Joe Knows

Humor me, as a spin a little tale for y'all.


Joe (no not the plumber) enjoyed music. That joy turned into a love for dancing. For years he watched and admired others dancing until eventually Joe decided he too would like to dance one day.

Joe practiced in the solitude of his home. He studied his favorite dancers. Taking some of what they did blending it together and adding a few new moves of his very own. He put a lot of swat tears and blood into his dancing and finally, Joe began to think he was pretty good, but a bit of doubt remained. Was he delusional or were his moves ready for public consumption?

He asked a few other people to check out his dancing. They liked it but they were friends and wannabe dancers too and he worried they were just telling him he was good because they knew him or understood how scary and hard it was to even contemplate dancing in public.

But Joe fought off those doubts, dressed up in his shiniest duds and headed out on the town. He researched the dancing spots and found that not all dance floors are equal. Some even wanted to charge him to dance, but he picked one out and hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself.

As the music played Joe studied the lovely ladies. Eager to sow off his skills, he looked around trying to select a dance partner. While he looked a line dance came on and Joe was tempted to hit the floor and dance by himself, but he feared that would reek of desperation so he resisted the urge. But dang he wanted to jump into the action.

was Then from across the dimly lit room he spotted the one. He liked the way she swayed to the tunes, but he waited and studied the other guys she danced with. Joe decided that their style similar to his. But Joe also believed he had a few new dips and twirls that she'd never seen before. So he crossed to her. Joe smiled. She smiled back.

He asked her to dance.

And ...

She said no.

At the dejected look on his face, she said, "Don't take it bad. I'm sure you are a fine dancer and other girls might be willing to dance with you, but unfortunately I simply didn't fall in love with you when you walked up?"

"Fall in love?" Joe stammered. "But I just asked you to dance. Don't you need to spend some time with me to fall in love. I have some great moves."

"Maybe," she said. "But the way you asked simply didn't get me excited to dance with you."

"But I'm a much better dancer than asker."

Sorry," she said. "But I got so many people asking me to dance I can't give everyone of them a chance to prove their merit to an actual song. If I don't look in their eye as they ask and feel something I can't take the time to find out if there is something there or not." Then she smiled and said , "But best of luck asking the next girl."

Sadly, the next three girls simply ignored him when he asked, then the next one said yes, but ditched him after a few chords and left him standing alone on the floor wondering what he did wrong. Finally a girl let him twist and twirl the entire song through. She even thanked him for the dance, but she nicely refused to become his regular dance partner so Joe keeps on looking and asking.

Days, weeks, and years have gone by and Joe keeps honing his dance skills. Less girls ignore him and more actually let him lead them to the floor, but that's as far as things go. Some say Joe I really like you but no one is doing the jitterbug right now, or you tango very nicely but I need man who can salsa. Joe takes heart that no one says "Give it up Joe, you have no rhythm," but dang it Joe wants to take it to the next level and he just can't seem to get there.



If you've ever wondered what it is like to decide to write a novel and then to pitch that novel to agents you now know. Just substitute music for words and dancing for writing and girls for agents and you'll have a pretty good idea.