Date : Sunday, February 06, 2000
Mr. Stephen Huzar,
SSQQ
certainly means no harm in the use of the term “Forbidden Word
Jitterbug”.
Indeed, we use the term with respect. Similar in some ways to the
dance known as “Swing”, the dance we call “Forbidden Word Jitterbug” is
frequently used up at Texas A&M. The term “Forbidden Word Jitterbug” has
a high recognition factor here in Houston since many of its graduates
move here after completing their education. People see this form of
dancing used in the clubs, ask what the dance is called, and more often
than not are told it is “Forbidden Word Jitterbug”.
I
have always had the greatest respect for Texas A&M. Back in the
early 80s, my veterinarian told me my border collie had an inoperable
tumor and offered to put her to sleep on the spot. I decided to get
another opinion and was referred to an A&M-trained vet named Dr.
Johnson. He said he had heard of an experimental treatment up at College
Station. He went out of his way to ask a colleague to accept my dog into
the program. I drove up to A&M, left my frightened dog at the
clinic, and came back for her a week later. The tumor was completely
gone, dried up by the cobalt treatment. There were no side effects and
my dog lived happily another eight years. Not bad for a dog the first
vet offered to put to sleep.
This
of course is the type of memory I prefer to have for A&M rather than
some ridiculous threat over a dance class of all things. I would never
attempt to exploit your university in any way.
I
have an A&M graduate on my teaching staff named Rachel Seff. She is
not only enormously talented, Ms Seff just happens to be your
University’s 1999 recipient of the Harris Award for Community Service,
an honor I was pleased to announce on my dance studio’s web site. If
you don’t believe me, visit this page: http://www.ssqq.com/grapevine99.htm
You will have to scroll towards the bottom since the entry is dated
12-09-99.
If
you are indeed serious about trying to raise scholarship money, I will
allow Ms. Seff to teach a “Forbidden Word Jitterbug” Crash Course on a
Saturday night at my studio in conjunction with your organization. I
will work with your organization in an attempt to promote it. All
proceeds will go to your scholarship fund.
It
is a shame you didn’t contact me in a nicer tone. I certainly did not
appreciate your heavy-handed bullying tactics. In the future you might
find you accomplish more with chocolate than acid.
Rick
Archer
SSQQ
Dance Studio
Houston, Texas
(For
those of you who wish to know what SSQQ says about “Forbidden
Word Jitterbug”
on its web site, please visit this address: http://ssqq.com/information/descswng.htm)
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