - they put on a demonstration in Edwards Gardens in Toronto.
The first couple of Tuesdays this month didn't work. However, this Tuesday looked perfect. Especially when I found out that I wasn't scheduled to work the next day and wouldn't have to rush back to Guelph right after.
The only obstacle was actually getting there.
A lot of complicated planning brought the plan from me catching a Go Bus (but the buses wouldn't get me where I needed to be when I needed to be there) to Christa picking me up in Guelph (but the car she would have used had a prior engagement) to catching a Greyhound to Toronto and being picked up on the way (which, while a brilliant idea, was sketchy since the timing would have to be perfect...).
Then Monday night Christa and I were talking on MSN and she told me that her good friend James - who has been mentioned here in the past - would be in Guelph Tuesday afternoon and was offering me a ride since he was going to be dancing too.
She put me in touch with him over MSN and then went out for the evening, leaving James and I to sort out the details.
Christa and I spoke online again later that night.
"How are you now?" she asked.
"Alright," I said. "Though I got some cruddy news from James."
She asked what it was.
"You mean James didn't tell you?"
She had just got home and told me so.
I paused for a moment.
"It seems that I may have to walk past a bookstore on my way to meet him after work tomorrow."
"Don't do that to me!" she said after a moment's pause.
Then, about walking past the bookstore, "I know it's hard, but I'm sure you can do it."
I explained that every once and a while I get an urge to be a bit of an ass.
"You're so lucky I can't hit you through the computer!" she said.
I can't remember what I said next, but I do remember it led her to declare jokingly that while she couldn't hit me through the computer, she damn well was going to when she saw me next.
At least I thought she was joking.
I'd write more, but I think I'm about to fall asleep at the keys.
Out of the crowd in front of him burst Christa, wearing a pink dress and a gorgeous yet mischievous smile. She ran toward him. And then around him in a graceful little dodge. Straight at me.
"You!" she said as she closed in.
I opened my arms to hug her.
"Bad!" she said as she crashed her open palms into my chest.
As I stumbled a half step back she wrapped her arms around me in a hug and laughed, her head against my chest. The smile on my face was indelible for the rest of the night.
***
Christa had invited me to Dancing in the Park back in May. She's done Scottish Country Dancing for more than a half dozen years. And on Tuesdays every June - weather permitting - they put on a demonstration in Edwards Gardens in Toronto.
The first couple of Tuesdays this month didn't work. However, this Tuesday looked perfect. Especially when I found out that I wasn't scheduled to work the next day and wouldn't have to rush back to Guelph right after.
The only obstacle was actually getting there.
A lot of complicated planning brought the plan from me catching a Go Bus (but the buses wouldn't get me where I needed to be when I needed to be there) to Christa picking me up in Guelph (but the car she would have used had a prior engagement) to catching a Greyhound to Toronto and being picked up on the way (which, while a brilliant idea, was sketchy since the timing would have to be perfect...).
Then Monday night Christa and I were talking on MSN and she told me that her good friend James - who has been mentioned here in the past - would be in Guelph Tuesday afternoon and was offering me a ride since he was going to be dancing too.
She put me in touch with him over MSN and then went out for the evening, leaving James and I to sort out the details.
Christa and I spoke online again later that night.
"How are you now?" she asked.
"Alright," I said. "Though I got some cruddy news from James."
She asked what it was.
"You mean James didn't tell you?"
She had just got home and told me so.
I paused for a moment.
"It seems that I may have to walk past a bookstore on my way to meet him after work tomorrow."
"Don't do that to me!" she said after a moment's pause.
Then, about walking past the bookstore, "I know it's hard, but I'm sure you can do it."
I explained that every once and a while I get an urge to be a bit of an ass.
"You're so lucky I can't hit you through the computer!" she said.
I can't remember what I said next, but I do remember it led her to declare jokingly that while she couldn't hit me through the computer, she damn well was going to when she saw me next.
At least I thought she was joking.
I'd write more, but I think I'm about to fall asleep at the keys.
