Grandes Pelotas de Fuegoooooo

The night started off as all good nights usually do: kicking back a few mojitos in a fun bar and getting one round for free. What could get any better than that? Just wait...
We met up with Mabel's mexican friend at a different place with tons of music to dance to and a transvestite DJ: clearly two telltale components for the makings of a fun night!We spent the whole night dancing like we were trying out for the lead in a remake of Flashdance and I unfortunately decided to forgo my usual vodka tonics for something to help keep my energy up- red bull and vodka. I am surprised I didn't try and bust into a full on backhandspring because I truly felt like an Olympian the entire night, thank God they didn't play the Galcian Muñeira because i would have made a serious ass out of myself -just think of the amazing heights I could have achieved with my kicks! For those of you that are not from Jersey, the Galician capital of the US, the muñeira is this crazy irish-jig-like dance the Galicians do when they are happy (i.e. weddings?) and when they are hammered(i.e. everyone we hung with in Gabi's town this summer?) In Gabi's town in Galicia they played it at least once a night in all of the barsNow that I think about it the Muñeira is more complex than a jig, it actually looks a bit like a mix between Irish step dancing and (those of you that were once in eight grade will know what I am talking about) the rogger rabbit.
Anyway, high on Red bull I joined the gang on our next adventure- the mexicans (they suddenly multiplied and there were now around 4)wanted to take us somewhere really fun! And together we forged on as they led us to the strangest place I have ever been to or will ever be again...
We stop in front of a steel door with a tiny rectangular window in it, exactly like those speakeasy joints that were around during the Prohibition. One of the Mexicans utters some sketchy password and miraculously the steel door creaks openand a whole new side of Madrid unfolded before our bloodshot eyes!
A small staircase leads you into the underbelly of the Madrid late-night scene, soon we were seated at a long communal table surrounded by complete strangers and before I knew what was happening a beer was shoved into my hand. At my side, oneof the Mexicans happily ate a bowl full of what looked like spaghetti- was I hallucinating?Then, the music begins.
A tall dark spaniard with perfect english starts jamming away on an upright piano on some sort of make shift stage area that everyone's undivided attention seems to now be intently focused on. He is standing up and playing the hell out of the pianoand singing his heart out to songs you would never DREAM of hearing in a sketchy Madrid basement bar!
"Piano Man", "Great Balls of Fire", "Hey Jude", I think he even played a BonJovi song from the Slippery When Wet album- the most amazing part was that EVERYONE in the place was singing along as loud as they possibly could!! Song after song, we sang and swayed- beers in hand, bonding with our unkown neighbors in the unique comraderie that emerges among perfect strangers when listening to American oldies.
Mabel and I were transported to another era singing about stuff we hadn't even thought about since high school.It all came back to me as I screamed out lyrics, secretly proud of my perfect English pronunciation in a roomful of Spaniards and of course our own band of Mexicans. The night, or morning, I should say seemed to go on forever- and finally when Gina took home her pay for loooove for the last time and the big wheels couldn't keep on turning I stumbled with my newfound musical family into the painful Sunday morning sunshine. We all went our separate ways and left the oldies cave behind but the memories from that night just keep ...STAYING ALIVE
(hahahah sorry I couldn't resist!!! hahahaha)