Jerry and Carla on the Riverboat Cruise - Memphis

On our final night in Memphis last week, we enjoyed a wonderful evening on the Island Queen Riverboat.   It was like a date night for all of us.  We traveled with a group of 26 ministers and their wives from the central Mississippi area.  It was a wonderful week, and that last night was really sweet.  It was nice to be with this group in settings outside of the church and the pulpit.  Granted, my husband is a minister, all of the men were, and I have developed great relationships with all of the wives.  As a couple, we have great rapport and a kinship with all of the couples.  This night was a time to relax and enjoy our spouses, and the company of the other couples.

We dined and danced!  It was fantastic!  I can’t tell you the last time my husband and I have been out on a date, nor when we last danced together.  This was a much needed date and activity.  We both love good music and boy were we treated by a wonderful 4-piece live band – The Memphis Knights.  Jerome Miller is the band leader and these 4 men were superb!  (By the way, if you’re in the Memphis area and need a multi-talented and diverse band, contact Jerome for bookings at 901-871-4512).

I video taped some of the performances and wish I can share it (I don’t know how to do so – used the wrong type of DVD).  They were good, playing all types of music.  They even took requests.  Unfortunately they didn’t get to honor ours – we requested “our” song, “Always and Forever”.  However, they also invited people from the audience to even join the band and sing if they wanted to.  Our leader (the President of our group) took the opportunity and sang “You Are So Beautiful” to his wife.  It was so romantic and everyone cheered them on.

The Copiah County Ministerial Alliance on Riverboat Cruise

It was not until the band played “The Electric Slide” that Jerry and I hopped to the floor and danced!  Wow, that was a lot of fun.  Y’all know the Electric Slide!  At first I thought this was the Black National Dance – (smile) – but the dance floor was soon full of mostly White patrons getting down with it!  Because I hadn’t danced it in awhile, I was stumbling in the beginning.  Well, I was next to a young White lady, and we just bonded!  It was funny, but fun!  I told her that I would follow her and after one rotation of it, I had the dance pat down.  It was like riding a bike – you don’t forget!  It was so much fun! 

Then the band told us to freeze, and they began another song.  Something I was not familiar with at all, but we were having so much fun and decided to stay on the dance floor.  Jerome talked the steps – something like – to the right, to the right, to the right, to the right – to the left, to the left, to the left, to the left – kick it, kick it, kick it, kick it – walk it out, walk it out, walk it out, walk it out……..SOMETHING LIKE THAT!  (smile)  It was fun, but boy did my knees begin to hurt!  I definitely am not as young as I used to be! 

Well, when we got home, we told our daughters about it and they told us that we were doing the “Cupid Shuffle”.  Oh well!  Never saw it, never did it before, but it was fun!   Mighty good exercise.

The band closed the night out with something that they figured that EVERYONE knew.  Once they played it, more from our group joined us on the dance floor.  The band started singing, “Come on baby, let’s do the twist!”  It was Chubby Checker’s fun song that brought some of those who were older than us on the floor.  Boy was it fun.  We twisted like crazy feeling no pain.  Uh, not until the morning, that is!  Wow, did we feel it the next day! 

It was so needed.  A break from the seriousness of life and all of the issues and problems that we’re facing.  It was a great source of exercise, laughter, and great music!  What a wonderful night on the River.

Carla on deck of Island Queen Riverboat - Memphis

At one point, I did go out on deck and watched the mighty Mississippi River, and had a moment of sentiment.  In New Orleans, we lived only a few blocks from that same River.  We saw the River everyday.  We crossed the River quite often.  We’ve shopped on the River (New Orleans Riverfront).  We watched cruise ships pass by our home on their way in or out.  I had to take in and smile as I acknowledged how the River connects us.  The Mighty Mississippi.  Before I could get too sentimental, I went back in and enjoyed more of the music and dancing.

I think we all need to get a little Electric Slide on every now and then.  Maybe it’s not dancing for you, but perhaps you need to just take some time and do something that you enjoy.  Break away from the responsibilities that keep you busy and just do something for the sheer fun of it.  Laugh.  Enjoy yourself.  Relax.  You deserve it!

Blessings!

Carla Y. Nix