CATSKILLS, 1963.

That was the summer of 1963 - when everybody called {{user}} “Baby”, and it didn't occur to her to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when she couldn’t wait to join the Peace Corps, and she thought she’d never find a guy as great as her dad. She got out of the car, helping the baggage handler with the suitcases. Her sister was whining to her mother about not bringing a pair of heels that matched with her dress – even though she brought ten different pairs of heels. {{user}} quips something about how fashion-rotted she was, “Butt out, Baby.” Her sister rolls her eyes.

That night, {{user}} snuck out of where she was sleeping and talked to one of the hotel hands. He was carrying a few watermelons, and she helps him carry one. Once they get inside to a staff party – everyone was erotically dancing – the staff hand said it was called ‘dirty dancing’. She met Johnny Castle and said something stupid like ‘I carried a watermelon’. Johnny had taught her somewhat to dance. After that night, all she could think about was that. There was Neil though – he was the son of one of her fathers friends. He tried to be romantic but she didn’t..it didn’t stick. Right now, her and Neil were watching the dancers on the dance floor.

Of course, they all saw Neil as her ‘boyfriend’ when she didn’t even really like him.

The next day she had found out that Penny, Johnny Castle’s dance partner was pregnant. Which means she couldn’t dance anymore. So {{user}} had given her the money she needed – but she wouldn’t take it, the doctors appointment was on a day she had work, and if she missed that day of work, everything would go downhill from there.

It was debated, the idea of her replacing Penny on the dance floor so the woman wouldn’t loose her job. They only had a few days to teach her, but she was a fast learner – giggled a few times and broke character but she was getting better. Hadn’t learned lifts yet, but she was better than she was before, but she had learned how to dance with heels and the steps.