Dancing with the Devil

Papa: "Where are you going dressed like that??"

Caught. But not so fast....

Me: "I am going to the movies with Becky."

Papa: pondering and rubbing his chin "What time will you be home? It should be before sunset."

Me: exasperated and rolling my eyes "I cannot align the timing of the movie with when the sun sets!"

Papa: "Are you arguing with me? Because if you are, you are not allowed out. And don't you roll your eyes at me, young lady!"

Me: pretending to be sweet and caring "Right you are Papa! I am wrong about the sunset time. But I will make sure to be home before 10pm"

Papa: "10pm?! You are going to run the streets at night like some common hoodlum, with no rules or edicate? Is this the reputation my eldest daughter must project? You will be a loose teenager, without morals and dignity, coming home at such a God awful time??" middle vein in forehead is now popping out and pulsating

Me: cursing under my breath and looking for my mother to step in...anytime Mama, your husband is driving me crazy "No Papa. We will go straight the theatre, watch the movie, and come straight home. You know Becky will get me home at a respectable time...I promise!!" ringing my hands with desparation and trying to stand with good posture and a demure smile

Papa: raising one eyebrow and thinking intently with an intimidating stare "Fine, but if you arrive home one minute past ten, I will ground you for a week and make you organize the newspapers!"

OMG--not the newspapers. Normal people threw them out the same day after reading. Not my father. He collected three months worth of papers and made us chronologically order them with the pretext that he was looking to cut out his favorite articles (he never did). All organized just to be thrown out. Bloody hell.....

Papa: "OK go. But don't embaress me at the theatre. Someone may know you."

Score!!!!

I grab my purse and exit the house before he changes his mind. Becky is waiting outside her house in her car. I jump in the passenger side and signal her to leave in the direction of the theatre as I can see my father staring out the side window at us.. I quickly instruct her to turn down a street to my school, out of my father's sight. We make it to the school, where the dance has already begun. We 'high five' and I jump out and ask her to pick me up at 9:45.

Homefree.

I walk in and the dance is already underway and I meet up with two of my school friends who are in the corner, sipping soft drinks and giggling quietly at the couples slow dancing on the floor. We stand and watch, hoping to be asked to dance but knowing full well no boy in his right mind would even fathom the idea of asking us. We would dance the fast songs, trying to get close to the boys but they see us coming a mile away and beeline towards the 'popular' girls who wear tight Jordache jeans, legwarmers, revealing tops and feathered hair. I pushed up my glasses to prevent them from slipping off my nose during fast songs.

Fast forward to 9:45. I run outside with my trusted neighbor waiting for me. Climb into her car, make it home at 9:55, run in the house, show my face to my father who is sitting in the living room, with the light on, pretending to read the newspaper I would be organizing a month from now.

Papa: "Why are you all sweaty?"

Me: thinking quickly "It was a scary movie and I got scared and broke out in a sweat."

Papa: grimacing and shaking his head "Why the hell are you watching scary movies? You won't sleep all night, then be tired the next morning and insist on missing school! Did I allow you to see a scary movie? Is this movie rated PG? Because if its AA (adult accompany) I will ground you right now on the spot!!"

Me: "I saw a PG-13 movie. It was a cartoon..."

Papa: "Ohhhhh, ok. Cartoon is acceptable as long as there is no nudity..."

Wha???

I go upstairs and close the door. I hug myself and laugh. That was too easy! I'm snuggling in my warm bed when he whips my door open an hour later, with an all-knowing look, with the newspaper under his arm.

Papa: "You think you are REALLY smart, don't you" wagging his finger at me with one hand on his hip.

Caught. Damn.

Me: "But Papa, you don't understand. You need to let me be a teenager and try everything. It doesn't mean I am bad..."

And I thought it was so easy. My game was up. I was caught and would be grounded for the rest of the school year and monitored. How did he find out? Did he follow me?

Me: "I promise, I won't do it again...its out of my system...I didn't dance...."

Papa: interrupting "So you thought you could trick me, didn't you? You think you are smarter than your father?!?!"

Me: "No Papa, but I have needs...."

Papa:"Needs? There is no horror cartoon showing! shaking the entertainment section at me...You watched an AA movie with nudity didn't you? Why you need to see naked people? Shame on you. I swear you go out at night and the devil follows you!"

I lifted my blanket to cover my smile. It really was all too easy.....