summer 1978, Age 28, the disco years OUTSIDE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

My love affair with Jenny ended in late July.  What a shame.  Jenny very well could have been the love of my life.  Our level of communication was profound to say the least.  After Jenny said goodbye, given how special she was, I fully expected to plunge into a catastrophic depression like I had with past loves such as Vanessa, Rachel and Katie.  To my surprise, nothing of the sort happened.  Oh sure, I cried hard and moped around the house for a day or two.  However, it didn't take long to snap out of it. 

Jenny had been so unbelievably positive in her Farewell message that I did not come away from our relationship feeling defeated.  Instead I felt optimistic.  Jenny had not rejected me in the least.  She had explained in a remarkably kind way that I had a different path to follow.  She regretted that our time together was so brief, but pointed out our love affair had been unbelievably special.  Considering I felt strengthened from our time together, I saw Jenny was a Messenger.  She made it clear the time had come to spread my wings and fly.  Jenny believed in me just like my therapist Gaye did.  I took that to heart.  How could I forget Jenny's parting words?

"You are on the move.  Your sun is rising and you have an entire world to conquer.  And I know you will.  There's something about you that will never give up.  That is just as plain as day."

Jenny was right.  My sun was rising and my confidence soaring.  And apparently Jenny was not the only woman who could tell.  At the moment, I was on fire.  The moment the calendar flipped to August, women began coming out of the woodwork.  I received more attention from women in August than I had received in my entire life combined.  If pressed for an explanation, I was a healthy person for the first time.  Those personality flaws that had pushed women away were gone.  I still had my share of insecurities and rough edges, but I had made vast improvement thanks to Gaye's patient guidance.  Furthermore, my six month Dance Apprenticeship had toughened me up considerably.  I had faced one test after another and handled them all.  Even the downfalls and obstacles seemed to help.  I handled the Cold War hostility with skill and had been rewarded with the break of lifetime. 

Although my career was soon to skyrocket, August served as an amusing prelude to the coming fireworks.  Was I hungry?  Oh, yes.  I was no longer Alice in Wonderland drifting through life.  Now I was headed somewhere.  I could sense it.  Too many things had broken my way not to believe I was Destiny's Child.  Disco was my ticket to success.  The Universe had given me this chance and I was determined to let this series of lucky breaks take me as far as it could. 

Throughout my Magic Carpet Ride, I had one motto - Accept every opportunity. 

The best example was my ongoing Thursday night job at the Jet Set Club.  However, the wife-swappers club was just one of many situations that came my way.  I gobbled up every one of them.  As the best known Disco teacher in Houston, word of mouth carried my name to distant corners of the Houston area.  Consequently, whenever someone wanted a Disco teacher for an event, my name popped up.  P

utting my weekends to good use, I accepted one outside teaching gig after another.  And let me tell you, there were some weird ones!  I taught at an old folks home, a boy scout meeting, bar mitzvahs, country club events, birthday parties, even a line dance class for seventh graders.  The whole world was enveloped in Disco Fever. 

I taught in night clubs, I taught at a singles seminar, I taught at a law convention, I taught a B'nai B'rith youth group, I taught church groups, I taught at a Hispanic community center and I taught at a gay and lesbian conference.  Not a weekend went by when I didn't work a Saturday, a Sunday, or both.  Sometimes I taught two events the same day.  You name it, I taught there.  Usually I got paid, but sometimes I got stiffed.  Sometimes I simply volunteered my time.  Each experience was helping me grow as a teacher.  It helped me gain confidence to go to these strange places and try to relate.  Once upon a time I had admired my Israeli girlfriend Rachel for her willingness to try new experiences.  As an only child, I had grown up as an introvert only to have the acne attack make my shyness much worse.  By seeking out different experiences, each situation helped me shed another layer of diffidence.

Although some of the outside teaching gigs were fun, the majority were frustrating.  One out of three events was fun, but the rest were serious uphill struggles.  At the dance studio, people who came to me who had already made up their mind to pursue dance lessons.  Not so with these outside events.  In this case, my sponsor was convinced Disco lessons were a good idea only to find out their guests did not agree.  I learned the hard way how difficult it was to persuade non-dancers to dance.  Most would rather sit in their seat and watch.  Sometimes it felt like pulling teeth to get people to participate.  It was embarrassing to beg people to join me on the floor.

The worst ever was the Boy Scout troop.  Right at the start a couple boys laughed derisively and made it clear dancing wasn't cool.  The rest took the hint.  All the boys just stood there with their arms crossed.  Finally the Scout Leader shrugged and told me I could go.  He offered to pay, but I wouldn't accept the money.  In my mind, I had failed.  I don't want to be paid for failure.  Outside teaching was hard work!  Nevertheless, even when something didn't go well, thanks to my dogged persistence, I would still accept the next opening. Like I said, accept every opportunity.  As we shall see, this positive attitude resulted in some very interesting adventures. 

July 4th weekend, 1978 UNDER THE KILLING MOON

My motto to accept every opportunity had led to the Jet Set Club.  At the time I assumed that was as bizarre as it gets.  Just when I thought nothing could be stranger, I stumbled upon the Gangster Disco Party.  One summer afternoon, Stevens handed me a phone number without an explanation.  Whenever he handed me a number, it meant he wasn't interested.  However, I was interested.  I was interested in everything. 

Curious, I made the call.  The man who answered said his boss wanted a Disco instructor to teach at his wife's birthday party on Saturday, July 1.  The moment he said $300, I said sure, sounds like fun.  Considering I made $15 an hour teaching for Stevens, he had me at hello.  In one evening, I would earn the equivalent of 20 hours of work.

As the man gave directions, I realized this place was somewhere near Magnolia close to where the Texas Renaissance Festival is held every year.  This location was 60 miles to the north in the middle of a thick Texas pine forest.  Hmm.  Maybe I had been a bit rash.  I did not know why, but I regretted accepting this offer.  Too late now.  The easy money had been too tempting to resist.  My Code of Honor forced me to continue. 

The directions had said my destination was not visible from the road.  I was told to look for an easy-to-spot landmark, turn right and drive another mile on a dirt road.  Except that it was not a dirt road, just made to look like one from the outside.  There was not even a gate, so most people would never give the entrance a second look.  When I spotted the sign, I realized it was a temporary marker most likely put out as a signal specifically for me.  I left the highway and turned onto a road that took me deep into the pine forest.  There was no sign of civilization, just trees.  Driving down this long road gave me the creeps.  The phrase 'off the beaten path' came to mind.  I was in the middle of nowhere without any idea what was going on.  What the hell did I get myself into?

After half a mile, the trees cleared and I came to a walled estate.  It occurred to me this place had been deliberately hidden from prying eyes.  No one would ever know this place was there.  I should have turned around right there, but I had given my word.  Besides, I was here.  Let's just get this over with.  As I pulled closer, I saw two security guards at the gate.  When I saw how rough the guards looked, I regretted not turning around when I had the chance.  But it was too late now.  They had seen me.  Besides, in my pathetic little VW Bug, what chance did I have of outrunning them if they gave chase?  I decided it was probably safer to cooperate.  If I did not give these people any reason to think I was a threat, I doubted seriously they would hurt me.  

Forcing a weak smile, I tried to appear as unthreatening as possible when the two men cautiously approached.  One of the guards opened the door for me while the other deliberately kept his distance.  They weren't rude.  Nor did they frisk me.  However, they definitely looked me over.  I kept reminding myself I had nothing to fear.  Or did I?  Despite the summer heat, they wore light-colored Miami Vice-style sports coats.  I assumed that meant the men were armed.  I wondered if they would shoot me if they didn't like the class.  Or, with my typical bad luck, they would sell me as a sex slave down in Mexico.  Maybe this was Lance Stevens' doing.  I bet he paid these guys to get rid of me.  I wouldn't put it past him.  This was not good.  I had bitten off way more than I could chew.  Worse, no one knew I was here.  How could I be so stupid!

Here in the summer heat, I was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.  Consequently, the inspection did not take long and the two guards relaxed.  Now they greeted me with warm smiles. 

"You must be the dance teacher!"

I nodded.  I was tempted to say something sarcastic about their lucky guess, but my self-preservation instinct kicked in and zipped my mouth shut.  Thank goodness for the Cold War.  I had earned a Master's Degree in appearing to be pathetic.  Actually, for this situation, no previous training was necessary.  Right now I was scared out of my wits. 

One of the men stepped forward.  "Here, let me take you inside."

Blessed are the meek, fear no evil, Blessed are the meek...

I entered a walled compound straight out of the Godfather, except the decor was Spanish.  The house was a large hacienda with Spanish-styled red clay tiles for the roof.  Building this estate deep in the Texas pine forest must have cost a fortune.

Good grief, this place was bigger than a medieval castle!! 

I was positive a gangster of some sort lived here.  Did I have anything to worry about?  Probably not.  They had little reason to be suspicious.  Someone had called a dance studio and offered a phone number.  So far they had treated me nicely.  Realizing a dance teacher would pose no threat, I tried to calm down. 

The guard escorted me to a large swimming pool and asked me to wait.   As I waited for the guard to return, I looked around.  All sorts of questions shot through my mind.  Considering we were in the middle of nowhere, this place had amenities such as electricity and running water.  But there were no telephone poles.  Odd.  And where did they hide the electricity cables? 

I could understand a desire for privacy, but this was extreme.  How did they ever build this hidden palace so far off the road?  In this remote spot, no one would know this place was here unless someone tipped off the authorities.  What did they do with the construction workers to keep them quiet after the place was completed?  Did the nearby pine forest conceal a mass grave?  Mysteries abounded.

It was 8 pm and starting to get dark.  This place was really making me nervous.  What was I doing here?  I kicked myself a million times for not telling anyone where I was going.  There was no copy of the directions at my house.  If I disappeared, no one would be the wiser.  As I stood waiting by the pool, I berated myself upside and down for accepting this job.  I should have asked more questions.  I kept reminding myself to relax.  These people had no reason to hurt me.  I was a nobody and I was unarmed.  They had no reason to suspect I was a narcotics agent.  Besides, everyone knows FBI agents can't dance unless someone shoots at their feet.  Since no one seemed suspicious, I tried to stay calm.  I decided to smile, act friendly and see what they wanted.  There were only a handful of people around and they gave me no suspicious looks.  They were busy preparing for a party. 

Eventually the guard came back for me.  He escorted me around the lavish swimming pool to a covered patio on the other side.  The guard said the boss was busy, so he pointed to a chair by the DJ booth.  So I sat down and got comfortable.  There was no one in the DJ booth, but a tape deck was playing.  The loudspeakers blared current Disco hits like Boogie Oogie Oogie and I Love the Night Life.  This place reminded me of a Mediterranean-style estate except with pine trees, not palm trees.  There was a giant fountain, lush shrubbery, tiled walkways, and of course the swimming pool.  I could not help but wonder if drugs had paid for this place.  Not bad.  Maybe I was in the wrong profession.  My eyes followed the guard.  He went to speak to some guy in a lounge chair with a drink in his hand.  They had a conversation, the guard pointed to me, and the man nodded.  Now the guard came back to fetch me.   The guard led me to the man in the lounge chair, probably the owner.  The head honcho put his drink down, then stood up to shake my hand. 

"Hey, buddy, thanks for coming.  My name is Frank.  Long drive up, right?"

I nodded.  Frank was a big, husky Hispanic guy who looked like he could hold his own in a street fight.  With his long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, this guy was the spitting image of a drug lord.  At the moment a large outdoor fan made his ponytail dance in the breeze.  Frank was wearing a shirt left open to display a dark tan that accentuated gold chains worth a fortune.  Like the guards, he wore a white sports coat over his shirt.   I thought it was odd to wear a sports coat in this early evening Texas heat, so I assumed he was packing as well.  I took a long, deep breath.  Relax.  Smile.  Act friendly.  Be meek.  Considering how rough and gruff Frank looked, I was surprised to discover he was very outgoing, very appreciative. 

"Your name is Rick?  Hey, man, this is great.  I'm really glad you came.  This dance lesson was a last-minute idea so we are fortunate you were available.  My wife Sofia is going to be tickled pink.  This is her 30th birthday party and she has really been looking forward to this night.  We don't get out much, this is a real treat.  I want you to relax, make yourself comfortable, get something to eat.  I hope you aren't in any hurry.  The guests will arrive soon.  We'll have dinner, then get the dancing started."

And with that, Frank said something to the guard, then excused himself to go inside the house.  As I watched him walk away, I realized this gig was on the level.  Why would it be a charade?  I guess it's tough for gangsters to find a good place to dance out here in the boondocks.  So the Godfather was going to throw a Disco Party as a birthday present for his wife.  If that doesn't take the cake!

Frank reappeared with a beautiful Latina by his side.  Make that 'very beautiful'!  This woman was 'Miss World' kind of beautiful.  Sofia was tall, slender, model's figure, tousled hair, dark complexion, piercing brown eyes, long legs enhanced by tight shorts.  I felt weak in her presence.  Sofia's awesome good looks really unsettled me.  This was the most beautiful woman I had ever met.  To my surprise, Sofia turned out to be just as nice as her husband.  I had no idea gangsters were such nice people.

"Thank you so much for driving out here.  You're from Houston?  That's a long way from here, so I really appreciate your coming.  This is the best birthday present ever!  My girlfriends and I want to learn some Disco line dances!  Maybe we'll persuade Francisco to join us out on the floor!"

And with that, Sofia turned and gave Big Frank a smooch on the cheek.  To my considerable surprise, he blushed.  Good grief.  I had no idea gangsters blushed.  I crossed my fingers and prayed he was more on the benevolent side than violent.

Sofia turned back to me.  "You're name is Rick, right?  Can I get you anything?  How about a drink?  I bet a margarita would do you some good.  We need to get to get you in the right mood.  We're going to have a big party tonight and you're gonna help!"

"Thank you, Sofia, but I don't drink when I am working.  Maybe a coke?"

Sofia nodded, then beckoned for a servant to come help me.  After that, she took off.  When I told the new lady to bring me some coke, she did a serious double-take.  I think she misunderstood, so I hurriedly said, "Uh, I mean coca-cola."

The lady grinned at the misunderstanding.  "You want something in that coke?  Vodka? Jack Daniels?"

"Uh no, just a plain coke will be fine.  Thank you." 

This was shaping up to be a long and very weird night.  I could hear engines as vehicles approached the compound.  Sure enough, people were showing up for the party.  Pretty soon there were thirty or so people gathered around the pool area.  I assumed there were more were inside the house.  The crowd was in a festive mood as befit the July 4th Holiday weekend.  The guests were mostly Hispanic with a few Anglos and Blacks mixed in.  I don't know how to describe the men other than they were rough-looking.   Big shoulders, long hair, muscles, tattoos, lots of facial hair, jewelry, and, uh, scars.  The men were well-dressed in chic but casual evening wear.  They wore colorful tropical shirts printed with flowers and exotic birds.  There was no sign of weapons. 

Based on snippets of conversation, these were country people with lots of money.  Their language was coarse and full of casual profanity.  They had deep sun tans and wore their shirts open to display gold and silver chains.  I wish I could come up with a better description than 'redneck and rich', but that will have to do.  They were outgoing and warm like many country people are.  However there was an edge when they first noticed me.  The men made sure to scrutinize me carefully.  

The women left me breathless.  Several had teased hair like Sofia, others wore it long and straight.  Latin women have always struck me as the most beautiful women on earth.  These women with their long legs and hourglass figures were seriously attractive.  Every girl was so pretty they reminded me of Elena, the beautiful Hispanic girl I saw at work every day.  However, unlike Elena, maybe not quite so innocent.  Decked out in hot pants, mini skirts, low-cut blouses, and high heels, these women were determined to reveal as much of their extraordinary bodies as decorum permitted.  I suppose they were used to being stared at.  None of them seemed to mind my wide-eyed appreciation.  If the mobsters decided to kill me, at least I could carry the vision of these women to my next destination. 

I kept pinching myself to make sure this wasn't a dream.  I didn't quite know how to behave around these people, but there was one thing I was certain of... under no circumstance would I flirt with these women.  That seemed like a surefire recipe for my disappearance off the face of the Earth.  I was afraid to even smile.  Nor would I dream of touching one.  Well, change that.  I could dream, but it stopped there.

Unfortunately, these ladies did not help.  In fact, they went out of their way to put my life in danger.  These ladies were born attention-machines.  They lived to be admired.  One by one or two at a time, they strolled past, working their hips, batting their eyelashes, greeting me with warm smiles.  Some stopped to say something like "how ya' doin' tonight?" or "Are you the teacher? I can't wait to boogie, so save me a dance!" 

I was flattered by the attention, but nervous nonetheless.  They reminded me of the aggressive women at the Jet Set Club, but way better-looking.  However, I did not dare make eye contact for more than a glance.  I would have been much more comfortable if they had let me appreciate them from a distance.  As far as I was concerned, these were dangerous women, women who knew their way around men.  I had a hunch they validated their beauty by flirting with attractive strangers.  Noting these femme fatales were treating me to a parade of sorts, I nursed a sneaking suspicion these women were playing a game of sorts, a contest to see who could break down my reluctance. 

To be honest, these were not serious advances.  I think they enjoyed teasing me just to see what sort of reaction they would get.  This was sport to them, some sort of ego boost to see who could get my longest stare or biggest grin.  They seemed to know that even though I was on guard, my involuntary response would reveal the winner.  However, there would be no winner of this particular beauty contest because I refused to play.  Noticing a couple men who studied me with narrow eyes, I began looking off into space.  I pretended to admire the tall pine trees that towered above the wall or the flowers brought in for the party.  Whatever went on in this place, I didn't want to know about it.  No point in making anyone suspicious by appearing nosy.  I sipped my coca cola and minded my business.  Gee, aren't the flowers lovely at this time of year?

Apparently they wanted me here early because I had to wait for nearly two hours.  I was irritated at the long wait.  As dusk turned to dark, a stream of people brought to count to 60 people.  As the guests appeared, so did a buffet of lavish proportions.  There was no official dinner, just a 'help yourself' atmosphere.  There was booze everywhere and the smell of marijuana in the air.  The air was festive as the drinking and drugs livened things up.  That said, everyone kept it under control.  These people laughed and casually danced freestyle to the music with a drink in one hand.  Noticing how popular the dancing was, I wondered what they needed me for.  I noticed that every ten minutes the noise level went up another decibel or two.  They were warming up for the big night.  Someone invited me to help myself to dinner, so I accepted.  I found a bartender and asked for a 7-Up just to avoid confusion.  I wasn't drinking under any circumstances.  I preferred to keep my wits about me.

Around 10 pm Sofia introduced me to a warm round of applause.  That night under the Killing Moon I began with the Four Corners. This was by far the easiest and most popular line dance.  Then came the Cha-Cha Hustle, Bus Stop and L.A. Freeway.  The guests really enjoyed the line dances.  30 people participated, mostly women.  It was the strangest class I ever taught, but it was fun.   I could not believe how some of these women moved their bodies.  Whatever they were drinking, it did the trick.  These women really knew how to put on a show.  I had never seen a more seductive group of women in my life.  I imagined this was the Gangster version of the Playboy mansion.  The men smiled appreciatively at the show.  Me too even if meant risking my life.

To my surprise and great relief, these were the easiest people to get dancing I had ever met.  They reminded me of the Jet Set crowd who liked to drink and let loose.  They grooved on everything I showed them with unbelievable enthusiasm.  Too bad all my classes didn't have this kind of energy.  It was fun to teach here.  However, I was nervous the whole time.  And when I get nervous in dance class, I tell jokes rehearsed in advance.  Stupid puns were my specialty.  Anything to break the tension. 

What music do ghosts dance to?  Soul music.  
Where do fortune tellers go to dance?  The Crystal Ball-room.
Why did the dancing knives get applause?  They looked sharp.
Why can't dogs dance?   They have four left feet. 
What do boring people dance?  Square dance.
How do astronauts dance?  Moonwalk.  
What went wrong at the bank robbery?  The robber said 'Everybody get down!', so they started dancing.   

Oh, good grief, did I really use the Robber joke?  What is wrong with me!?  I was so nervous I rattled off whatever crazy thing came to mind.  Thank goodness it worked.  It is so interesting how humor can be infectious.  Once I got them laughing, they laughed at anything I said.  Obviously my jokes were not that clever, but these people were in the mood to laugh.  The crowd thought I was the funniest person they had ever met.  Nothing like drugs and alcohol to liven up the party.

Unfortunately I got so distracted, I never noticed when Frank approached from my blind side.  When Frank tapped me on the shoulder from behind, I jumped so hard I nearly fell in the pool.  Seeing the startled look on my face, everyone knew Frank had accidentally scared me to death.  The crowd roared with laughter.  Thank goodness Frank helped me save face.

"Hey, everybody, let's hear it for the dance teacher!!  Are we having a good time tonight?"

After a nice round of applause, I took that as my cue to stop.  I quickly made myself scarce.  The birthday cake appeared and everyone began to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Sofia.  Everyone clapped and cheered as she blew out the candles.  Now Frank presented his wife with an impressive gold bracelet and everyone went ooh and aah. 

Frank made an announcement.  "Sofia and I want to thank everyone for coming.  In the words of the bank robber, 'It's time to Get Down Tonight!'" 

As the crowd roared, I winced.  I was hoping no one had noticed my stupid joke.  No such luck.  As the music resumed playing, Frank winked at me.  "Hey, Rick, hope you don't mind, but I stole your joke." 

I smiled wanly, but said nothing as Frank grinned broadly.  He pointed to a crowd of 40 people people dancing freestyle by the pool.  "You were great.  You got everyone in the right mood and now look at all these people dancing their asses off.  Good job!"

Frank patted me on the back, then went to look for Sofia.  Pretty soon, he was out there dancing with Sofia right along with everyone else.  I marveled at what a good time everyone was having.  This was nuts.  This was crazy.  This was the Gangster Disco Party.  The Deejay was playing the hits and the guests were grooving.  A couple women invited me to dance, so I joined them to be polite.  However I kept my dancing limited to the tamest freestyle moves.  Let's not get carried away and try to show off.

I was reminded of the old joke.  "How the Disco teacher die at the dance party?"  Answer: "The gangster's girlfriend liked the way his butt moved." 

Just then someone tapped me on the shoulder.  I turned around to see a smoking hot woman wearing sunglasses and not much else. 

"Hey, Rick, I'm Angelica.  I'm Frank's sister.  You want to dance?"

When I saw the figure on this woman, I nearly fainted.  How could I resist?  Once I saw Angelica start to move, I was sorely tempted to put my hands on her.  Angelica?  A better name might be Demonica.  The words to a favorite song played in my mind. 

"In a little cafe just other side of the border, she was giving me looks that make my mouth water.  She belonged to bad man Jose, but then I heard her say, 'Come a little bit closer, I'm all alone and the night is so long.'"

Good lord, Demonica could get me killed!  Hmm.  It might be worth it.  Nevertheless, I did my best to keep my hands to myself.  Angelica was very amused by my obvious discomfort.  She decided to give me a hard time.

"I think you're holding back, Rick.  I know you can do better than that.  Come on, let it go.  Dance a little and have some fun!  Show me what you can do." 

When she licked her lips and added a big smile, I felt a mixture of desire and fear rush through my body.  "Um, gosh, Angelica, I'm the hired help and this is a no-win situation.  Believe me, I would love to cut loose, but I don't want to upset anybody."  

Angelica smiled and nodded.  "That's cool.  I know where you're coming from."   

Oh, what a babe!  Be still my beating heart.  In any other situation but this, I would be head over heels for the chance to dance with a woman of Angelica's magnitude.  But this was the wrong place.  Needing a good excuse to disengage, just then Sofia walked by.  On the spur of the moment, I said, "Hey, Sofia, come dance with me!"  I had no business being so forward, but it was done on impulse.  I did it half to acknowledge Sofia, half to escape the dangerous temptation presented by Angelica. 

Sofia beamed.  "I'd love to!!"  Sofia immediately sprang into action, but I had a better idea.  Rather than Freestyle, I took both of her hands and began to partner dance.  As I guessed, Sofia was a natural.  Seeing me show off with the star of the night birthday girl, everyone stopped what they were doing and began to clap.  There I was, the dance teacher who couldn't dance, the guy who fell apart at the Ritz, dancing with the world's most beautiful woman since Helen of Troy. 

I said a quiet words of thanks for whoever suggested I learn to dance.  What a treat to have this sensational woman in my arms!  Even better, Sofia was enjoying herself.  She beamed as we moved to the music.  Thanks to all the practice I had put in at the Pistachio Club over the past six months, I knew how to make a lady look good.  I don't know what came over me, but on impulse I added a risky dip at the end for showmanship. 

Like a seasoned pro, Sofia trusted me completely, so everyone gasped as she fell rapidly onto my knee.  We had put on a good show, so everyone clapped enthusiastically as Sofia gave me a big hug.  This was an amazing moment, a weird, surreal moment.  Taking a quick glance at Frank, I was relieved to see he wasn't mad.  In fact, he was smiling broadly.  He appreciated that I had made the effort to bring positive attention to his wife.

When Frank smiled, I knew I would live to see another day.  Who would have believed it?  Four years ago I had embarked on a Dance Path that had gotten me absolutely nowhere for the longest time.  But I had stayed with it and now things were finally coming together.  This had turned out to be the easiest, most fun teaching gig I ever had.  Not only that, I had just danced with the most beautiful woman I had ever met and she loved it.  Tonight's poolside dance justified every second of the years I had spent learning to dance.  I felt sorry for those uptight Boy Scouts who refused to dance.  What a bunch of sissies.  It was their loss.  Too bad I didn't have a video.  If they could see how dance could put a woman like Sofia in their arms, they would have undergone an instantaneous attitude adjustment. 

Around 11:30, people put on swimsuits and hit the pool.  Some didn't bother with swimsuits.  The moment I saw one girl disrobe completely, I realized this party was headed in a bold new direction.  If Angelica came looking for me again, I was a dead man for sure.  It was time to go while I still could.  Thank goodness someone read my mind.  With exquisite timing, a man with a serious face approached me.  He said his name was Robert and he was Frank's brother.  Robert suggested politely this might be a good time to go.  I nodded with overwhelming relief.  Please get me out of here before I lose control.

Robert walked me out to my car.  He looked me square in the eye and said I did a great job.  Robert patted me on the back, then handed me $500, adding that his brother Frank had been very pleased. 

"That's for doing a great job.  We really appreciated your visit tonight."

$500!  My jaw dropped wide open.  This was the most money I had ever made in my life.  However, I was stunned for another reason as well.  I had just seen Robert's holstered gun inside his jacket when he reached to pull out the money.  I tried as best I could not to show any fear, but I wanted to get out of this place in the worst way.

Robert saw the fear on my face and knew what I had seen.  "Hey, Rick, do me a favor."

I froze.  "What would that be?"

Robert grinned broadly.  "Forget how to find your way back." 

How was I supposed to respond to that?  Stuttering a bit, I replied, "Robert, I really appreciate this opportunity tonight.  Please tell Frank and Sofia thank you for me.  And don't worry, I am really bad with directions."

To his credit, Robert smiled at my little joke.  The guards watched as I got in the car.  I noticed the door was unlocked.  Interesting.  I definitely recalled locking it earlier.  In addition, I noticed the directions to the hacienda were no longer on the opposite seat.  Why was I not surprised?   Fortunately I was able to retrace my steps without a problem.  This had been a crazy, insane night.  And to think I lived to tell about it.