Those Germans Can Really Bust a Move

Speaking of road trips.

Back during the summer Mrs. Penguin, Opus Jr., and I went to Oklahoma City for a couple of days.  We saw some pretty cool stuff but there is one thing that really stood out.

We stopped to eat at a cool looking German restaurant/bakery called Ingrid's Kitchen.  It was kind of early on a Saturday afternoon but the place was packed.  While we were eating there were some people preparing a drum kit and a piano.  I thought, "Great, we get to hear some music." 

I started to look around the place and I noticed that there were several elderly people just sitting around and not eating.  About that time an elderly couple set down at the table next to us.  The gentleman asked if we were there to dance.  Huh?  Dance?  Us?

I told him that we weren't dancers and he proceeded to tell me in great lengths about how people come out every Saturday to dance at Ingrid's Kitchen.  He told me all about the type of music they place and how some people danced a west coast swing while some danced an east coast swing.  He looked so happy and excited that he kind of rubbed off on me.

Let me interject at this point to tell about the other half of this couple.  The gentleman must have been pushing 90 but the woman looked like she was in her late sixties at the latest.  The gentleman was smiling from ear to ear, the woman looked like I ran over her cat back in the old neighborhood and she was still holding a grudge.  The gentleman talked non-stop, the woman never grunted a single syllable.

By the time the music started Opus Jr. and I were all excited about seeing these people cut a rug.  We watched with excitement as an older fellow slid behind the drums, an even older fellow settled down at the piano, and a woman that could have been their grand-mother grabbed a microphone.  With a "one and a two" we were off and running.

There was a blur of grey hair as senior citizens rushed the floor like it was the mosh pit of an Anthrax concert.  Our guide joined the fray.

After the way he talked, I was really looking forward to seeing our new friend shake a leg.  A leg was pretty much all he shook.  I'm serious.  Grumpy stood in one spot while Mr. Talker wrapped his arms around her waist and moved his feet 2cm at a time.  He still had the biggest smile you've ever seen.  She still looked like she was still pissed that Alanis Morissette's song Ironic didn't have a single example of irony in it.

Opus Jr. was tugging at my arm saying, "Dad, dad!  Look, old people are dancing!"  He was having the time of his life.  To this day, if you ask him anything about Oklahoma City all he will say is, "I saw old people dance."

footnote:  Sorry Alanis Morissette fans but nothing listed in Ironic is actually irony, it's just bad luck or bad timing.
Oh yeah, the picture at the top is an actual picture of the event.


Don't judge me,
Opus T. Penguin