gideon in the streets around here there was nobody tougher than me i was quick with me fists and fast with me footwork as you can plainly see but while fighting was useful for getting your way among the toughs of the town where you could hold sway there had to be something that was better than this i was fourteen years old and i d never been kissed well of course she d ignore me her friends would all sneer at me bloody nose dripping and me cauliflower ear for it s hard to convince in a romantic pose with two lovely black eyes and a broken nose where a girl is attracted to skills more refined than the pugilist s art and so i inclined to take meself serious as a modern romancer and i secretly learnt all the moves of a dancer so you swing to the left and you swing to the right keep your eyes on your partner like you would in a fight keep to the rhythm and you keep to the beat the important thing s never to look at your feet then a miracle happens your mind s in a trance though the strategy s subtle retreat and advance it s all about attitude all in your stance attention to detail leave nothing to chance which explains how the pugilist finally learned how to dance and i d waltz with a broomstick and if i was caught i d pretend i was sweeping or practicing sport but i really had eyes for your mother you see wanting her to acknowledge this new version of me and now everyone s watching expecting i ll fail but there s a fire in me belly and there s a wind in me sails i knew it was risky i was taking a chance but i couldn t retreat now i had to advance gideon and tom so you swing to the left and you swing to the right keep your eyes on your partner like you would in a fight just keep to the rhythm and follow the beat the important thing s never to look at your feet then a miracle happens and your mind s in a trance they re all laughing and cheering and looking askance on the night that the pugilist finally learned how to dance gideon and about where the strategist s bridges were burned tom where it seemed that his fortune had suddenly turned gideon twas the night that the scrapper was suddenly dapper tom this poor fellow s heart is still going like the clappers both the night that the pugilist finally learned how to dance1
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