okawim travels►

Yesterday marked an epoch in my life of 16 years. It marked the day that I went to my very first high school dance. It also marked the day when I realized that I really wished things were still the same as they were in the 1950's (or the way they were in the 80's, which fits better with the theme of the dance).

I walked in to the Clark High School cafeteria, prepared for the worst (since I knew how kids "danced"), but at the same time I was excited for this new experience to add to the book I call "life." You see, I have this strange, almost irrational, fear of dances--and whenever I'm at an event that has a dance after, I tend to sit alone (or with other like-minded individuals) somewhere far away from the mob of moving bodies.

But this time I vowed I'd be different. I'd take a chance. I'd conquer my fear.

I made it on to the dance floor and I survived a few rounds of jumping around, looking like an idiot (at least, I think that's what the dance is called), but then I was done. I wanted to sit on the sidelines and watch the rest of the people make fools of themselves, but I was out.

After I realized how much I detested what we call "dancing" these days--basically, tons of body to body contact and other things that should not be allowed on school property.

I remember watching films that were set in high school and I never saw this kind of...strange dancing. I guess I always figured that a dance would have more normal stuff, like waltzing and ballroom dancing. (I'm thinking Cinderella. She certainly didn't "get down" on the prince or anything like that.)

For anybody time traveling from the 50's--or even the 80's (so basically: parents), they'd probably be surprised with what they would see at a dance.

I want to go back to the 50's--back to the time when dances meant more than 100 sweaty teenagers all jumping around together, giving each other 0 personal space. Back to the time when girls wore poodle skirts and guys wore long socks and calf length pants. Back to when they played songs that people could actually dance normally to.

Unfortunately, we can't time travel and this is how our culture is changing. I guess I'll have to learn how to dance--or at least how to ignore it.