Feeling A Bit Out of Place

Hubby and I like dancing.  We have one particular band we go see when we can.  It's a 60's and 70's band so they play the music that's just right for us.  

We hadn't been out to dance for a long time, and thoughts of Valentine's Day always make me think of dancing with my Hubby.  So we looked up the band and saw that they weren't playing in one of their usual places.  All their gigs are now at a place called the ICC -  I think it stands for Italian Community Club or something of that nature.   It was on the South Shore, but we've gone that far to see this band before so we thought "Why not?"

We decided we'd begin the night at our local Chinese Restaurant.   We hadn't been there in a long time either.  When we walked in I was surprised to see that the place had been "remodeled".  Unfortunately, I think it was not remodeled for the better.   Instead of all booths, they now had booths lined against the walls and tables in the middle.  We were seated at a table.  Right away, I felt uncomfortable.  The other tables were filled with families and large groups.  They were loud - adults talking across from table to table and kids running around.   Hardly the romantic atmosphere I expected.  The food and service were excellent, but I felt out of place.

We then drove all the way to the South Shore.   We found the place okay, but couldn't find the door to get in!   It turns out it's a member's only club and you have to ring a buzzer to enter.   We finally got in, only to be asked to "sign in" since we were not members and only there to see the band.  (At least there was no cover charge.)   And as we walked in, I felt like I was entering another world....maybe in the 1970's.

First of all, everyone was smoking.  When's the last time you went to a place where people were smoking indoors?  There was a bar, a small room with about a dozen tables facing where the band had set up, and another room with pool tables and dart boards. It was definitely a member's club.  Everyone seemed to know everyone else.   People were table hopping, flirting with each other, etc.  And at 8:30, everyone was already buzzed.    We definitely did not belong there.  Our first thought was to leave immediately, but we'd come all this way and the band was about to play.

So we sat at the bar to listen to the band.  Right away on the first song people got up to dance.....but it was scary!  Very much dirty dancing - they all traded partners on the dance floor constantly as the song continued on.   Finally on the third song or so, we got up to dance.   It was not very enjoyable, as I was constantly aware of the dirty dancing going on all around me.   Later on, when Hubby told me one of the guys was behind me dirty dancing towards me (but not up against me Thank GOD!)  it freaked me out.   We didn't even stay for the first set.

Finally, on the way home, we decided to go to Friendly's as a consolation for our aborted evening.   There's not a Friendly's in our town any more, so we went to the one the next town over to our South.   It was only 10 o'clock, but when we went in the place was filled with teenagers.   Once again, for the third time that night, we felt out of place!!

What a couple of old fogeys.  I guess we should have stayed home and watched the Olympics.