Ah, Young Love

The sixth grade science curriculum includes a three day, two night camping trip at the end of the year.  I sat at the parents' meeting a few weeks ago listening to the rules, regulations, packing list, and activities planned for the trip. On the last night of their stay at Camp, they have a dance.

Joshua has been actively pursued by a very cute, very musically talented, girl, who can also hula dance with poi. I'm pretty sure it's the last part that caught The Boy's attention. After all, what full-blooded male doesn't want a female who can do a pretty amazing hula.  A week before Camp, Joshua came home in a tizzy. She asked him to escort her to the dance.

"I can't dance! I can't dance! What am I going to say to her? I don't want to hurt her feelings and say no, but I can't dance!" He paced around the living room watching his feet, arms waving dramatically about his head.
"Come here," standing in front of him. "Put your hands on my waist. Now I'm going to put my hands on your shoulders. Now sway. This is how sixth graders dance with each other. And if you're feeling really adventurous, you can turn circles while you sway." I led him around in a 360 degree turn.
Blushing crimson, Joshua dropped his hands and said, "Oh. Ok." And then sauntered off, pretending nothing happened. The next day he announced he told her yes, he'd go to the dance with her.

Yesterday, Josh returned from Camp and it was all I could do to not blurt out how it all turned out with this girl and the dance. The conversation eventually steered itself in that direction.
"So did you dance with her?"
"Yeah, well, no, not really." He said.
"Aaaaaaannnnndd??"
"I started to dance with her, but I really don't know how, so I stopped."
"Um, did you just walk away?"
"Yeah, something like that."
I cringed thinking about how that must have felt for this girl who is crushing on him. And I certainly hope he gave some explanation or excuse to her for stopping the dance. All I could picture is him dropping his hands from her shoulders, turning around and walking away. Believe me, he'd do something like.  My neanderthal son still has a lot to learn about girls.