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dustygrein
Dusty Grein is a father of five, a grandfather of 14, a novelist, an award winning classical poet, a graphics designer, and the managing edi
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ajrfanz
• 352 reads

Social Anxiety

I don’t speak

Its been a tough week

It’s hard to speak up

So I sit here quietly, I won’t interrupt

I’m scared of what people think of me

And it gets so hard to breathe

I could be standing in a crowd, they could be saying nothing

But their presence is so loud it feels like they are judging

I can feel this fantasy rejection

And just like wifi, I’m losing connection

They blame it on society

That it is the reason I have Social Anxiety

But that’s not the matter

Because I feel as if I’m about to shatter

And that feeling of nervousness comes creeping quietly

Followed by the rest of my anxieties

I am a really nice person but whenever I think to say hello

My self-consciousness comes in, and its something I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow

And I see judgment in your eyes

My mind keeps producing these lies

And I’m on a steady decline

that I wish I could define

My voice I do not own

So I stand here alone

Choking on my words

While I watch my tiny world burn

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Cover image for post Number One Songs The Year You Were Born - 1940 to 2019 and who’s who in 2020, by Danceinsilence
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Danceinsilence
• 227 reads

Number One Songs The Year You Were Born - 1940 to 2019 and who’s who in 2020

Granted, new-born babies won’t have any clue, but as parent’s, grandparents, one day you can let them know.

Certain years will hold two songs based on the length of time at number one.

Before you say anything, yes, there were many number one songs over the years, but these are categorized as the overall number one song.

Each form/style of music have their own rankings, but this is overall rankings, so please, don’t shoot the messenger.

So kick back a second or two, scroll down to your year and say one of two things. “I knew that.” Or, “I had no idea.”

And of course, you can find all these songs on YouTube.

At the very end, only a very few can say they were born in two different years with a unique song as explained at the bottom.

***************

1940: I’ll Never Smile Again – Tommy Dorsey

1941: Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy) – Timmy Dorsey

1942: White Christmas – Bing Crosby

1943: I’ve Heard That Song Before – Harry James

1944: Swinging On A Star – Bing Crosby

1945: Till The End Of Time – Perry Como

1946: The Gypsy – The Ink Spots

1947: Near You – Frances Craig (And this a male singer I might add)

1948: Button and Bows – Dinah Shore

Twelfth Street Rag – Pee-Wee Hunt

1949: Riders In The Sky – Vaughn Monroe

1950: Goodnight Irene – Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers

1951: Too Young – Nat King Cole

1952: Blue Tango – Leroy Anderson

1953: Where Is Your Heart (from Moulin Rouge) – Percy Faith

1954: Little Things Mean A Lot – Kitty Kallen

1955: Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) Perez Prado

1956: Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley (Though it was number one, Hound Dog and Don’t Be Cruel Were Number One for 11 weeks, three weeks longer than Heartbreak Hotel.)

1957: All Shook Up – Elvis Presley

1958: Nel Blu de Pinto de Blue (Volare) – Domencio Modugno

1959: The Battle of New Orleans – Johnny Horton

Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price

1960: Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith

1961: Tossin’ and Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis

1962: Big Girls Don’t Cry ’ Frankie Vali and The Four Seasons

1963: Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys

1964: I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles

1965: I Can’t Help Myself - The Four Tops

1966: The Ballad of the Green Berets – Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler

1967: Respect – Aretha Franklin

1968: Hey Jude – The Beatles

1969: Sugar Sugar – The Archies

1970: Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel

1971: Joy To The World – Three Dog Night

1972: Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

1973: Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye

1974: The Way We Were – Barbara Streisand

1975: Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain and Tennille

1976: Silly Love Songs – Wings

1977: Tonight’s The Night – Rod Stewart

1978: Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb

1979: My Sharona – The Knack

1980: Call Me – Blondie

1981: Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes

(This was close though – Endless Love with Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross were one vote shy from tying)

1982: Physical – Olivia-Newton John

1983: Every Breath You Take – The Police

(but it is worth a serious shoutout for Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye)

1984: When Doves Cry – Prince

1985: Careless Whisper – George Michael

1986: That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Elton John

1987: Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles

1988: Faith – George Michael

1989: Look Away – Chicago

1990: Hold On – Wilson Phillips

1991: Everything I Do, I do It For You – Bryan Adams

1992: End of The Road – Boyz II Men

1993: I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

1994: The Sign – Ace of Base

1995: Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio featuring L.V.

1996: Macarena – Los del Rio

1997: Something About The Way You Look Tonight – Elton John

1998: Too Close – Next

1999: Believe – Cher

2000: Breathe – Faith Hill

2001: Hanging By A Moment – Lifehouse

2002: How You Remind Me – Nickelback

2003: In Da Club – 50 Cent

2004: Yeah – Usher, featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris

2005: We Belong Together – Mariah Carey

2006: Bad Day – Daniel Powter

2007: Irreplaceable –Beyoncé

2008: Low – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain

2009: Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas

2010: Tik-Tok – Kesha

2011: Rolling In The Deep – Adele

2012: Somebody That I Used To know Yourself – Gotye featuring Kimbra

2013: Thrift Shop – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz

2014: Happy – Pharrell Williams

2015: See You Again – Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth

2016: Love Yourself – Justin Bieber

2017: Despacito – Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber

2018: God’s Plan – Drake

2019: Old Town Road – Lil Nas X

2020: Bad Guy – Billie Eilish, holds the number one spot currently

Now, which of you were born when the greatest number one hit of all time was released?

And no, it wasn’t Elvis, The Beatles or Michael Jackson.

That song is: The Twist – Chubby Checker … it is the only song to reach number one, twice, by the same recording artist, within two years of each other. Were you born in either of those years?

No, I won’t tell you the years, but you can Google it!

... and if you dare, come back here and give yourself up! Grinning.

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A Secret in 6 Words
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TalkSenseToMe
• 38 reads

A Secret in Six Words

* * * * * Everything I love gets taken away. * * * * *

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One Sentence Story
Write a short story, poem (anything!) in only ONE SENTENCE. Word Count: 15 - 25 words! Have fun! Tag Me In The Comments!
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BonnieBoo
• 82 reads

Newborn

The whimper she projects is not one of fear, it is the squawk of survival, with no thought other than reconnecting to the broken chord.

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use the line "you're my favorite." but make it horror genre
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dctezcan
• 233 reads

A million pieces

It all started in the school yard the day he heard our friend Tom say if you cut a worm in half, it can re-grow the missing part. He didn’t stop to question why anyone would cut a worm in half. Nor did he research the veracity of the statement (which statement, actually, is incorrect; if you cut in just the right spot, the head can regrow a tail…but I digress). Rather, it planted a seed, a dark seed as it turns out, in the recesses of his mind.

When he got home from school that day, he told his mother about what he’d heard with regard to worms and said, “If that worked for people, I would cut you into a million pieces. The world would be a much better place if there were a million of you. You’re my favorite person in the whole world, Mama. I love you.”

His mother’s expression said she wasn’t sure if she should be happy or terrified but she smiled and hugged him, saying, “I love you, too, Jackie. Now you go on outside and play. Billy’s at the back door waiting on you.”

And the moment was promptly forgotten…by Jackie’s mom.

Some ten years later, Laurie Mae Parker disappeared. She was the sweetest girl in Ellaville. When they finally found her, she was buried in a field outside of town. They knew it was her simply because they found the head. The body, however, was…in pieces.

It was the most gruesome, most horrible thing anyone had ever heard of in Elaville. Parents were terrified to let their children go out and play since Sheriff Jackson had no suspects and no clues.

Days, weeks, months passed and nothing else happened; life went on and people began to forget.

Until Georgia Ann Baker disappeared. She was a saint, people used to say. So kind to everyone – children, animals, old people. Unlike the rest of Elaville, Sheriff Jackson hadn’t forgotten Laurie Mae Parker and so he started the search at the same field. The dirt had clearly been recently turned and it didn’t take much digging to find the first pieces. Not long after, they found the head and that was that.

Aside from the grisly nature of the murders, the sheriff was curious about the pattern. He told the boys at the bar, yeah, it was two young, sweet girls, but it was the pattern in the soil that got him. The killer planted the pieces in rows. Row after row. As if he – or she – was planting tobacco or cotton. Not that any killing made sense, but that just seemed to be more than just a little unusual.

Within a year there had been two more murders and Sheriff Jackson was contacted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation(GBI). They had noticed the cases and, apparently, had found some similar ones in Zebulon, Butler, Smithville and Leesburg. They called it the Route 19 case because, well, all the killings were in towns along Route 19. (Not very original. I am partial to A million pieces, myself.) Sheriff Jackson sent them what information he had, which really wasn’t much, and passed the investigation on to the GBI.

Meanwhile, little Jackie was no longer little. He was a young man, working at Bob’s Hardware. He was Bob’s delivery man. He had started working after school when he was 16 and Bob took him on full time after he graduated. He was a little different, Bob was heard to say while tapping his head, but he worked hard and followed orders. Bob even let him use the company’s pick-up truck as his own, as long as he kept it clean. Jackie, or Jack, as he had asked to be called on his 13th birthday, kept the truck Clorox clean.

His pretty little mama had gone and left him a year earlier, surprising everyone. She had doted on Jack, and him on her, so everyone was shocked when Jack came into church one Sunday crying and moaning that his mama was gone. They thought she’d passed and that he needed help making arrangements, but no, Jackie said. She’s just gone. I must have done it wrong and now she’s gone. Everyone was a little confused, wondering what he could have done wrong that would make his mama leave him, but they just shook their heads, whispering behind their hands and patted him on the shoulder as they took their seats for Reverend Samuel’s service.

It wasn’t too much later that Laurie Mae Parker disappeared.

And then Georgia Ann Baker.

And the others along Route 19…the main road one might take to make deliveries. Just saying…not sure why Sheriff Jackson didn’t make that connection. It was a clue I hadn’t thought about earlier. But someone at the GBI finally did. And that same agent also discovered that all the young ladies were customers of Bob’s Hardware. All the victims' parents remembered the nice young man who had made a delivery to their home. Couldn’t be him, I don’t know how you could even think so, they all said. They had detectives following him day and night for two months before he stalked Ginger Pittsfield. They grabbed him just after he grabbed her…fortunately, before he brought her to me.

He was heard to say, but it was gonna work this time, I just know it, as the GBI led him away in handcuffs.

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Cover image for post Harry Situation's Bottom 5 Worst Movies of 2019, by Harry_Situation
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Harry_Situation in Reviews
• 175 reads

Harry Situation’s Bottom 5 Worst Movies of 2019

To quote Geralt of Rivia, "Fuck."

With Ying comes Yang, as they say. With a list of the best movies of 2019 there’s a list for the worst movies of 2019. And here is that list. You've waited for it, and now it's here. These are my picks for the Bottom 5 Movies of 2019.

You may be wondering why only 5 worst movies versus 10. The answer is simply: I'm not gonna waste my time and money by seeing 10 bad movies a year. What do you take me for, a masochistic?

Same rules of my best 2019 list apply here:

1) This list was organized based on my personal thoughts of the movies. Again, these are just my opinions for the best. And the movies listed are all movies that I’ve seen. I haven’t seen every movie released this past year because I don’t want to spend my money on really shitty movies. So if you’re hoping that a movie like Ugly Dolls or The Playmobil Movie (yes, that does exist) would be on this list, I’m thankful to say that I've never saw those movies yet and I doubt I’ll ever review them anytime soon.

2) In order to be placed on my Worst Movies list these movies must have received a D+ to an F on my grading scale, and have the hashtag ThisMovieSucks in the review.

3) These are not reviews. I’ve already reviewed these movies before, but I will give brief synopises of my final thoughts for each film. Links to these reviews will also be provided in case you ever want to read them again or you haven’t checked them out yet.

First off, let me list off a couple of Dishonorable Mentions:

-The Dead Don’t Die

-Replicas

Alright, let's address these pieces of shit, starting with:

5. Dark Phoenix

Link to Review: https://theprose.com/post/280661/harry-situation-reviews-dark-phoenix

Final Thoughts: What a really shitty way to end a long-running franchise. On top of that it’s a second shitty adaptation of one of the best storylines in the X-Men comics. I don't know how but they found a way to make it worse than X-Men: The Last Stand. This is probably what happens when hire one of the writers of Fan4stic to fill in as director. His first directing job I should add. Most likely his last. Maybe now that Disney has bought out 20th Century Fox we can get good X-Men movies, or have the X-Men be featured in the MCU. Or maybe they won't, I really don't know. Until then we're gonna have to put up with this piece of shit. As far as I'm concerned, the X-Men films ended with Logan, a true beautiful finale.

4. Escape Room

Link to Review: https://theprose.com/post/250150/harry-situation-reviews-escape-room

Final Thoughts: It was the first movie I reviewed for 2019 and I declared it as one of the worst movies I ever saw. So it’s no surprise that it ended up on my list for the worst movies of the year. Escape Room takes the fun of an average puzzle solving experience and turns it into a painfully boring thriller. I didn't care for the characters. I didn't care for the life-or-death situations they're in. I didn't care for this movie at all. Can you believe this movie is getting a sequel? I know, neither can I.

3. Doom Annihilation

Link to Review: https://theprose.com/post/305407/harry-situation-reviews-doom-annihilation

Final Thoughts: Is it fair to put a straight-to-dvd movie on my worst movies list? Pfft, I don’t fucking care. It’s my list. I can do whatever the fuck I want with it. Doom Annihilation proves once more why it's a bad idea to adapt video games into movies, even though the potential is there. In all fairness, this film is more accurate to the video games than the 2005 film that starred the Rock, but I could still have fun watching that film over this film. This film looks so cheap its pathetic. It has the most generic hero ever (whom I invented the term Jan Neric for). And, like I stated in my review, it is a rip-off of Aliens. I know that Aliens is super popular but couldn't this movie be a least a little original? Whatever. This movie can go straight to hell.

2. Cats

Link to Review: https://theprose.com/post/327828/harry-situation-reviews-cats

Final Thoughts: Yeah you knew this was gonna make it on the list. I told you I staved off this list so I could judge it that movie was worth putting on my list, and it was. It's a shame because I could feel that there is some potential for this film, but it wasn't in the cards. It cannot escape its very confusing plot (if there ever was a plot) or its abominable CGI work. If anything this film is a good reason why you should spay and neuter your pet cats.

1. Hellboy (2019)

Link to Review: https://theprose.com/post/267950/harry-situation-reviews-hellboy-2019

Final Thoughts: Of course Hellboy (2019) had to be the worst movie of the year. What else was there? I told you all that I walked out of this film 5 minutes before the credits rolled. I rarely do that. And if I had to walk out of a movie before the credits come, then you know it's not worth my time. There’s so much wasted potential in this movie and it shows. Bad writing, bad effects, the constant exposition dumping, and let's never mention the grotesque violent scenes in this film just so it can shamefully keep its R-rating. The only good thing about it was David Harbour as Hellboy, but sadly he isn’t enough to save this clusterfuck of a movie. It's funny, in that review, someone left this comment: 'sucks when stuff doesn't live up to the hype'. I laugh because what hype was this person talking about? I was never hyped for this movie. I don't think anyone was. I'm more confused on why it even exists to begin with. All I could do was give this movie the benefit of the doubt, just like I do with every movie I watch, but the reality is that the movie just fucking sucks. I declare Hellboy (2019) as the worst movie of 2019 solely because of its existence we'll never get a proper third film of Guillermo Del Toro’s Hellboy films.

So those are my picks for the Bottom 5 Worst Movies of 2019. Have you seen any of these films? What were your thoughts? Do you agree with this list? What’s your pick for the worst movie of 2019? If your answer is The Rise of Skywalker, then shut the fuck up and don’t comment. If you don’t agree with with my choices and listings, that’s fine. Everyone’s entitled to their opinions after all. If there’s a movie you feel that should be on this, fill free to make a mention in the comments, and feel free to create your own list of what you feel are the worst movies of 2019. I would be interested in reading your list.

And if you enjoyed this be sure to follow me for more reviews coming in 2020!

#harrysituationreviews #film #opinion #worst #list #2019 #ThisMovieSucks

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Profile avatar image for WellOKThen
WellOKThen
• 153 reads

Who is @RibeyeMoshpit?

Hello! I'm your friendly neighborhood RibeyeMoshpit.

I've been on Prose for about 6 months, now, and I've had a marvelous time getting to learn everyone's writing styles, reading your stories, and being inspired by every one of you. Thank you!

But I have a conundrum that I've been thinking about for awhile now. I started out this anonymous profile as a way to kill time while I was slowly dying of boredom at work. But what has happened is something I never intended nor thought would happen...

You guys actually like to read my stuff.

My weird rantings about government, learning to properly use cuss words, unicorns eating little girls, and stories about people surviving in the real world...

You guys really do like my stuff! I'm above and beyond flattered, and I want to thank every one of you all for reposting, commenting, liking, and basically creating this community of followers.

Here's my issue. I have enough followers now, that I really want to start creating better quality content than something I sped-typed during a 10 minute break. I want to develop my writing style more, and I want to start taking a stand on issues and encouraging productive discussions.

But I can't do that if you don't know who I am.

I used anonymity to give myself free reign and write about any topic without feeling like my real life was attached, but I can't create quality content that inspires others if there is no face to a name.

Hello! My name is Jenni!

I'm from Midwest America, and I'm almost 30 years old.

I married my soul mate last October, and we live in our beautiful house with two black cats. Black cats are my favorite.

I'm a recovered general anxiety/OCD patient, and I've done it all through diet, exercise, and cognitive behavorial therapy.

I'm a Pharmacy Technician.

My favorite color is Purple.

And I'm a carnivore.

No joke. I really am. I eat beef, and that's it.

So, hopefully, you all aren't disappointed to hear I'm just a normal human being like everyone else, and not some meta-being made of steaks, but I feel like if I'm going to write about what matters, then I shouldn't be afraid to have my name attached to it.

Hope you all have an awesome week!

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Cover image for post the breaths taken between pauses of bruised feet (&heart), by Yuki
Profile avatar image for Yuki
Yuki
• 71 reads

the breaths taken between pauses of bruised feet (&heart)

• Saudade;

the presence of absence. a longing for someone or something that you remember fondly but know you can never experience again

.

.

.

there's a longing you can't name, you can't describe — it presses against you, in the spaces where the scent of his fingers lingers. it aches in those spots. but you can't do anything but let time pass as flowers bloom and wither and you take your last and first step into the breath of spring. the stain deepens in your heart, a weight lodged in your chest that will not lessen nor go away. a heartburn of memories of his laughter and tender warmth embracing you.

it hurts so much you can't cry, only let out a heavy breath and let the small moments of brightness slowly build up in those spots and hope it will cover the pain.

there's no cure for this longing that blackens a heart and withers it from within. there's only time. and that -- can never be trusted.

It only runs forward and never waits for anyone.

(small hands trying to grab the darkness between the stars. smaller bodies trying to run forward as the world pushes on their shoulders.)

(you are — but a wandering soul (drowning) in a heavy ocean with a broken lighthouse to guide you home)

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Challenge
write something that´s meant to be read more than once
Write a poem (or prose if you find a way to do so) where what´s written is meant to be reread with another meaning. For example: sHE´S OK BECAUSE sHE beLIEveD
Profile avatar image for EstherFlowers1
EstherFlowers1
• 89 reads

And They Called Him The Peacemaker.

AcTuALLy, this can be REaD ThREE tiMEs. once for the whole Darn thIng, then for cApiTals, and an Extra thirD for the italics too.

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Challenge of the Week CXLIV
Sexy. Just write something sexy. Fiction or non-fiction, poetry or Prose.
Profile avatar image for BonnieBoo
BonnieBoo
• 97 reads

jean to jean

We were walking in on time through the dark haze of the lower level dinner/comedy club on prime rib Friday. The visual of rare meat and the thought of meeting my husband’s work buddies and wives for the first time triggered my fake cough. Coughing always works to draw attention away from the twitch I get in my shoulders when I’m anxious.

It was light enough in there to distinguish a face from a plate; still, darker than my comfort level for eating beef. Nothing about my desire for flesh ever included a penchant for blood and when I say I want my meat medium rare, should there be a need for a flashlight? I just don’t want to see liquid on my plate unless it is from gravy, the brown kind. On the other hand, the dim lights should have put the kibosh on my social jitters; they didn’t. Something about the place was dungeon-esque, and it had a “What are they trying to hide Vegas vibe.”

We were a table of eight, my husband and I the third couple to arrive. We took our seats, did the whole introduction thing and then started to make small talk over our first round of drinks. They all seemed to like me, and

none of them mentioned the fourth couple’s absence; the two empty seats were next to me. We ordered our second drink, and I was feeling more relaxed and didn’t have to pretend cough when the waiter came around asking, “How would you like your meat cooked?”

“What about them?” I asked, pointing to the two empty seats, wondering if I was the only one in the group that noticed their absence. “Oh that’s typical for Jamie and Mona. They are always late. They’ll be here. Make their meat medium. Tough luck if they don’t like it,” Said my husband to our waiter, already horsing around.

And then my eyes saw what we had been waiting for and the dim lights dipped sexy, slapping my flushed face sideways. A stormtrooper of heat rushed through me starting in my loins; moistening me everywhere, tightening my bra straps as the heat rose from down below all the way up to my cheeks.

I like men. So I thought. I couldn’t decide which one of them awakened my beast. I thought about telling my husband I was sick and needed to go home because one of the two of them was going to sit right next to me and I had absolutely no idea how I was going to control myself. What if I left a puddle on my seat? Already on his third drink he would have just ignored me anyway, so I decided to yield to my animal, so much so, I might have enjoyed blood on my plate.

They both had shiney long black hair, hers longer. Picture a younger, prettier Elvira, same type of dress; huge tits that said “see me” and I did. But it was Jamie that sat next to me. Tight black denim jeans Jamie, with teeth too white for teeth, and a face, as far as I could see that needed to be studied and painted, better than Apollo, muscular, not too muscular, just the right amount I could see by his naked arms. How do people like these two walk around without getting objectified? As inappropriate as that sounds, I couldn’t help but wonder about the constant chaos they perpetrate against humanity.

Jamie and Mona ordered their drinks and then the lights got a shade darker signaling the start of the show. Hell if I can tell you anything about it, although I did fake laugh along with the group, only so I could bounce myself up and down to relieve some of the groin stress, landing a tiny bit closer to him with each rebound, until I was able to press my right leg hard right up against his left, as if I had no alternative and he seemed to respond to it, pressing back, no words, no eye contact, just jean to jean rubbing during the entire show. It is only as I write this now decades later that I realize he could have been trying to push me away, but if you ask me, he and I had a thing that night, slow and electric, subtle and unacknowledged, a sexy tango under the table, out of view from the rest of the world.

I never saw them again, because my husband got laid off shortly after that night and we had to move back east. It did occur to me on the drive home that I had just committed a misdemeanor act of infidelity, but I’d rather think of what happened, that one and only time as a fantasy dance, one that took place in a darkened room, that no one has to know about, and doesn’t count because maybe my first impulse, my Vegas vibe, was kismet.

#FICTION

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