Last Junior High Dance
Song: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.
By, Roberta Flack
Your last junior high school dance has arrived. hang on a second pal, do something about that hair.
Zip up that fly, stop looking like you’re going to barf.
Because that 13-year-old girl across the dance floor? yeah….that one, right there.
Is looking right at you.
Your mission? if you decide to…accept it? is to get up the nerve to ask her to dance.
For God’s Sakes Man! be cool. keep it together. try not to look like such a goof.
She’s looking over here. keep it together.
Oh Hell’s Bells! not them? not now.
Three of your best so-called pals are egging you on.
“Go on Maaaan! What are you Chicken?”
“Chicken Fried Fraidy Cat!”
“Hey Hogan? your fly is open.”
Quickly I reach down and check my fly. my chucklehead friends are exchanging punches in the shoulder.
She’s not going to wait forever, go on, ask her.
If that dickhead (Name Deleted) gets to dance with her first? you’re going to have to egg his house in retribution.
Wow? look at her. those eyes, that smile. She’s so pretty, wish I had a girlfriend like that.
Did I just say that out loud?
You look over and notice no visible reaction from your friends who are still punching each other in the shoulder.
I think she likes me? she say’s hello from time to time in the halls.
Hopefully? the last time I grunted in return, I didn’t sound like I had been dropped on my head.
Why does she keep looking over here?
(Name Deleted) comes over. We exchange hard punches in the shoulder.
Song: Theme from Shaft
By, Issac Hayes
I swear, if (Name Deleted) asks her to dance? he’s going to disappear forever beneath a pile of dirt clods.
I take a slow deep breath.
It’s Now or never.
I start towards her.
Unbeknownst to me (Name Deleted) is right behind me.
I never saw it coming.
I fly into the refreshment table knocking it over.
Laughter erupts.
Sitting on the floor amidst a puddle of Hawaiian punch and cookies.
One of my friends yells out, “Nice going Hogan! You idiot.”
(Name Deleted) isn’t finished.
He jumps on my back, grabs my head in his hands, ramming it repeatedly into the gym floor.
As they pulled him off me, he had his pocket knife out. and has stabbed Mr. Raley our principle in the hand.
Our Gym teacher Mr. Pro grabbed him from behind in a chokehold and knocked the knife out of his hand.
The Police were called.
(Name Deleted) brother had been killed in Viet Nam earlier in the year.
Understandably he’d taken it hard. this was just his latest incident of rage.
A month earlier he pushed Joe our school janitor down the stairs.
I would be ok. I had a bloody nose, large bump on the head, and a tear in my really cool red corduroy smoking jacket.
The nose and head would heal. The Jacket?
Mom was gonna be upset, I’d gotten it special for the dance at Just Jeans. ®
They took (Name Deleted) to the police station. No criminal charges were filed.
He was suspended for the rest of the school year.
As he was being loaded into the back of the police car?
He spotted me. I have bad dreams remembering the look he gave me, even today.
From the backseat of the squad. He shouted.
“Will you wait for Me?!?”
I thought he was talking to me? I pointed to myself.
“Not You Asshole! Her!”
“Don’t dance with him! You’re suppose to be with ME!”
She looked right at him and made a face like she had eaten something that didn’t agree with her.
Shaking her head, she said, “No!”
Powerful word. no. get’s right to the point. no.
After that? he got quiet, remaining very still, until the police car took him away.
I turned to look at her, her eyes met mine. I smiled.
She didn’t smile back.
Several of her friends surrounded her.
I was crushed.
Why didn’t she smile back?
I heard my friends laughing.
Why didn’t she smile back?
Shaking it off, I walked over to them. pretending not to notice. after all. they’re your friends.
The dance was over.
One of my Teachers, Miss Bass asked me if I was alright?
I nodded that I was.
I wasn’t.
I’m hurt, I’m pissed, my new red corduroy smoking jacket is torn!
I decide to walk home.
About half way, I hear a voice behind me.
“Robert? Wait. Robert.”
“Are you ok?”
Touching my hand to the bump on my head, I nodded, I was.
“Why didn’t you ask me to dance tonight?”
I look down at the ground paralyzed. Then at her, shuffling my feet.
” I….I don’t know.”
Only, I knew. I was afraid. Afraid she’d say no. I turned away and walked home.
No goodnight, No, see you in school on Monday. Nothing.
Song: Alone Again (Naturally)
By, Gilbert Sullivan
I wanted to have that night back.. I wanted another chance.
At the time. I felt like I’d blown it!
When you’re a thirteen year old. you think that every moment is the last chance you’ll get.
Then? you find out it isn’t.
The light bulb goes on. Chances and Opportunities happen everyday.
You just need to recognize them.
And act on them. Unafraid.
I eventually got that dance.
Song: Doctor My Eyes
By, Jackson Browne
My Last Junior High School Dance 1973
Song List
1. Hello it’s Me
Todd Rundgren
2. Lean on Me
Bill Withers
3. Theme from Shaft
Issac Hayes
4. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Roberta Flack
5. I’ll Be Around
The Spinners
6. Me and Mrs Jones
Billy Paul
7. Mother and Child Reunion
Paul Simon
8. Everything That I Own.
Bread
9. Rockin Robin
Michael Jackson
10. Brandy ( You’re a Fine Girl)
Looking Glass
11. Your Mama Don’t Dance
Loggins and Messina
12. Right Place Wrong Time
Dr. John
13. Saturday in the Park
Chicago
14. Nights in White Satin
Moody Blues
15. Heart of Gold
Neil Young
16. Dancing in the Moonlight
King Harvest
17. It Never Rains in Southern California
Albert Hammond
18. Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)
The Hollies
19. Crocodile Rock
Elton John
20. Reelin’ in The Years
Steely Dan
21. Morning Has Broken
Cat Stevens
22. I Can See Clearly Now
Johnny Nash
23. Day After Day
Badfinger
24. Go All The Way
Raspberries
25. The Witch Queen of New Orleans
Redbone
26. Drift Away
Dobie Gray
27. Troglodyte (Cave Man)
The Jimmy Castor Bunch
rthogan
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