Dancing Dudes by Mike Knudson

the person who receives your poem will feel.” She sat back and looked at us for a minute. Then she smiled and said, “That’s all, you two.” We both stood up and went to our seats.
    At recess, Graham talked to Brad and told him he was sorry about the poem. “I really think your hair is cool,” he said. “It makes you look like you’re three inches taller.”
    Then we went around and apologized to everyone else who got one of our poems. Well, everyone but Lizzy.
     
     
    That afternoon we had our first dance practice for the spring hoedown. We all walked in a line down to the lunchroom.
    “Okay, everyone, please line up next to your dance partners,” Mrs. Gibson said. Slowly, I made my way into the line next to Lizzy.
    “By the way, Raymond,” Lizzy said, sticking her snooty face up close to mine, “ crinklier and stinklier aren’t even words.” Then she flipped her bouncy curls away from me.
    “Sorry, Lizzy,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make you—”
    “I don’t care,” Lizzy interrupted. “I told on you anyway.”
    Oh, well, I thought to myself, her face does look all crinklier .
    Graham raised his hand. “Mrs. Gibson,” he said. “I don’t have a partner.”
    “Oh, that’s right,” Mrs. Gibson said. “We have one extra boy.” She paused a moment to think. “Okay, this is what we’ll do. Since we have one extra boy, could I get a volunteer to—”
    My hand shot up in an instant. I knew what she was going to say, and I was going to be the first to volunteer. She was about to ask for a volunteer to sit out. You know, not to be in the dance. I jumped up and down with my hand in the air.
    “Raymond, you didn’t let me finish,” she said.
    “I know, but whatever it is, I’ll do it,” I said.
    “Great, that’s very nice of you, Raymond. It will help us all out,” she said. “Why don’t you come over here by my side.”
    Lizzy gave me a nasty look. I gave her one back and proudly walked up next to Mrs. Gibson.
    “Okay, boys. Everyone move up one spot to fill in Raymond’s place. And Graham, you go to the end next to Suzy.”
    “But don’t you think I would fit in better right here?” he said, pointing to Matt, who was next to Kelly.
    “No, the end by Suzy will be just fine,” she said. Graham moped over to the end of the boys next to Suzy.
    “Okay, since we have one extra boy, Raymond has volunteered to be my partner,” Mrs. Gibson said. “Raymond and I will be teaching you the dance up here in front.”
    WHAT?! I screamed inside my head. Dance with the teacher? I didn’t know what was worse, dancing with Lizzy or dancing with Mrs. Gibson. Even though Lizzy and I were enemies, at least she was a kid. I looked around at the crowd. Everyone was laughing and pointing at me. Even Graham was busting up. David looked like he was going to fall over. I glanced up at Mrs. Gibson, who was staring down at me with a big smile.
    “Thanks for volunteering, Raymond,” she said. I could tell she sensed my embarrassment, but somehow I think she enjoyed it. I knew I couldn’t hurt her feelings again after my valentine poem, so I just looked up and smiled back.
    Finally, everyone calmed down, and for most of the next hour, Mrs. Gibson taught us the dance. There was a lot of bowing to each other, skipping, and hooking arms and going in circles. Mrs. Gibson’s bony arms were pretty strong. Whenever we had to hook arms and swing around in a circle, she would almost pull me right off my feet.
    “Okay, I think we are ready to try it with the music,” Mrs. Gibson said. She walked over and pushed the button on the stereo and hurried back to her spot next to me in front of the class.
    It was square-dancing music. You know, the kind with the fiddles playing and some guy telling you when to do-si-do and stuff.
    “Okay, everyone, in your places and get ready. Watch me and Raymond to see when to start,” Mrs. Gibson said, bending her knees with the rhythm.
    “Ready . . . and . . . begin!” she