Dancing Queen

(In the form of an “I Remember” poem.)

I remember the euphoria I felt from listening to Cyndi Lauper sing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

I remember asking my two friends to come to my house so we could choreograph a dance to it.

I remember lining us up, single file, on the broken concrete of the driveway and blasting the song repeatedly, until we reached perfect synchronicity.

I remember looking up and seeing the smiling faces of my parents peering from the kitchen window in amusement, and maybe even, perhaps, shock.

I remember my fifth-grade self feeling totally amazing after successfully directing the three of us into an awe-inspiring dance.

I remember walking up to the desk of our notorious social studies teacher, Mrs. Kreka, and confidently asking her if we could perform this dance for our class.

I remember our three moms making chocolate chip cookies and red punch for our classmates.

I remember daydreaming about the all-consuming love the young boy in the third row would feel for me after we performed our dance.

I remember the aqua skirt and the bright pink shirt I wore that day.

I remember seeing this moment as the best moment of my life.

I remember thinking, years later, “What would ever possess me to do that?”