The Last Waltz

As the party slowly began to wind down, the band slowed down the tempo, till there was all but one more song to play. Those present either made a beeline to the buffet, or to the exit. The night of revellery was slowly drawing to a close coming to close, no longer young.

He sat there in his tux with his bow tie untied and button loosened, sipping his final drink, the last one for the road, wondering if he should go or should stay. His friends were at the bar getting higher than the Empire State. Should he wait for them, or leave them to their highness.

And as he finally rose to leave he caught sight of her, sitting by herself, all alone and shy, elegant and beautiful and forlorn, a beauty not in the conventional sense. Throughout the night he had seen many would be suitors being shot down, given half a chance. He wondered if he should ask her to dance? What did he have to loose? This was last song the band would play, it was now or never, nothing lost, nothing gained, nothing could possibly happen over a dance, he thought.

So he gathered all the strength he could muster, and walked towards her. She saw him approach, and gave a faint but shy smile. And as he put forth his hand to ask her for a dance, all prepared to be shot down, she put her hand in his, and whispered “I thought you would never ask!”

For a moment he was stunned. He stood there frozen to the floor with an odd look on his face, did she actually say that? But then he gathered himself and led her to the now deserted dance floor of the ballroom. Taking her by the hand, he pulled her close to him, holding her by the waist, as she arched her back. Holding his frame they got in hold, she the painting, he the frame. He slowly but firmly guided her. And so they glided across the dance floor as if floating on air. The world around them disappeared in a blur, as they twirled, and elegantly moved across that dance floor. They rose and fell with the music, with the rise and fall of the beating of their hearts, every breath which they took. In those moment the world ceased to exist. It was just the two of them and the orchestra playing, as they waltzed elegantly to the last waltz.

And as the song reached it crescendo, he wondered if it was possible to fall in love with this lady, who through the night was shooting down would-be suitors, not even giving them half a chance. He just wanted the music to go on so that he could continue to the waltz this beautiful creature. Though the world around them was all but a blur, he was sure all eyes were fixed on them, but it didn’t matter, all that matter was here and now. He just wanted the orchestra to continue to play, the last waltz to last forever.

But as the music wound to a close, she gracefully curtsied to him and smiling thanked him for the dance. Leaving him on the dance floor, she made her way to the exit. He stood there, watching her leave, his heart heavy, and his mind in whirl. It was all over now , nothing left to say, just a hope that the last waltz last forever so he could fall in love with her a bit longer.