Went off to the Army eighteen years old came out after three years came out barbarous we all were so with my friend Al also barbarous we went to learn the daintiness of civilized manners the second floor studio of Arthur Murray teaches dancing in a hurry on Halsey Street a downtown back street in Newark summertime year of ’46 dust motes ambling lazily twinkly in the beams of afternoon sun streaming in through open windows phonograph playing loudly scratchy above the whirring of electric fans eruptions of flatulent cars crawling below on melting asphalt their acrid fumes rising on baked breezes off the salt marsh meadowlands-- Cugat’s rumba tempo, waltzes Blue Danube, shuffle shuffle close cross over quickstep fox trot Cole Porter step step step close lindy hop Benny Goodman’s liquid clarinet notes step step tap tap swing her in swing her out hotdog her name was Judy-- Pay attention palm on your partner’s ribs just light pressure from the fingers to guide her right hand clasped shoulder high stand straight between your bodies daylight not touching Oh yeah fat chance a little plump damp through her blouse so soft the astonishing silky softness of girls.
Peggy Lee where are you?