Visions of Johanna
So I’m looking over my posts, and I see that I never talked about clubbing two weeks ago Friday (02/09). Well, it was a Friday night like any other. I was down at my usual haunt, with my usual Bud Light in my hand.
And in she walked. 
My dancing partner I had met twice before. Johanna*
I played it cool at first, not wanting to approach to soon so she wouldn’t think I was the obsessive type. So I just kept an eye on her and her friend for awhile, hoping they wouldn’t change their minds and leave right after coming in (wonder why people do that?). They stuck around for awhile and ordered some drinks, so I figured they were there to stay. I walked over and said hello. She was happy to see me. We talked for awhile. I asked about her week. She asked about mine. I had seen her friend around the club before, so I asked them how they knew each other (they work together).
After a few minutes of talk, we made our way out to the dance floor. The three of us danced together for awhile. You know how it is. Dancing in a circle, everyone facing inward. After awhile, Johanna said that she and her friend were heading out to a different club. I asked if she’d be back next weekend. She said she doesn’t get out much, which was too bad. I told her that when she does get back to the club, I’ll be there. We said our goodbyes and I made my way back out to the dance floor. Johanna and her friend must have seen the disappointment on my face when they told me they were leaving, because within seconds, there they were again, dancing next to me. I asked what happened. They said they changed their minds So we continued to dance the night away. Eventually, Johana got tired, so I danced with her friend for awhile.
As the lights came up, I pulled Johanna back out on the floor for the last dance. As we were saying our goodbyes for the second time that night, Johanna mentioned that she always looks forward to seeing me when she comes out to the club. I told her the same.
The lights were up full blast now, 1:45AM and the three of us walked out into the frigid night. As we went our separate ways, Johanna wished me a safe drive home.
It’s unfortunate that, because we’re on two different paths, this can’t work out. But this doesn’t have to be about forever. Maybe this is about enjoying each other’s company, nothing more. Like the great musician Ray Mason said: “I want to be a holiday. Something you look forward to.”
So every time I go to the club now, I think to myself “Maybe Johanna will be there tonight”, and the nights that I do, I’ll know that Johanna was thinking “I’m going to see Chris tonight”!
*Not her real name. For future reference, I will using fake names for the women I meet to protect the guilty. Women’s names that are found in Dylan songs will be used. If, in the unlikely event that I run out of female names that appear in Dylan songs, female names that appear in Beatles songs will be used. This may occur with or without prior notice.