So I am almost 21 and I have yet to go to a "dance club" and for the most part, I am really unbothered by that. It is usually not my scene, but one of my good friends asked me if I wanted to go dancing and as an extrovert I am, I more than happily accepted the invitation. I'm not sure why I did because 1) I had to work that day 2) I had a night class and 3) I had to be up at 6:30 the next morning. I'm thinking it was sure curiosity, so nonetheless I pressed on to the night life on the country side of town

I'm not sure what I was expecting walking into this country dance hall/bar, all I remember about this place was they had "Teen Nights" that I vigorously tried to convince my mom to drive to take me to so I could hang out with my friends, not realizing it was a bar! Walking in, I know why she didn't want to use her gas since I don't think a 12 year old should be hanging at a honky tonk either. At the door, I was hit with a wall of cigarette and cigar smoke, which I wasn't surprised at but it still didn't make it pleasant. I paid my $10 and we entered.

There were all walks of life inside. Cowboy hat toting men, red red red red red neck boys, Daisy Duke wannabes, Southern belles, and a few people like me who just looked confused. I felt out of place since I was literally in my work chinos and a work wear top while my friends slipped on their flannels and Daisy Dukes to blend. Which that's on me for not bringing a spare change of clothes, but I didn't feel too weird about it. I watched as most of the patrons of the establishment flood to the dance floor to do all sorts of coordinated line dance routines with ease, or were too inebriated to care. However, I was very much sober and did not understand half of what was going on so I just hung back and watched for about 30 minutes with the friend who invited me.

At one point, I thought I could not spend an evening without even a Diet Coke watching other people have such a raucous time. With a "if you can't beat them, join 'em," attitude, I dragged my friends to the floor to do a dance that I had never heard of before. I believe it was called, "Mississippi Mud" (A Yee-Yee version of the Cha-cha slide). Thankfully, a sweet southern belle did her best to give me the directions of the dance as I tried my darndest with my two left feet to look like I had some idea of what I was doing. (Which spoiler alert: my dance moves were ROUGH) With her pity as she noticed I was watching her feet like a hawk, I was able to struggle through and then vacate my presence at the conclusion of the song and leave the dancing to the regulars. I thought to myself, "Why am I even here, I can't stand most country music anyway?!?!"

Now, let's go back to where I said that this was a place lots of people from my hometown frequented. I honestly was hoping to get through the night unrecognized and I did so *score*, but I did see different clients from my job that were not old, but definitely too old for the club, a waiter I left my number to at a restaurant with his girlfriend (and he later hit up my DM's, like, obviously a classy stand-up guy--knees weak), and many different girls that reminded me of my crazy insane ex co-worker. So, to flying under the radar was the most part was a successful evening.

I did not realize there was a second floor to this establishment, and for that I was thankful it was included. My friends and I went up the stairs and heard loud hip-hop that had been muted by the yee-haw honky tonk playlist. This was more my speed. The music sounded like what would be at your basic high school homecoming, but that was fine because it was better than country mixed with hip hop. I was now in my lane, "Wobble"-ing and "Cupid Shuffle"-ing it out. Then, I saw the only good looking man in the joint and I thought, "Well if nothing else, I can at least get a dance with a handsome stranger." Unfortunately that did not happen because I realized he came with someone else, a man. Happy Pride everybody!! Which I was honestly surprised to see anyone of the LGBTQ in such a redneck establishment!

On the same floor, my night was somewhat saved when I saw a man, who again not old but too old to be at the club, was dancing by himself and singing every word to Usher's "Yeah!"(Including Ludacris' entire bridge). Amazing. With that, we danced a few more songs and headed back to the first floor to resume our positions as wallflowers. Then we went back upstairs, danced some more, went back down stairs, repeat. I believe at that point we had all grown tired of the evening but was trying to salvage any fun left before we parted ways. Then my friend said "I think we should head home and put in a movie." It was midnight and they headed back and I headed home and went to bed.

Still I wondered, "How did all of these people learn all of these different dances, do they just like, go weekly or something?" Which a part of me wouldn't have been completely surprised, but my curiosity still wanted to know. Apparently, the joint teaches dance classes on the second floor, but wasn't on the night we came. My friend and I were talking about it and she said we should go! I gave her a hard pass but told her to strut her stuff for me.

I know you're all wondering, "Would you ever go again?" LOL. Maybe if it was my Grandmother's dying request, but for anything else, I'll just deal with the FOMO.