Dancing Queen

I had it all. I had the shoes, I had the dress. I had the wiggle, and I sure as heck had the giggle. I was ready for my debut.

For an hour, I waited patiently. Song after song, I sang along in my head and barely swiveled my shoulders in my seat. My feet tapped impatiently, but I grabbed my knee and calmed them down. Soon, soon.

During intermission, I walked around calmly to keep my muscles limber. I looked at the orchestra and flitted between bathroom lines and my seats. It was almost time.

Another hour went by, and the music swelled to a crescendo. The audience jumped up in a standing ovation. It was time.

"You can dance, you can dance, having the time of your life."

My hips erupted into a shaking frenzy as my entire body began to wiggle about. My shoulders shook, my arms rolled and my feet took tiny steps all around. It had happened--I had become a dancing queen.

"Looking out for another, anyone will do, you're in the mood for a dance, and when you get the chance...."

Ignoring my husband's bemused looks and my mother's amused smile, I sauntered into the aisle. There, it was just me and the girls on stage as we moved to the beat. We were not merely performers, we were dancing queens.

"You are the dancing queen, young and sweet only 17, dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine!"

As I moved joyfully to the music, everything around me swirled into the notes of the music. The lights were blaring from the stage and synchronized piano keys filled my ears. Two girls behind me jumped into the aisle, and other women jumped up and began to move to the music. I now had a court of dancing queens.

"You can dance, you can dance, having the time of your life, see that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen!"

As the music slowed, I took my final steps and waited in the silence as the applause roared around me. Then, as the notes hit the air I launched into my second performance. I danced until the lights came on and the people pushed me out of the aisle. In the sunlight, my feet still moved to the side and side in a swaying step. Ben shook his head.

"You're the only person I've seen that can dance anywhere," he said. "Office max, the grocery store, the bank....It's unbelievable. You're a dancing fool."

"No," I corrected him gravely, "I am a dancing queen." And with that said, I danced my way to the car.


***Invisible Friends, stay tuned tomorrow! Brand new Land of the Flowered Bed--a mysterious character returns!****

Lyrics from Abba's "Dancing Queen"