The dance

Trevor had a year end dance. I was asked to chaperon. I like my boys to dress nicely. We are running into a problem with Trevor. He is getting to be a bigger man than his father. As a result there is not much in the wardrobe to fit Trevor anymore. Trevor is right when he says he has nothing to wear. I am going to have to take him shopping with me and soon.

He looked a little nervous at the dance. His hands were in his pockets. The music was not stuff we listen to at home. A few songs we recognized and Trevor would raise his arms and dance. They were usually the same songs everyone else recognized and big groups would spontaneously just start dancing.

This is a young teen dance so a couple of the songs created snakes on the dance floor where students would grab the shoulders or waist of the person in front of them forming a long sinuous line of people like a moving snake on the floor. They had a couple of line dances where everyone knew the steps. I assumed that the PE teacher had shown them the dance steps as they all new them and none of them was old enough to go to a real bar and dance. I had learned the hustle in my PE class at the same age. We had also been torchered with square dancing and the polka.

I wore ear plugs to tone down the music a little. My hair covered the orange sponges in my ears. Occasionally some chaperon would notice and laugh. They were short chaperons for this dance. I had received a call just that afternoon to see if I could attend. I waited until Trevor got home to see if he was even planning on attending. We had other plans to have dinner with a friend that would have to be rescheduled. I wasn't going to re schedule unless Trevor really wanted to go to the dance. After thinking about it. He chose to go to the dance. I rearranged my dinner plans for Sunday and called the school letting them know I would be there.

It was just the right amount of chaperons. I was glad I was there to help. The kids were great. All you really have to do is stare at them. They look up and notice they are being watched and stop what ever it is they weren't supposed to be doing. I didn't see any incidences or trouble. A few running students and a couple of falls, but nothing serious. The party was from six to eight. This time of year the sun is still up at nine so the room never was dark enough for real mischief. There was a chaperons for every entrance to the dance area plus the assistant principal, who is of a serious nature. He wondered the dance floor making his presence felt and keeping the crowds in order.

The students were a little like schools of fish, clusters of people here and there with a big crowd with the most popular students in one big tight school. A few stray and loos students swam in the open areas. When the music choices were good the arms would raise in the clusters and the groups would bounce to the music causing the whole group to shift like feeding schools of fish. It was fascinating to watch.

Trevor had only a few of his friends that attended. He did dance with a couple of girls. But his hands were in his pockets for a few songs as he drifted on the fringe of a couple of groups. He said he had a great time at the end. I treated him to dinner at DQ afterwards as no food had been served at the dance. He had thought there might be food but it was strictly just music. It made for any easy clean up. I just took my boy and left.

He is a great kid to put himself out there, to fight the uncomfortable feeling of being outside the inner circle. I was really proud of his behavior and his willingness to just be there alone in a crowd. That is the hardest part of our world, where we now have the option to never leave our homes and be glued to the computer or TV, never having to socialize or be pushed into uncomfortable situations. Trevor puts himself on the line. He doesn't hide.