She'd been 12 when she'd lost her leg. Now, at 15, though it still made her weep in bed late at night sometimes, it was something she'd become accustomed to. She was used to the everyday clumsiness of crutches and despite the ill-fitting prosthesis, she still felt awkward at social gatherings such as this but made a point of attending them. Fools or not, most of the boys she knew were uncomfortable about approaching her and she would watch the dancing from where she sat, envying their enthusiasm and occasional grace, but realistic about her condition. As far as she was concerned, the dance was for the dancers.
He had no idea what to do. It was his first Youth Club dance and he'd prepared as best he could. Shined his shoes, scrubbed his pale, skinny body and worn the jacket and trousers handed down from his older brother. The white shirt was his own and had felt good after being warmed on the fire guard.
Some of the boys in the hall he knew from school but none of the girls, many of whom were from the Convent school opposite his Secondary. He'd not made many friends in the four years at Highfield. He tended to mind his own business and keep himself to himself when he was allowed to and wasn't part of the swaggering pack that dominated the schoolyard. He felt no sadness about this, just relief that all it cost was the odd black eye and childish insults thrown at him now and again when he got noticed. It could've been worse.
The small Dansette record player sitting on the front of the raised stage was doing it's best and most of the other kids were jiving or just twitching to it's tinny rhythms, neither of which she was prepared to try, so she sat and watched, noting those who had some style or grace and those that had no hope of ever having either. Aware that she shouldn't be feeling in any way superior, she was and couldn't help it. She had more sense of balance with one leg than many of them had with two!
Her selfly-smiley thoughts were interrupted by the boy. Obviously uncomfortable, he stood too close and asked her if she wanted a drink. The table with the Coca-Cola, orange squash and lemonade was quite a long way away so she considered it. For too long it seemed 'cos the boy slowly turned and began to walk away. "Yes please."..He turnedand a big smile split his thin face in two. "Back in a minute". and he walked quickly off in the direction of the long table that held the refreshments.
She sat pondering. He didn't really have the appearance of a boyfriend, as she imagined one, but his smile was nice and his shoes, though they looked a little big, were shiny and clean. Her mother had always told her that you could tell a man's character by whether the backs of his shoes were as shiny as the fronts, and his were, so she thought he might be alright.
On his way back to her he was aware that he needed to talk to her about something and the song was coming to an end! He reached her just as the Everley Brothers finished saying 'Bye Bye Love" and she smiled as she took the glass from him. "Thank you. Please, sit down." Music to his ears! He blushed and sat. The dancing kids were standing in awkward, slightly embarrassed clumps waiting for the next record to begin. He relaxed slightly as the intro to 'Runaway' began and Del Shannon started singing. The silence between them was slightly awkward but not unpleasantly so but he was aware that he should say something..."I had cancer in it."..He had no idea.."What?" She smiled at him again, such a lovely smile. "The leg, I got cancer in it somehow and they had to cut it off." He had no idea what cancer was but knew it was bad. "Wow" Came out. "Did it hurt a lot?" She laughed. " Yes it did, but it doesn't now." He knew he was blushing again but he had no control over it..." I had Chicken Pox once." He offered.
The next two hours passed in a happy haze as they talked about nothing much at all but without pause. They laughed together as they watched the dancing. Eventually, at 10 o'clock, the music stopped The girls giggled, the boys strutted, and the warm hall emptied.
He asked if he might walk her home, she said yes and reached for her crutches.
Frosty night air greeted them sharply as they left the old Primary School building and he wished he had an overcoat to offer her but she had her own Winter coat, deep blue with a pale fur collar.
It took quite a while to walk the mile or so to where she lived and she knew he must be freezing walking beside her as she swung along. A small moon, haloed by the deepening frost kept them company as they chatted and laughed about nothing in particular. He told her about his Guinea pigs and Mynah bird and she explained how to get a dog and a cat to live together peacefully and both of them giggled about the foolish girls and feckless boys they'd watched dancing all evening and agreed that they had no desire to be either.