Dancing lessons from dad

In recent years I've taken time to look back on my upbringing, and I have come to the realization that my folks really did do the best they could to guide me towards becoming a productive member of society. In hindsight, my dad really was a cool guy, even though I thought he wasn't back in the late 80's.

I remember when I was in the sixth grade -- must have been 11 or maybe 12 -- just starting adolescence, scared to death of girls but equally fascinated by them at the same time, and faced with the impending doom of my first school dance. My dad must have sensed my nervousness . . . he didn't have to be clairvoyant to see it . . . because that morning, he asked me if I knew how to dance. I think I told him I did, but regardless, he told me he was going to tell me how to dance the twist. I think the twist was in style when he was an adolescent (the old man was high school class of '61), and in his mind, it was the dance to know. He said: "Son, the twist's the easiest dance there is to do. Just imagine that you just got out of the shower and you're drying your ass with a towel." And he demonstrated. It was awesome. Not at the time; not for me; but looking back on it, it was awesome. I don't think I got to twist that day. In fact, I remember hating everything about that particular school dance. But I have twisted since. And what do you know -- the old man was right!