Mambo in Chinatown

Together, we squeezed our way out to the living area, where we settled into a spot on the floor. Ryan leaned back in his cutoff T-shirt and jeans. I wrapped my long dress around my legs, feeling safer in it, even though it was very hot in the room. I saw to my relief that there were a few other women scattered throughout the crowd. Still, we were vastly outnumbered. I started to feel disoriented. What was I doing here? The other girls were so secure, smiling and flirting with the men, and I was just out of my depth. Ryan put his arm around me as he handed me my drink. I felt a bit better. It’d been made with a lot of ice and tasted delicious.

Most of the other guys had stripped down to their undershirts. The windows were wide open and a light breeze blew through. A lot of people were smoking, cigarette butts littered the floor. I sca

Then Ryan returned and yelled something into my ear. “. . . outa here?”

I nodded. We squeezed our way through the crowd until we were out of the apartment. Were we leaving? But instead of taking me back to the elevator, Ryan guided me to a ladder leading up to the roof.

Since it was a bit quieter in the hallway, I asked, “What was at that table and who was the guy?”

“Cocaine. He’s one of the kids I coach, that idiot.”

I emerged into a fresh night filled with stars and moonlight. The roof was huge and flat, with occasional pipes and cables cutting across the chimneys. The building was much taller than the ones I was used to in Chinatown and we were so high up that we had a great view of the streets. A lot of people were sitting on the tar, leaning against the high ridge at the edge of the roof. Someone had brought up a boom box and the music was blasting here as well. In the middle, a space had been left for dancing. I was delighted. I’d never been on our roof at home and I was sure no one danced Latin there in the night. When we found a clear spot, Ryan brushed some cigarette butts away with his foot and we sat down.

One couple was doing salsa, the street version of mambo. Although it was night, there was enough reflected light from the buildings all around us that I could see fairly well. She had on a bright yellow flouncy skirt that flew as she turned. They were pretty good, fast and on the beat, only with a limited repertoire of steps. They did some moves I’d never seen before. Soon another couple had joined them, and another, until all of the girls on the roof were dancing with someone, and the other guys watched with longing eyes.

A wide hand appeared in front of my face. It was Felipe, asking me to dance. I glanced at Ryan, who was watching me with a neutral expression. I felt nervous dancing here, in front of all these people I didn’t know, but at the same time, my limbs were buzzing with the desire to join in.

I took Felipe’s hand, then stood up. I had to get rid of the old lady dress or I’d trip in it. First I kicked off the dishwasher shoes. I retrieved my old Magic-Markered pumps from my bag and slipped them on. I was good enough to dance in them now and I didn’t want to destroy my dance shoes. Felipe nodded approvingly. I felt awkward as I pulled the huge flowered dress over my head, showing the more revealing outfit underneath. A breeze brushed my bare midriff below the tight gold top. Everyone seemed to be watching me. I stole a glance at Ryan. His jaw was slack as I dumped my excess clothing and stepped onto the floor with Felipe, who was now gri

As soon as we started to move, I relaxed. Felipe was a phenomenal street dancer and kept us right in time to the music, his hands firm yet gentle. He led me into combinations I’d never seen before, although I recognized some of the elements. He threw my hand up, caught it, then twisted us so that both of us were dancing in parallel with our arms interlinked. He untangled us, spun me out and caught me again. It was exhilarating. I never had any idea what was coming next, yet we always stayed in sync. Then there was a tap on my shoulder and it was Ryan.

I saw the surprise on Felipe’s face. He stepped a few feet away from us to watch as Ryan took me into dance position and we started to move. Ryan wound me in, then gave me a push on my shoulder blade to spin me out. I did one and a half turns to return to facing him. Then he picked me up and tossed me onto his shoulder, where I perched for a moment before dropping onto his side, where he spun us both around and around. It was thrilling to just let go and dance, without anyone telling me about my arms, my legs or my head. I hadn’t had so much fun since that night at Decadence with Zan and Mo Li. I was free and joyful, powerful and sexy. I loved moving together with Ryan, we were a unit yet we each had our own roles. I felt as if I had left my body behind and Ryan and I simply were the dance.

Everyone had cleared the dance area and was watching us, drumming on the roof in time to the music. Ryan nodded at me and we started ru

Then I felt someone nudge my arm and realized this time it was the girl from the kitchen who wanted to dance with me. Ryan smiled as he stepped aside. She started moving in front of me, expecting just to dance facing each other, but then I took her into dance position and began to lead her. She beamed. Her body was strong, and when she turned, droplets of sweat flew off her hair. We did a few basics, then side breaks and underarm turns. She didn’t know any steps but was a natural turner. I spun her for a triple, then dropped underneath my own arm for a double myself. When our dance was over, she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek before walking away.

I returned to the spot on the roof where Ryan and I had been sitting and was immediately surrounded by other men who wanted to dance with me. How things had changed. I kept shaking my head with a smile until Ryan found me and wrapped his arms around me. They stayed away after that.

We sat on the rooftop together watching the dancing, with me resting my head against his chest. What a different world I had lived in. It wasn’t only that I used to have a different job, I’d been another person, and now, dancing had freed me. It felt like a hallucination—the music, the night air, Ryan by my side. I sighed and closed my eyes with the city twirling its skirt of lights around me.

—

Hours later, Ryan and I stood outside looking for a taxi. Felipe had accompanied us to help. Even though it was now quiet, my hearing was still dulled from the hours of music. Felipe and I stood on the sidewalk while Ryan stepped into the middle of the avenue, trying to flag down a cab. None rode by.

“You were incredible,” Felipe said with his light accent. “When I first saw you with Ryan, I didn’t understand, but now I do.”

He thought I was the new girlfriend. “Oh no, he’s still with Fiona.”

Felipe’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “You know her name.”

“Of course I do. Ryan wouldn’t hide her from me.” I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “So, what’s she like?”

“Great woman. A bit bossy, but you know, that’s life. Very pretty.”

I blinked and stared at the pavement.

“I’ve hurt you. I’m sorry.”

Was I that transparent? Apparently. “No,” I lied, then added, “We’re not involved. We only dance together.”