Barbara and I met in 1954 in a neighborhood saloon on the southwest side of Chicago. I was with my buddy Carney and she was with her girlfriends. The jukebox started playing Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" and I asked her to dance and we jitterbugged the night away. In the old neighborhood, dancing was how you met girls, and we went dancing every weekend. I was not much for slow dancing because I was quite shy and it's a bit awkward to keep a conversation going when you have sweaty palms and are hoping the girl does not notice you're really skinny and have a big nose.

Back to the wedding. Shortly after the music started, the 3-year-old ring bearer grabbed his grandmother by the hand and led her to the dance floor. Little ones have a very spirited way of dancing. No concerns about being short or not perfectly coordinated; they just get it on. Must be a life lesson in all that. As the evening progressed, more folks got up to dance. Then the DJ put on Glenn Miller-"In the Mood"-and we did our best to re-create the moves that came naturally 48 years ago, but the arthritis and bad knees (an old marbles injury) made it a tough assignment. But it was mucho fun.

Eventually, the DJ started playing music for the younger crowd and now all we had to do was wiggle a bit and throw up our hands whenever they shouted "YMCA." What fun. Then it was time for the last dance, a slow one. Fortunately, Barbara didn't notice I'm really fat and have a big nose. Life is beautiful indeed.

When Frank isn't practicing his salsa dancing, he can be reached at fburge@cmp.com.