Salsa dancing in safety

Standing on the edge of a dance floor, dressed up in wool, pencil skirt, knee high boots and a corset. Arriving well into the evenings dancing. Green hornet, a drunk compares me to, earlier in the night my friends claimed I was the green lantern. The resemblance is due to the wool hood from Paris and my mask of make up. The question was asked over and over why the mask of make up. This evening, in prep for a friends birthday, while I painted my eyes with black I got frustrated and smudged them. After the smudge I pulled out the palet of color. So many pigments and shades to choose from. 1st it was black, then red then oh god the red was every where, it wouldn't come off! My dress was red, my face was red and my eyes looked like I was posses by red demon eye shadow. Greens and blues to cover the red layers, then a mask idea. Peacock blue, Forrest green, 4 different shades mixed into one painted mask. It's near Halloween. Standing on the edge of the dance floor I'm invited to dance. Awkward salsa, terrible bachata, slowly my dance partners coax me into performing. Spins spins, spins I'm dizy, hot and my hood is coming off, wardrobe malfunction is a thing! Glad to have worn a bra, it covered me since my top was askew after so many spins. Dancing one after another partner inviting me onto the dance floor,  pausing for the cool night air blown in by a huge fan. Never go home until your ready, always find a place to enjoy, dance like no ones watching, enjoy the big city while you live there, get out of your shell, be brave, don't on others, go alone, don't be offended by complements, so many things run thru my mind while trying to dance something I thought I was good at. Well,I'm not a Latin dancing queen... I'm warned while dancing to be careful, I'm told that I'm lucky my bf let's me out because I'm so pretty, sooo many words I expect.... what do you do I'm an lmt, ohhhhh need a massage. When people ask what you do, do they instantly grab a body part and tell you they need you. I am pretty, I am strong, I can defend myself by just looking at a person and poking their sore points, I am uncomfortable that I have to be careful going out in a big city to go salsa dancing, I'm uncomfortable that my car could and has been broken into in this beautiful city, I'm angry that men on the street see me dressed up and pursue me, cat call and address me in more than just a friendly "hello you look nice this evening." I regularly go out of my way to let people know they look nice, to appreciate the effort they put into their look. I am uncomfortable walking to my car, I passed so many groups of men, keys out, putting my phone away, keeping my hands clear, walking with purpose, not looking people in the eye. I love eye contact but it only seems to embolden people to talk to you not just talk, but talk at you, cajoule you, flatter you, follow you. Thank you to those who watch out for me. Thank you to the well behaved men and women of this world. Because of all of you I went salsa dancing in safety and had a lovely evening in our beautiful city of Seattle. 

Wandering Hummingbird 

Elise