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THE LAST DANCE
By
Linda C Wood
Dedicated to Gerald Mohr's character in the film "Gilda"
Picture copyright Columbia Pictures Corporation
Captain Ricardo Delgado was a happy man. A few weeks previously, after the war was over, he had been given an honourable discharge from the South American army, where he had held responsibility for the local pay corps, and had duly been appointed as Assistant Manager in his wealthy uncle's bank in Buenos Aires.
There, he had found himself to be in demand in the social scene. Tall, dark and handsome, his Latin good looks, natural charm and elegance had proved to be a major attraction for the eligible seņoritas. At the age of 32, he had finally decided to find a girl, get married and raise a family and, to that end, was now courting Christina, the daughter of a cigar merchant. Christina was 10 years younger than Delgado, petite, with a pretty face, flashing dark eyes and a fun-loving personality, he had fallen deeply in love with her. However, following courting propriety, the new romance had so far been constrained to hand-kissing and embracing only while dancing - a source of frustration to any healthy young couple!
Dressed in his dinner suit, top hat and cloak, Delgado made a dashing figure as he walked to Christina's parents' house to collect and take her out for the evening. However, on arrival, Christina had complained of feeling "delicate" and told him she was unable to accompany him.
"Don't you want to come out to dinner tonight, mi amor?" he asked, concerned. "I have a table for two booked at your favourite restaurant!"
"No, Ricardo, not tonight. You go, enjoy yourself. I will be fine by tomorrow."
"But I could not possibly enjoy myself without you! Ah, well, so be it. I will return home and re-book for tomorrow night instead." He tenderly took her small hand in both of his and gently kissed first her palm, then the back of her hand, which sent a shiver of delight down her spine. The love shining in her eyes was plain for him to see as he looked down at her, and it was with considerable willpower and restraint that he did not hold her and kiss her then and there. Instead, she walked with him to the outside door and, with another kiss of her hand, he left her standing on the doorstep, waving goodbye. When she closed the door behind her she leaned against it with a sigh of happiness. Yes, this was the man she wanted!
---oo0oo---
Delgado was walking down the street towards his apartment when he suddenly heard his name being called. "Hey, Ricardo! Where's that pretty little girl of yours tonight?" followed by raucous laughter.
He looked over to see two of his ex-army colleagues, Captain Esteban Velasquez and Lieutenant Juan Zamorra, both smartly attired in their army evening uniforms, approaching on the other side of the street. Delgado crossed to meet them. They embraced each other, laughing. "Well, where are you going all dressed up on your own?" asked Velasquez.
"Ahh, back home! Christina, she felt a little unwell." and he tapped his stomach knowingly, which set off another peal of laughter from his companions. "No, no, not that!" he laughed back. "She'll be well again tomorrow, she assures me!"
"Why don't you come with us, then? We're going to the gambling club - we just got paid and have some money to burn!" said Zamorra.
"Naah, I'm saving my money to marry Christina."
"But you've been to this place often, my friend. Why not tonight? Maybe you will get lucky!"
Delgado considered for a moment. "Ah, why not?" he said and, amicably, they patted each other on the back and made their way to the establishment nearby, laughing with their reminiscences as they went.
---oo0oo---
The dancing and illegal gambling club was in full swing when the three men arrived. Recognised by the maître de, they were led to a table at the back of the room. They ordered drinks and, for a while, relaxed in each others' company, then made their way through the mirrored doors to the gambling tables. A game of roulette was in process, so Delgado sat down. He placed a bet on Double Zero, which came up, winning him one hundred pesos. Smiling at his good fortune, he placed his winnings on Red 13, which also came up. Although his luck was on a roll, he decided to cut and run while he was winning and left the gaming room. That was when he saw her, sitting at a table near the dance floor - the most beautiful woman he had ever seen! But she was sitting with another man. He sighed, and went back to their reserved table at the back of the room, where Velasquez and Zamorra soon joined him. They had been less fortunate with their bets. He ordered a round of drinks with his winnings, but he could not take his eyes off the beautiful woman. His two companions saw who he was looking at and winked at each other behind Delgado's back.
Velasquez leaned forward. "Ricardo?"
"Yes?"
"One hundred pesos says you can't get a dance with her!"
"She's sitting with another man, Esteban!"
"So? That's never stopped you before! Besides, they don't look as though they are married - he's sitting too far apart from her!" he said, laughing.
Delgado hesitated.
"Go on - you can only ask and be refused!" and he slapped the money on the table.
Delgado stood, spruced himself up and walked towards her table. When he stood before her she looked up at him.
"Hello!" Her eyes were warm and welcoming, her voice pleasing to his ears.
"Good evening, seņorita!" Turning to the man, he said "Seņor, I am Capitan Delgado. I would like to ask permission to dance for your lady."
"The answer's no!" the man brusquely replied.
Delgado, with a dismissive gesture of his left hand, made to go away. The bet was lost!
"The answer's yes - I'd love it!" said the woman, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
"But the young man just said ..."
"The young man would love it too, but he can't afford it!" the woman responded.
Delgado took her arm and led her onto the dance floor, a smile of happiness and victory on his face. The bet was won! He gently took her in his arms and together they danced the rumba. Delgado felt her body move to the rhythm. She was a good dancer. "You could be a professional dancer!" he commented.
"I am - I mean, I was!" she replied.
As they danced the scent of her perfume filled his senses. Jasmine, he thought. He felt his body reacting to the nearness of her as he drew her very closely to him, leaving her in no doubt whatsoever of the intensity of his pleasure.
Her eyes widened as she felt him hard against her. "Ah! That's against the union rules!" she said as she pushed him back.
"I always observe the rules and regulations!" he responded, dancing without bodily contact. "How is it that I've never seen you?"
"I didn't dance here."
"Oh? Where?"
"America."
"This is not America?"
Laughing, she said "I mean New York!"
"Oh! Your young man - is he too a dancer?"
"He's not my young man!" she interposed.
Delgado, looking over at the man seated at the table, said "You know, the expression on his face says that he wishes he were!" Then, taking his advantage, he again drew her close to him, his face very near hers. Another second and he would have kissed her, there and then, in full view on the dance floor, but again she pushed him away.
"The rules and regulations, remember?"
Confused with the messages she was giving out, he replied "The rules are very changeable, my lady!"
"They change with the weather!" she said, that mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Again, he drew her close, their hips locked together in the rhythm of the rumba and in a far more ancient rhythm. As he continued dancing, turning her round him, then dancing closely, he did not see another man sit down at the table, talking to the first man.
Suddenly the first man was standing beside her. "Pardon me, but your husband is showing!"
"Oh!" she said, then, turning to Delgado, "Thank you. Perhaps again sometime!" and she shook his hand formally. Delgado did not let go.
"Until that sometime I shall only miserably exist, seņora!"
The woman turned to the other man. "I always say there's something about Latin men - for one thing, they can dance - for another thing ..." she left the end of the sentence unspoken. "What's your telephone number?" she asked Delgado.
"Mmm? Oh, it's ..."
"Oh, never mind, I'll give you mine - it's Cuyo 3017."
"Cuyo 3017." Delgado repeated, imprinting it in his mind.
"Ha sido un placer, bello castigo!" she spoke Spanish easily.
"El placer ha sido mio, seņora!" and he kissed the back of her hand. He bowed politely to her and she left him standing alone on the dance floor. With a shrug he returned to the table where Velasquez and Zamorra were waiting and lifted his winnings. "Mine, I believe?" he smiled. "She was - beautiful - ahh!" he again felt his pleasure increasing as he relived the moments with her in his arms. "But now, the time is late and I must go, my friends, but I will return here, soon. By the way, do you know the lady's name? I never asked her!"
"Gilda, it's Gilda, the new wife of Ballin Munsen, the owner of this establishment! That's Munsen sitting beside her - the other man, who got her off the dance floor, is Johnny Farrell, his henchman." replied Zamorra.
Delgado looked over at the two men sitting on either side of her, wondering what had attracted her so much to Munsen that she had married him, while he said: "Gilda! What a beautiful name! Gilllda." He let the name roll on his tongue like a sweet wine. "Well, shall we go, my friends? It has for me been a most enjoyable and profitable evening after all!"
"We'll stay a little longer, Ricardo." replied Velasquez, snapping his fingers at the drinks waiter for another round.
"Very well." replied Delgado. "Hasta la vista!" and, standing, he swung on his cloak with a flowing movement, and left the club alone.
---oo0oo---
Outside, the cool night air calmed his ardour, but he was still slightly intoxicated, both from the drink he had consumed and from his heady experience with the beautiful Gilda. Wrapping his cloak around him, he walked down the street in the direction of his apartment.
---oo0oo---
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