Blog 335 – 07.07.2016
(Excerpt from the book, Emily – The Little Girl Who Sang Her Song To Anyone Who Came Along)

Episode 7

I never danced with my dad unless it was as a small child and I have no conscious recollection of it. I do love the song by that title and I remember dancing with Emily when she was a small child. She would step up on my feet and around the room we would waltz with me holding her hands. It was wonderful. And once when she was grown I danced with her.

I think we must have been on our way back from vacationing in Tennessee and or South Carolina and the drive back to Houston took us through Louisiana. We saw the exit for Beaux Bridge and had a hankering for spicy Cajun food and Zydeco music and that part of Louisiana is famous for both. The place we stopped at was no disappointment the food was great and the Zydeco was performed by a live band and the customers were dancing so I just had to have a turn around the floor with Emily.

I have no illusions of grace on the dance floor but the music and my partner made me feel I could dance. Except for square dancing lessons in elementary school and a few evening waltzing lessons with my brother’s girl friend so I would not embarrass my date at my senior prom I am not a trained dancer but the spirit has moved me on occasion and Zydeco with Emily in Beaux Bridge was a memorable one.

Some years later Emily sent me a mixed CD for Father’s Day that had a Zydeco song by Paul Simon that I memorized and sing to myself often. It reminds me of the time I danced with my daughter:
“I was standing on the corner of
Lafayette, state of Louisiane
wondering what a city boy could
do to get a little conversation,
drink a little red wine, get a little
glimpse of those Cajun girls
dancing the Zydeco.”

I think it is a wonderful custom for father’s to dance with their daughters at their daughter’s wedding. I never got to know that particular joy. But for thirty two wonderful years I got to know the joy that was Emily. And I am convinced that Emily will get to dance with her father again. And at almost sixty five years old I intend to take ballroom dancing lessons so I can dance with all the pretty ladies and girls who love to dance but mostly so I will be prepared for that next dance with my beloved daughter Emily.

Your Fellow Traveler and Emily’s Dad,
David White