Saturday Night F(or)ever
“It’s twelve o’clock and here’s the last tune for tonight,” the bandleader announces. “Good night, folks. Thanks for coming.”
With desperation in their eyes, lonely boys scan the dancehall, now with lowered standards. Unadventurous and earnest young women give up their last hopes. Disappointed, they put their eyeglasses back on.
As couples start moving to the slow music, the leftovers ponder the fact that once again, they have been judged too ugly, too old, too fat, too skinny, or too shy.
Next Saturday night, they’ll be back with fresh hopes and almost healed wounds, ready for another round of humiliation.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleOh boy! Does that story bring back some humiliating memories! So very evocative!
Welcome to the club, Allan. Do you, as I do, recall the shame of being refused a dance after boldly having crossed that floor to go to the side where the girls were sitting? I guess it was as bad for the girls who never were asked to dance. And still, we all came back for more, lol.
My best friend had them flocking round him whilst I stood consumed by jealousy. I remember well nights at the Cowan Institute in Penicuik, or even church hops where I might ask 3 girls and be cold-shouldered before making my excuses and slinking out into the night!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI can relate to that, Allan. Terrible experiences! And then, if a girl accepted to dance, I was so tongue-tied that I never knew how to bring up a conversation. So even if there was a mutual interest, it still ended up with a disappointment.
By the way, there’s a joke from the Glasgow Barrowland…Boy: You dancin’?…girl: You askin’?…Boy: I’m askin’…Girl: I’m dancin’
That’s a good one, Allan! You were very witty in Scotland, I understand.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThis story really resonates with me, Christer, having experienced first-hand that awful rejection at an early age. And I have a story “under review” that actually deals with the same theme, but in a somewhat darker way. I thoroughly enjoyed your take on this with your keen eye for emotional detail.
Thank you, Preston. Since you and Allan have the same experience, I’m thinking that it might have been a good (although tough) education for writers.
In my attempts to write my memoirs, I have come to age 15-17, so I have been deeply dipping into those traumatic Saturday evenings. I’m glad I’m not the only one.
Hello, Christer. Your story brings back memories of discrimination. Those bad memories create a deep impact on my emotional health and cause me to have low self-confidence. Allan is right, it is so very evocative. Well done, Christer.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleIt seems to be an experience that many girls and boys all over the world have gone through. We were young, extremely vulnerable and sensitive, and very eager to create a relationship with another lonely soul. I’m glad you could relate to the story, Lotchie, but sorry for what you went through.
That’s fine, Christer. I already get over it.
I feel that most people could relate to this story, Christer. School dances from the age of thirteen to fifteen seemed to be the worst! Great work.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleKids can be cruel in their honesty, Melissa. And they wouldn’t accept to be seen dancing with somebody they didn’t like just out of courtesy like the grown-ups did. Thanks for reading, relating and commenting.
What a shame that every Saturday means renewed humiliation to the wallflowers! I found this micro story sad but nevertheless, amusing at the same time. Are you in the photo Christer?
Yes, a humiliating experience both for the wallflower girls, Margarida, and also for the boys who were denied a dance by a pretty but arrogant girl. I’m not in the photo, but when I saw it, I decided to use it since it reminded me of the experience. Can you see on the left where the girls are seated in a row by the wall, waiting for Mr Right? And on the… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWhat a great picture, Christer! It’s worth a thousand words! Rejection is the saddest thing, isn’t it? Your story certainly holds no punches! I love the line ‘boys scan the dancehall, now with lowered standards’. Fab story, now one of my favourites of yours!
I am very pleased to see that you like the story, Linda, but also a bit surprised. From your writing, I understand that your experiences from this age and environment were completely different. Obviously, you were one of those successful girls, dancing a lot and with elegance and success. I remember your photo from a competition. I bet you didn’t have to sit many dances! Thanks for your nice words!
Brings back memories of the 60s. I think we were happy enough dancing round the handbags though in a gaggle of girls
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleA gaggle of girls!? You are good with words, Susan! Dancing around the handbags!? That’s too funny!
Christer, you really captured the feeling of rejection! I agree with Melissa that this is something that most people can relate to. This was a well-written story with the perfect image to accompany it!
We were vulnerable, yet intrigued, Marianna. A difficult time indeed. My mind goes to a starved animal, carefully approaching a stretched out hand with food; aware of the dangers but longing for the nourishment.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleChrister, it is true, if a person is desperate, they might overlook potential dangers and get themselves into real trouble.