The Boy Who Loves to Tap-Dance

Phil Smith has a very special dream. While other little boys dreamed of being a construction worker or a basketball player, Phil dreams to be a tap dancer.

He loves to watch old movies that featured his idol, Fred Astaire, who himself is a tap-dancing legend.

Phil watched good old Fred’s every move and learned them quite impressively.

Phil showed his unique talent to everyone he knew, including his parents, his brothers and sisters, and even the family dog. They all enjoyed his performance.

During show-and-tell, Phil revealed his unique tap-dancing talents to his class. He told them of his dream. “One day, I want to be as great a tap-dancer as my idol, Fred Astaire,” he said with excitement.

Unfortunately, his classmates had a different opinion. “That was lame!” someone yelled. “Yea and it was stupid!” another person called out. “And it was dumb, too!” a person in the back of the class added.

Phil was hurt. He could not believe his classmates were making fun of the thing he loves so much. He felt really bad inside. He wasn’t sure he wanted to tap dance anymore.

As soon as class was over, Phil’s teacher, Miss Potter, approached him. “Don’t listen to them, Phil,” she said sweetly. “You have such a wonderful talent. In fact, there’s a school talent show coming up this weekend. I think you should enter.”

“You really think so, Miss Potter?” Phil asked with uncertainty.

“Yes I do, Phil,” Miss Potter explained. “It does not matter what other people think. If you love something, you HAVE to keep doing it.”

Phil knew Miss Potter was right. He signed up for the talent show and then spent the whole week doing nothing but practice, practice, and then even more practicing.

One day, some kids from his class saw Phil practicing in his bedroom and shouted out to him, “Hey, Phil, are you still doing your lame tap-dancing?”

Phil responded, “Yes, I am! I’m preparing myself for the talent show. I just signed in. And I know in my heart I will win!”

His classmates didn’t agree at all and guffawed at his display of confidence. “Yeah, right, weirdo!” one of them shouted. “You will lose and everybody at the show will laugh at you!”

As they walked away chortling, Phil felt extremely bad. He felt more hurt than he did during show-and-tell.

Letting his classmates’ teasing get the best of him, Phil decided to go back to school to withdraw from the talent show.

As he walked into the school, he ran into Mr. Baker, the school’s custodian, who noticed Phil looking very depressed.

“What’s the matter, Phil?” Mr. Baker asked him. “You’re never usually the depressed type. What’s got you feeling down?”

“I want to be a great tap-dancer like Fred Astaire. But all of my classmates think that tap-dancing is lame,” Phil said sadly. “I wanted to show the whole school my tap-dancing at the talent show, but really, what’s the point? They’re all going to laugh at me.”

Mr. Baker shakes his head and said quietly, “Ah, this sounds all too familiar!”

“What do you mean?” Phil queried with curiosity.

Mr. Baker answered Phil’s question not through words but instead… by showing Phil the most awesome tap-dancing moves he had ever witnessed in his entire life!

By the time Mr. Baker finished his awesome tap-dancing showmanship, Phil was left astonished beyond belief. “Wow, Mr. Baker, that was cool!”

Mr. Baker then said to Phil with a bit of sadness in his voice. “You see, Phil, I was like you. I myself loved to tap-dance and knew some pretty amazing moves. However, my peers had made fun of me too and told me my talents would be good for nothing. So eventually, I let their taunting get the best of me and as a result, I gave up on my dreams. I still regret that choice to this very day.”

Mr. Baker continued to encourage Phil. “Take it from me, Phil: quitting is not the answer. You must pursue your dreams, no matter the obstacles. Your life will be so much better and fulfilling when you do the things you love.”

Phil understood Mr. Baker perfectly but still felt doubtful about the talent show. “But what happens if I mess up or fail on stage? What happens if I get too nervous?”

“Then remember this advice,” Mr. Baker told Phil politely. “Look deeply at the crowd and find the people who have loved you and have believed in you from the start and pretend that they are the only ones that you are performing for. I guarantee you, you won’t be nervous and you will do exceptionally well.”

Phil smiled as he left the school, waving to the friendly custodian. “Thanks, Mr. Baker!” he said as he ran back home and resumed practicing.

It is now the night of the talent show, and Phil’s performance was the last one of the evening.

Phil anxiously waited for his turn on the stage. As he does so, he took a picture of Fred Astaire out of his pocket that he keeps for good luck and said to it, “Please let me do good tonight.”

Finally, he heard the announcement: “And now, ladies and gentlemen, here’s Phil Smith performing his tap-dancing routine.”

Phil was more than a tiny bit nervous as he made his way up onto the stage.

Just as Mr. Baker had told him to do, he looked into the audience and saw his parents, his brothers and sisters, Miss Potter and Mr. Baker. Even the family dog was there! They all believed in him and they were all waiting to see him demonstrate his outstanding talent. Suddenly he wasn’t nervous anymore.

So before he knew it, Phil began his tap-dancing routine and boy, was he putting on an extraordinary performance!

When he finished, he saw that everyone was cheering for him. His family, Miss Potter and Mr. Baker were up on their feet, clapping for Phil. Except for the family dog, who was happily barking instead.

Phil smiled in amazement before bowing to the audience.

Then the announcement came. “It’s official! Phil Smith is the winner of the talent show!”

Phil then received his ribbon and gave his speech. “I’d like to thank everyone who believed in me.”

Then he pulled out his lucky picture of Fred Astaire. “And most importantly, I’d like to thank two of my idols, Fred Astaire and Mr. Baker. Both have inspired me in the ways that any hero would inspire anyone.”

Phil, the boy who loves to tap-dance, was as happy as he could be.

THE END