Dancing Dudes by Mike Knudson

to Heidi?”
    I ran over and stood in Zach’s place next to Heidi. I looked at her and smiled. “Howdy ma’am,” I said. “I reckon I’m going to be dancing with you.” Somehow this cowboy costume even made it easier to think of things to say to girls. I wondered if I could start wearing a cowboy costume every day or if people would think I was weird.
    “I guess, if I have no other choice,” she laughed.
    Pretty soon the singing ended and we heard the audience clap. The backstage door opened and Mr. Fowl led his class into the hall. I looked back at Graham and saw his red hair poking out of the line. He was practicing dancing in place. Heidi looked at me and said, “Are you ready, cowboy?”
    “Yep,” I said. “I reckon I am.” As I walked onto the stage next to Heidi, I thought about the manly rules. I hadn’t cried, I had written a poem, I’d even talked to Heidi more than normal, and most importantly I was following rule number three: A man does whatever it takes to dance with his girl. Sure, I had a little help from Zach being absent, but it still counts.
    Mrs. Gibson held the stage door open while we all marched in, two by two, and got into our places. I was on the side closest to where our parents were sitting. As I looked over to wave at my mom and dad, my heart suddenly sank. Zach was walking in with his mom. He was dressed up in his Western clothes. His mom walked him up onto the stage close to where I was standing. Since we were all in our places already, Mrs. Gibson told Zach to come up and dance with her in the front. I could hear him from where I stood.
    “I can’t, I feel too sick,” he said.
    Whew, I thought.
    “Go on up, Zach,” his mom told him. “That’s why we’re here.”
    “I really don’t feel good,” he said.
    “That’s okay, Zach,” Mrs. Gibson said. Instead of being part of the dance, Mrs. Gibson walked to a free chair at the end of the front row and sat down.
    “Zach, do you really feel sick?” his mom asked after Mrs. Gibson was gone.
    “No, I just don’t want to dance with the teacher,” he said. “I won’t do it.”
    I looked over at Mrs. Gibson. She was sitting by herself all dressed up in her Western clothes. They didn’t look new. I figured they were probably the same clothes she wore dancing with her husband years ago. Then all of a sudden I did something I knew I would probably regret my whole life. I walked over to Zach and his mom, who had walked backstage.
    “Zach, do you want your regular spot by Heidi?” I asked. He looked at me and then at his mom.
    “Uh, yeah . . . if that’s okay with you. Thanks!” He hurried out to my empty spot next to Heidi.
    Maybe I just wasn’t cut out to be a man yet. I guess manly rule number three would have to wait until I was older. I walked down the big stage steps and over to Mrs. Gibson. “Um, howdy ma’am, do you reckon I could have this dance?” I asked, holding my arm out.
    She sat there silently for a moment, and when she looked up at me, her eyes were shining. “Why, that’s mighty kind of you, cowboy,” she said with a big wrinkly smile. She stood up and took my arm, and we walked up to our place in front of the group. Graham gave me an are you crazy? look as we passed by. I just smiled.
    Right then the music started. I have to admit we all looked great. Everyone do-si-doed perfectly and bowed at all the right times. When the dance ended, the audience cheered and we all bowed again. It was a great moment. Mrs. Gibson bent down and put her wrinkly face close to mine.
    “Thank you for dancing with an old lady with gray hair and huge glasses. You’re a fine young man, Raymond,” she said. Then she walked away to talk to some parents.
    A chill went down my spine. She called me a fine young man ! She didn’t say “baby” or even “boy.” She said man . As I stood there feeling good, Graham ran up to me.
    “Well, pardner,” he said. “That was pretty fun. We made it through our first dance. I