Dancing to save the day

Actually, it's not just any rainy day, it's a Thursday! Not that it matters- but it's not quite the weekend and you can't blame it on a Monday (my favorite pet hate day since school).
Anyway, Antonella (who lives just nearby), came up with this brilliant idea: why don't we go out to a Salsa dancing evening, as she saw one advertised in town. She's calling the other siblings but only the girls (x 4) are available today. Okay, I say, but what do we do for men? How can we dance without the boys?
(we are a dancing family- just so you know)

I enquired with the Salsa instructor and he tells me that we don't need to bring any partners, there are plenty- just bring yourselves, he says...
We proceed to George Street in the Hastings Old Town and finally get to the dancing hall: it's dark and dingy but we think it'll be allright- at least no-one could see us stumbling or missing the steps, right?
But the place is pathetically empty, we're only about sixteen people including us and- of course there are no men. .. The other six couples are all complete but if you add their age, between them, they could easily make the 21st Century again (that is being unkind but its true, I swear!).

OMG, we were thinking, we better watch out - we don't want any hips replaced tonight!
But as it turned out we needn't worried, the music is so sedate, we could've danced the slow and sexy Rumba on this music.

The instructor is looking at us four and he's saying- "well, what are you waiting for? Pair up, you guys!"
We now have the dilemma of deciding which ones are going to be the boys; we toss a coin.
I am paired up with Nella, she's the man. Diana pairs up with Bianca boy. Just as well- both Nella and Bianca are wearing jeans and cowboy boots and- are both taller than Diana and me.
And now we start: The first couple of moves, it goes well... we are encouraged.
And then something goes severely wrong and Nella kicks me hard in the shin- she forgot she's being the man and therefore her moves should go in reverse. My breath goes out of me and Diana with Bianca cannot hold straight faces: they too, go to pots...
The instructor looks fuming, he frowns and tuts: could the young ladies, Phleeeaze! compose themselves to continue the dance?

The rest of the evening goes on just as it started- a total disaster; I am sure my shins are indented by Nella's boot marks - and the other two are not faring better... Luckily the music was soooo slow- could you imagine if we had to do it in a hurry?
We tried our best at Foxtrot, the Waltz and the Tango- my absolute favorite- but still, we were useless!
Our dancing attempt ended disastrously wrong but we had such fun giggling, laughing at one another's antiques on the dance floor- to the dismay of the instructor. He's pleased to see the back of us; and don't come back he's probably muttering under his breath.

The girls all sleep at my place as in the morning we are going shopping for dresses for my brother's up and coming wedding...
I was driving and on the way I kept thinking that my left ankle hurts real bad, the whole foot, in fact.
By the time we get to the malls- I am limping.
Hmmm, in my life I have had my fair share of sports injuries, but all of them you'll feel pretty much straight away... This just feels different, somehow!
Few shops and hours later and I am in agony; my left foot is gone asleep and I am worrying I might end up temporarily paralyzed- I must've twisted a nerve or something.
I am limping harder and dragging my left leg, just like invalids do- and I swear, my left leg feels shorter than my right one, too. ..

Then, as we were going up on the escalators on another level, me first, I hear this shriek- and I turned, afraid that someone's been stabbed or worse- but I see Bianca, Nella and Diana, all red faced with tears in their eyes- from laughter.

Right- I thought, I am dying here and you girls have fun!!!!
But they point at my legs and nearly roll on the floor, laughing even harder.
Bianca is kneeling and Antonella is emptying her handbag - it turns out she's looking for a paper handkerchief to wipe her tears. Diana, the eldest after me, is in no better condition.
Whaaaat! I say- can't you see I am in pain- what's so amusing????
By now I am in tears too- but with frustration, pain and because I felt misunderstood. Not that they cared!

Gianina! Gianni! Ha, ha, ha, ha. ... You've got different boots on!

I look down and indeed- they are. Both are black, and pointy and the cowboy style.
One come up higher, near my knee, the other three inches lower...
One has a two inch rounder heel- the other more square; and finally the left foot is a size 3.5 whilst the right foot is a 5 (the UK sizes)...

Well, if I wasn't in so much pain, I would laugh too. But I nearly passing out with pain and I haven't got the energy to say anything; my sisters kindly take me to the Nine West shoe store (one of my favorites).
And, as a homage for putting up with the pain and for keeping my dignity (almost) intact -stiff upper lip and all that- they treat me to a nice pair of COMFORTABLE flat shoes...
That is also because I needed to be driving home - they were not insured. .. and they also knew that another step and they would have had to call for an ambulance.

So, what's happened?
Well, the previous evening both Nella and Bianca were wearing boots on. They are different sizes (and shapes, as it turned out). In the morning I was in a rush and "borrowed" the boots (sisters will always do that kind of thing), I didn't look which one was which- just picked up two that I assumed were the same.
But to this day I swear that Nella must've been wearing the same pair on the dancing night - she definitely danced as if she had two left feet!


What brought this story up- the comments Travbuddies made vis-a-vis of my "Salsa step gone wrong" (from my Cote D' Azure blog).
Yes, I had made the wrong step (and not at all pretending to be falling into Ben's arms). But why?
Because precisely two moments prior to the photo being taken, Nella had reminded me of that day in rainy Hastings and what followed the next day...