Bachata Heaven

The Last Night in my Apartment
My last night in the apartment will be on Friday (in 2 days). Moria, me and a bottle of wine will pack up and purge the rest of my belongings. There are a couple of stragglers that never made it into boxes. I kept out a couple coffee mugs for tea, wine glasses for packing-pep and a bowl or two for eating.

Tuesday Night
After work I took a desperately needed salsa nap (common term is 'power nap'). Just 30 min, no longer or I'd feel more drained than energized. I had to drag myself out of my warm bed to jump in the shower. I checked some email and then headed out to dinner. Mary was very sweet and treated me to my favorite Asian crispy salad and a glass of white wine. After dinner and conversation I zoomed up my three flights of stairs in my building to put on some make-up, a sparkling tank top and then rushed out the door for my second to last night of salsa. I was still a little tired, but once I turned on a bachata cd in the car, I perked up.

40 min later I was in the city. The parking gods blessed me with a spot 50 feet from the door; I only had to circle the block once. I walked in, greeted Steve, walked up the stairs to the dance floor, paid $5 and sat down to put on my salsa shoes. After one shoe was on I looked up and there stood my Dominican. The first thought that went through my head: "this is going to be a good night of bachata." I got 4 bachata dances with him and all 4 were amazing. If there is no bachata in heaven, I don't want to go. His embrace was close and he smelled good. He sung spanish in my ear; i find that endearing. His bachatas weren't quick like some salseros. Instead he took small steps and felt the music. We just swayed back and forth. It felt like being in the ocean, out just far enough that when gentile waves come along you briefly glide with them and then your toes return to the ocean floor. You feel weightless, but it feels safe and freeing to be swept away. For most of the bachata I had my eyes closed. I kept telling myself to enjoy the bachata, enjoy the bachata, maybe just the best bachata connection I've experienced.