From my list of Things to Do Sometime In This Life:

17. Join a dancesport competition. Partner a beautiful girl in a flowing dress. Have lots of fun and do well! ...................

I didn't want to at first, but it was an intramural competition meant for beginners, and one of my friends on the University team was trying to convince me. She didn't succeed at first, until she whispered in my ear, "Don't you want to know how it feels to be Fred Astaire....?"

Next thing I know, I'm rehearsing a quickstep with a girl I've never met before. She was devastatingly gorgeous, heart-stoppingly blonde, and sadly taken. We rehearsed for four hours spread over a week. Come Sunday afternoon, I knotted a knit tie around my waist, slipped on my two-tone shoes, adjusted my tie, and off I went. My partner (who is a competitive dancer) made me look good, and despite my nervousness and fear, stumbling frequently, kicking her in the shins twice, and stepping on her feet once, we somehow made it through four rounds before being eliminated in the semi-finals.

And at my last dance, in the semi-finals, there was a point, just a few seconds, where suddenly everything clicked, and I was gliding along, with my chin up and my back arched and my arms locked around her, a big grin on my face, her dress flowing, her smiling beautifully, the crowd cheering, and we were moving as one-

and I knew, just for a few seconds, what it was like to be Fred Astaire.

And I'll never forget it.