Mirrie Dancers

[Antcliff]

I hear a knock, open the door. It's the morose dancers. They come every year around this time, collecting money for the local lifeboat fund.

They start to tap dance in a dull, perfunctory manner; as if offering satire.

"Hello", one says. "We're the morose dancers collecting for the local lifeboat. For a small donation we will continue performing, or leave if you wish. Most people are happy to see us go. Our life's work is to express despair and very negative emotions in dance. We've won awards."

They form a circle and place their hands in such a way as to suggest that they are all intent on back stabbing.

"You were here last year", I say.

"Yes, sir. Do you want see our dance on the theme of eternal recurrence?".

"No, I think..." I dip into my pocket, summoning up the strength to say "Go!".

"We can tell, sir, that you are not keen to see us. By character and training we are acutely sensitive to all forms of negativity."

"It isn't that I am wholly negative about negativity", I say. "Perhaps I am just not a big fan of dance. If you were the joyful dancers, I suspect I would say the same."

"Dance is not for all, sir", one says. They start to weave in and out, pretending to urinate on each other as they pass. "We understand."

"So if I give you a fiver, you'll go with no hard feelings?"

"Fine, sir." They speak as one, doing their special shaking dance of un-appreciation and rejection. "We can live with un-appreciation and rejection. We are used to it."

They continue to shake, shouting: "We learnt this dance from orphans!".

Until, with a fiver paid, I watch them wander down the road. They seem very happy. I feel dreadful.

[Ros]

Enjoyed greatly!

Ros

[Boat]

Hello, Antcliff.

Superb.

[Antcliff]

Gosh, thanks Ros and Pat.

I must try my hand at some more prose it seems.

Seth

[David]

Yes, very good. Didn't quite get the "Mirrie". Nietzsche and morris dancers! Who'd have thought? (I should add that our friend Bill, when living in Oldham, was a morris dancer, but a very merry one, I believe. It was mostly a way of getting from one pub to another, while skipping. With hankies.)

"So if I give you are fiver, you'll go with no hard feelings?"

My complementary typo service. Free with every review.

I must try my hand at some more prose it seems.

Yes! Do.

David

[Antcliff]

Thanks, David.

Arrgh....that is the problem with prose, typos creepin in. Thanks for spotting.

"The Mirrie Dancers" = Shetlandic for the northern lights. Which is no justification at all, none. None.

Seth

[Arian]

Amusing, Seth. Well done.

Perhaps 'summoning up', as opposed to 'getting up', which his a bit ugly?

Cheers
peter

[bodkin]

-- or should I say

[Antcliff]

Amusing, Seth. Well done.

Perhaps 'summoning up', as opposed to 'getting up', which his a bit ugly?

Cheers
peter

Thanks, Peter

Glad to hear it. Yeh, good idea, I will shift from "getting up" to "summoning up".

Thanks, Ian

Happy with both emojis