Dancing Fool (1st Place/ 2 Editor Pick)

Paul heard his wife and daughter leave from the bedroom. He laid there for a minute then trudged to the kitchen where a pot of beef and noodles sat on the back burner of the stove. He clicked on the burner, and decided to watch some TV while it heated.

He roamed into the living room. His feet upon the cold wood floor felt clammy on his toes. He spotted the remote laying on the couch, picked it up, and turned on the TV. His daughter, Betsy’s dance DVD played on the screen. She’d been practicing for most of the week in anticipation of the dance recital on the coming Saturday.

Paul smiled at the thought of her dancing. She always had trouble with the jete, glissade, and pirouette combination. He glanced over at her tutu and slippers laying near the recliner. Paul clicked play and the dance routine instantly set in motion. A troop of girls flitted about a studio to the rhythm of the William Tell Overture.

The combination showed on the screen. Paul looked over at the Tutu and slippers. How hard could that be? I’ve seen this about twenty times.

Paul picked up the slippers and shoehorned them on the front half of his feet. he wrapped the elastic tutu around his waist and fastened it. Pressing rewind he glided to the middle of the floor. He set himself in the starting Arabesque stance, and the music began.

He performed the combination.flawlessly, and bowed to the TV.

Clapping from the doorway startled him.

“If I wasn’t a witness, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

“That was great Daddy. Would you like to join our recital?”

Paul’s face turned a strange color of red. “No darling. You’re the dancer.”

“Apparently, she gets it from her father. What’s burning?”



300 Words
Flash Story Must contain: Strange, Watch, Witness

Editor's Pick Comedy Newsletter 11/17/2010
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