A Short Story…
The old Union Station in downtown Tacoma with it’s 90 foot tall celling constantly called to Clyde. His grandfather had told him about the history of the station as well as the beauty. Clyde had been detained for six months for some reason, but now he was free to do almost whatever Clyde wanted to do . . . temporarily.
Clyde had found a place to park several blocks away from the old train station. Unable to dance in a small bunk bed area for 90 days, meant Clyde was experiencing a new feeling of relief, enjoyment, and freedom. He was holding back his dance steps while still working on movements in his mind and an occasional spin of delight.
As he approached the doorways of the station he saw that each door was guarded and maintained by a spiffy policeman. A strong wind swept past the doorways. Clyde walked up to the windiest area and simply dropped a dozen crinkled twenty dollar bills. The wind caught the bills and they flew. Like the others waiting to enter into the station, the twenty-dollar bills attracted the eyes of everyone where they were standing and waiting. The bills spun and danced to the center of the gathering. While the dancing attracted the small crowd, Clyde skirted the doors and entered the middle door with a flourish.
Holding on to the door handle Clyde pulled the door shut with a loud ring that echoed through the rotunda. All eyes were drawn to Clyde. The small orchestra began as if on cue. Clyde took the hand of the closest possible female dance partner and the dance steps began as if by magic. Here Clyde was in the evening, and yet the song was “Oh, What Beautiful Morning.” Nothing really mattered. Everyone was in their own little world. Clyde’s wide open arms attracted a young woman who started to apologize that she couldn’t really dance. Clyde gave a shrug of the shoulders and said, “Who can . . . it’s a waltz for god’s sake . . . it is what we make it. With a one, two, three, one, two, three, the clinging girl swirled and dipped and swung to the beat and the wind. As the music finally ended Clyde whispered to the girl, “You caught every man’s eye and smile and the smiles attracted the looks and souls of everyone in the audience.” The two ran out the front door which had already confused people and then disappeared into the night. They hopped into a taxi cab. They said, “Fifty bucks!” Clyde had seen the cabby’s camera on his car seat so responded, “A Cabbie photo of me and the girl in your cab should bring you big bucks.” The cabby didn’t know who the two were, but he understood the possibilities. Within twenty minutes he was on TV with the local news.
The Mystery of the Dance Floor tripled the new daily tour of the Tacoma Train Station and doubled every month for a year. Clyde and his wife visited the station just like thousands of others and got their photos taken in just the right place by just the right person. Each time Clyde took a photo at the train station, he would say, “This one’s for you Gramps.” The Tacoma Train Station Waltz attracted more visitors and photos than The Tacoma original Galloping Girtie from darn near a hundred years ago.
Leave a Reply