The Ballroom Dancer

The room that swam with nostalgia was distressed with ancient air. Although gazing outward, he didn’t appear to notice. He traipsed into the polished and elegant room, his chest raising and dropping in uneven beats. No longer could he feel the presence of his friends, the sound of raspy laughter and the slap of a hand congratulating other contestants. The air no longer remained overstimulated by the disruptful vibrations.. Rather, it only held dust which grasped to and violated his lungs, draining him of even the simplest breath. The man frowned as he gazed into the bare room. He began to wonder how such a place which once was a warm room could drift to a cold raw area that could barely be considered a room anymore. So much so that the thought lingered too long and started to haunt him.. The lack of presence gnawed at his now forgetful mind, determined to fog all of the great achievements in his 87 year old life. Humming without a rhythm, the man shuffled forward as he wobbled on his old, leather shoes. Click, He focused, slowly feeling his feet come to a balance. Relishing the soft tune that bounced from the Vinyl’s disk, enjoying the soft skip of the familiar needle. He let his feet drift backwards, hands laid out in front of him. His eyes began to fill with memories from his life. His cheeks blossomed with warmth and his lips formed a foolish smile. And then, he spun. In front of him was void of who he’d usually find himself gazing at. The room was cold, his body was exhausted, deprived of touch. However he could still feel the warm, graceful grasp of soft feminine hands on the tip of his parched fingers, patronizing him. A sweet, tepid emotion overwhelmed his entire body as his mind reminisced to itself, memorizing every thud of his feet and shove of his hip. And, as the Waltz buzzed down to a halt, the man howled a laugh with his low, dying voice. Even in the presence of the empty ballroom, loud echoes reverberating off the bare walls, the man was still able to hear the steady claps that once rang across the entire dancehall.