MYSTERY OF THE TEXAS TWOSTEP

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY:

HELEN OF TROY

Written by Rick Archer 

HAVE I PROVEN THAT FATE EXISTS?

 

In the Introduction to this book, I stated my intention to explain how I acquired my unshakeable belief in Fate.  As proof, I claimed to have witnessed over 100 unusual experiences.  For example, the Gordian Knot event is listed at #102.  It is my hope that the sheer weight of so many crazy stories will lead my Readers to reach the same conclusion as me. 

There is so much more to this world than meets the eye. 

How does one convince people that Fate exists?  Let's say you and I sit together on an airplane.  During the long flight we develop a rapport.  Out of curiosity, you ask what I do for a living.  I reply that during my career as a dance instructor, I was able to create the largest dance studio of its kind in America.  By my estimate, half a million students crossed through our doors.  After mentioning that my studio created one marriage a month for 32 years, you ask how this accomplishment was possible. 

I would drop the bombshell.  I would reveal my belief that my studio was the beneficiary of many acts of Divine Intervention.

What would be your reaction?  Undoubtedly you would raise an eyebrow and wonder if I was deluded or enlightened.  If by chance you thought I was of sound mind, you might reply, "What led you to believe that?"

Since the existence of Fate is a controversial subject, 20 words or less would not cut it.  I decided the only way to deal with a subject this profound would be to write a book.  Fortunately, I think God deliberately made it easy for me to prove my Destiny was shaped by a Hidden Hand.  Why do I call it the Magic Carpet Ride?  Because the story of how my studio came into being is so utterly improbable it borders upon the Unbelievable.

This is not your average 'Boy makes Good' success story.  Ordinarily one would expect a story about some spunky street kid who could dance up a storm and win a succession of dance contests.  Naturally one imagines a good-looking man like Patrick Swayze or John Travolta.  Both men benefitted from natural talent and dance training from an early age on.  In addition both men had gifted parents with plenty of useful contacts

So what did you get instead?  A man abandoned by parents.  Little prior dancing training.  A total loser with women.  Limited social skills, minimal confidence, mediocre dance ability.  Definitely an underdog. 

Did I have anything going for me?  Yes.  I had an incredible education, I was ambitious and possessed a strong work ethic.  Along the way I discovered talents I never knew I had.  I had some innate business sense, I expressed myself well and possessed natural teaching ability.  I also had a knack for creating fun.  So, yes, I had talent.  But it wasn't enough, at least not in the privacy of my own thoughts. 

So how was I able to succeed on a grand scale?  By explaining the intricacies of my Dance Curse, my Epic Losing Streak, as well as my succession of lucky breaks, I illustrated how I overcame long odds to achieve surprising success in the World of Social Dance.  Personally, I do not believe I could have accomplished my success without Divine Intervention.  I believe I was guided every step of the way by the Force of Fate.

So do you see my point?  A simple conversation will not cut it.  There is no way other than this lengthy book to explain a story as complicated as mine.

THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY
 

Suspicious

Lucky Break

Serious

Lucky Break
Cosmic Blindness

Serious

Predestination
Cosmic Blindness

Suspicious

Lucky Break
Messenger

Suspicious

Lucky Break

Suspicious

Perfect Timing
Cosmic Blindness

Suspicious

Synchronicity

Serious

Strange Accident
Dance Curse 5

Suspicious

Eerie Premonition

TOMMY AND HAZEL

 

Starting in March 1979, every Saturday afternoon I taught Disco partner dancing to seven couples in the Clear Lake area where NASA is located.  Referring to this group as the 'Clear Lake Seven', over a span of eighteen months each couple became exceptional Disco partner dancers.  The combination of good teaching, a powerful work ethic and lots of practice was responsible.  The highlight came when a nearby Disco named Spats began offering Saturday night dance contests in June 1979.  The reward was a giant teddy bear the size of a grown woman.  Each week one of the couples would enter and win.  Tommy and Hazel, the group's best, did the honors first.  By the end of August every one of the seven couples had won.  Oddly enough, the only person in the group who did not win was their teacher.

The group was so eager to see me perform, late in June they persuaded me to enter along with my girlfriend Patricia.  I am fairly certain we would have won except for a freak accident.  A drunk woman lost her balance on the dance floor and shoved me in back.  The entire room gasped in shock as my elbow smashed into Patricia's lip.  With blood dripping on the dance floor, that put a swift end to our participation.  It also put a swift end to our relationship.  Patricia was so disgusted, she said adios when I took her home.

That opened the door for Victoria.  She and Hazel were already good friends.  They first met at Victoria's December 1978 Christmas Party held at the Pistachio Club.  Usually the group did their dancing at Discos in the Clear Lake area.  However they were intrigued when I told them about Victoria's party.  The entire group drove 20 miles to participate that night.  Tommy and Hazel were by far the best dancers on the floor.  When Victoria saw them dance, she asked who they were.  Impressed, Victoria went over and introduced herself.

In February 1979 Victoria and I began hosting a regular Friday dance party at the Pistachio Club.  Due to their friendship, Victoria invited Tommy and Hazel to come see her.  Whenever they weren't dancing, Victoria and Hazel sat together at a table talking up a storm.  Tommy and Hazel had such a good time, they continued to drive up twice a month to join the fun. 

In August 1979 the Clear Lake Seven had the misfortune of observing another one of my Dance Curse accidents.  The group came to the  Lighthouse to see Victoria and me perform.  This was night Victoria nearly broke her neck in a daring acrobatic pattern known as the Jackknife.  Victoria was balanced upside down on my shoulders when a ceiling fan clipped her toes.  Losing her balance, Victoria plunged to her death behind my back.  Fortunately a last-instant rescue on my part saved the day.  Terrified by the close call, Victoria was very shaken.  Hazel put her arms around Victoria and let her cry.  Hazel's comfort was instrumental in helping Victoria regain her composure.  That was the moment that sealed their close bond. 

Sad to say, the Clear Lake group disbanded during the dying days of Disco in October 1979.  However, Tommy and Hazel stayed in touch.  They won a major dance contest in the Clear Lake area in 1980.  The grand prize was an all-expenses paid trip to Cancun.  Their victory was no surprise to me.  They were two of the most gifted dancers I ever taught.  They also had two advantages.  Tommy and Hazel were a very attractive couple.  Plus Tommy's big shoulders made a difference.  The sight of powerful Tommy throwing his petite and quite beautiful wife in the air was something to behold.  No one could do acrobatics quite like them.  Tommy and Hazel were very modest about their victory.  In fact Hazel tried to give me the credit. 

"You are an amazing teacher, Rick.  Without your help on those acrobatics, we would have never stood a chance against all those good couples.  Besides, if you and Victoria had entered, I'm sure you would have won."

Sweet thing to say, but hand's down Tommy and Hazel deserved to win.  Plus it helped immensely not to have a Dance Curse if you catch my drift.

After Disco bit the dust, Tommy and Hazel did not want to quit.  Dancing was in their blood.  Since they lived closer to downtown Houston than the other members of the group, they began taking Country-Western lessons from me at Stevens of Hollywood.

After I moved over to Dance Arts, Tommy and Hazel frequently attended my once-a-month Saturday night dance parties.  In particular, they loved our Halloween parties thanks to the 1981 Halloween Party from Hell.  Tommy got such a big kick out of the wild half-naked dancing girls that he vowed to return every year.  Sure enough, Tommy and Hazel were among the first couples through my doors for the 1982 Halloween Party. 

As we recall, Victoria was no longer with me.  She reunited with Michael at the end of June.  During the party, Hazel came over to chat with me.  "I spoke to Victoria on the phone not long ago.  Victoria said she was finally able to let go of you and the studio last summer."

I nodded.  "That is correct.  How is she doing?  She wrote me a couple letters, but I have not seen nor spoken to her since June."

"I think her reconciliation is going to work.  Victoria said it was pretty rocky at first, but lately she, Michael and Stephanie have gotten into a good groove together.  But what about you?  How do you feel about it?"

"To be honest, Hazel, I am relieved that it is over.  My relationship with Victoria was the worst mistake of my life.  You have no idea how grateful I am that Victoria found her way back to her husband.  I never thought they could put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but somehow the two of them picked up the pieces.  To me, their reunion is a small miracle."

Hazel nodded.  "I agree.  After all the animosity, I never thought she could pull it off.  By the way, Tommy is turning 40 next month.  Poor boy, he's all broken up over it.  Cries in his pillow every night.  To cheer him up, I am having a party at my house in November.  Do you think you might be able to come?"

"Of course.  Can I bring a friend?"

Hazel smiled.  "Uh oh, do you have a new Madame X?"

I grinned.  "How did you hear the story about Madame X?"

"You have no idea how obsessed Victoria was over Madame X.  Back when she was trying to figure out who the woman was, Victoria called several times to pump me for information.  She refused to believe me when I said I had no idea who she was."

"But you did know who she was, didn't you?"

"Of course I did.  You brought Jennifer down to Clear Lake with you on your first date."

I nodded.  "You're right.  I forgot about that.  Thank you for keeping the secret.  As for Tommy's party, I was thinking of asking Judy Price to come with me."

"Good choice.  I heard you were dating.  I like Judy.  She is outgoing and Tommy loves dancing with her.  I am very happy for you.  Yes, please bring Judy."

In mid-November 1982, Judy and I had a great time at Tommy's birthday party.  Judy got to meet several couples from the now-disbanded Clear Lake Seven.  The highlight of the night came when we formed a pyramid to commemorate the event.  I was side by side with Tommy at the bottom.  Once we were set, Hazel and her lovely young daughters climbed aboard to form the peak.  I made many great friends during my dance career.  Tommy and Hazel were very high among my favorites. 

JUNE 1984

HAZEL GIVES ME A CALL

 

Fast-forward to June 1984.  A year and half had passed since my 1982 visit to Tommy and Hazel's home.  One morning I received a phone call from Hazel.  She had never called me before, so I was surprised. 

"What a pleasure to hear from you, Hazel.  Are you guys still dancing?"

"Yes, we are taking dance lessons down at the Bay Area Whip Club.  We still go dancing socially once a month with some of our Clear Lake friends.  How are you doing?  I heard a rumor that you and Judy broke up."

"Unfortunately, the rumor is true.  It happened recently."

"What went wrong?"

I frowned.  "To be honest, neither of us did anything wrong, nothing to regret.  If I told you, you would understand completely.  However Judy asked me to keep the reason quiet, so I will honor her wish.  That said, let me add that Judy was the best girlfriend I have ever had.  I am pretty depressed about losing her."

I was telling the truth.  Were it not for Judy's deep, dark secret, I had often thought about marrying her.  Instead the Epic Losing Streak was back in action.  Story of my life.

"Do you still see Judy?"

"Sort of.  Judy still teaches at the studio, but we keep our distance because it hurts to see each other.  It is a real shame because I think Judy is wonderful.  I love her dearly and we will always be friends.  Hopefully in time the pain will heal and we can be together more often."

"You're right, that is a shame.  You guys were really good together.  Listen, let me tell you why I am calling.  You are not going to believe this, but guess who I ran into?"

"I don't know, Johnny Carson, Michael Jordan, Santa Claus, I give up.  Who did you see?"

"Victoria."

My heart skipped a beat.  It had been two years since Victoria parted ways with me.  My first reaction was fear.  I was in a good place and preferred to keep it that way. 

Feeling cautious, I replied, "No kidding!  Really?  Where did you see her?"

"Tommy and I ran into her at the Houston airport."

"Well, I'll be darned.  Small world, isn't it?  How is she doing?"

"Beats me.  Victoria was unbelievably rude!"

My eyes narrowed.  "That doesn't sound like Victoria.  You and she were good friends.  Tell me what happened."

"Tommy and I were waiting to catch a plane.  We decided to get something to eat at one of the restaurants.  Tommy looked over and did a double-take.  He pointed to a woman with long blonde hair and asked if that was Victoria.  Sure enough, Victoria was sitting at a table with a nice-looking man about her age.  We never met Victoria's husband, but we were sure that was him.  They were a perfect match."

"Can you describe the man to me?"

I nodded as Hazel gave a brief description.  "Yeah, that sounds like Michael.  So what did you do?"

"Tommy and I went over to say hello.  I touched her on the shoulder and broke the ice.  'Hey, Victoria, how are you?  I've missed you!'  Victoria looked up and gave me some sort of go to hell look.  Then she averted her eyes to look out the window.  Stone-faced, Victoria never said a word and refused to make eye contact.  She just stared into space and pretended I didn't exist."

"That's strange.  Victoria is the most sociable woman I have ever met.  Why would she brush you off like that?"

"I was going to ask you the same question.  Beats the heck out of me.  Tommy and I just stood there wondering what to do.  I guess about 30 seconds passed in awkward silence.  Finally, Victoria's husband spoke up.  In a very soft voice, he said, 'It would be better if you go.'  We were so embarrassed, we turned and left the restaurant.  I was mad.  I wanted to go back and give her a piece of my mind, but Tommy had just the opposite reaction.  He didn't want to be anywhere near her."

"Good grief.  Any more to the story?"

"Yes.  When we got to the front of the restaurant, I grabbed Tommy's sleeve and told him to wait a minute.  I stopped and peeked back at Victoria.  I noticed she had resumed eating like nothing had happened.  The two of them didn't say a word.  It was the weirdest thing.  She acted like she had no idea who we were."

"That makes no sense.  I am sure you didn't appreciate being treated like that."

"No kidding!  I have to tell you, Victoria really hurt my feelings.  I do not understand why she would turn her back like that.  I never did anything to hurt her.  We were friends.  Why would she treat me that way?  What do you think was wrong?"

"Well, Hazel, if I had to speculate, I suppose Victoria preferred to avoid any conversation that would open the door to a discussion of her past marital problems.  My guess is that Victoria decided a conversation with you risked having her mistake revisited in front of her husband.  What if my name came up?  The potential for embarrassment has to be the reason for her cold shoulder."

"Yes, that's pretty much what I figured too.  But I wanted your take on it.  Do you ever wish you could see or talk to Victoria?"

"No way.  When we parted, Victoria said she expected we would see each other again someday.  However, given our controversial history, I think it is better to let sleeping dogs lie."

"Do you miss her?"

"Kind of.  I definitely think about her a lot.  Victoria changed my life, better in some ways, terrible in others.  I still have scars from the experience.  Let's face it, Victoria and I made complete fools of ourselves.  I learned the hard way that I had no business interfering with another man's wife.  Every time I think of what I did, I am filled with regret.  It stands to reason that Victoria must feel the same regret.  But it is tougher for her than me.  She has to live the rest of her life knowing she hurt Michael unnecessarily.  Maybe Victoria avoided speaking to you to spare his feelings."

"That makes sense.  The affair has to be a very touchy subject for both of them.  You know, Victoria never really told me what went wrong between the two of you.  I thought you made a great pair."

"Appearances can be deceiving.  I suppose we looked good in public, but we did not have much luck behind closed doors.  Victoria and I had our chances, but as the song goes, Victoria came along one promise too late.  We were doomed from the start.  By the way, I am glad you ran into her.  I have a question."

"What is that?"

"Did you see a wedding ring?  I heard through the grapevine that Victoria and Michael remarried not long ago.  However, I do not know if that is true."

"Now that you mention it, I did see a wedding ring on her finger.  At the time I assumed that was her way of indicating she was married in spirit without necessarily doing it officially.  They definitely looked married."

"If they did remarry, that would be wonderful.  It is the right thing."

"Hey, Rick, now you have me curious about something."

"Sure.  What do you wish to know?"

"The other night Tommy and I were watching a rerun of Casablanca.  Victoria was already on my mind due to the airport incident.  The moment I remembered the Bogart character was named 'Rick', I could not get you and Victoria off my mind.  At the end of the movie, Humphrey Bogart stepped aside so Ingrid Bergman could return to her husband Victor.  Was that what you did?  Did you step aside so Victoria could return to Michael?"

I rolled my eyes.  Good grief, if Hazel only knew the true story. 

"To answer your question, yes, just like Casablanca, I did try to step aside.  However Victoria would not let go.  Our relationship was wrapped around the studio.  For whatever reason, Victoria demanded we continue our personal relationship.  Otherwise she threatened to hurt the studio if I did not cooperate."

Hazel gasped.  "I never knew that."

"It is not something I like to talk about.  I gave in to protect the studio.  In the process I had to give up Jennifer.  Losing her nearly killed me.  Unfortunately, my sacrifice totally backfired.  I ended up spending three more years with Victoria."

"I apologize for being nosy, but what went wrong?"

"In the movie, Ilsa preferred Rick Blaine over Victor Laszlo.  However, she chose to do the noble thing and return to her husband.  In real life, Victoria insisted on keeping me instead.  However, once she had me, Victoria realized she had made a bad choice.  Deep down Victoria preferred Michael, but she was too ashamed to admit it.  Or at least that's the way I see it.  Victoria spent three years alternating between the two of us."

"Are you serious?  Three years?" 

"1979 to 1982.  I was ready to step aside any time she was ready to come to her senses.  However, since our relationship was intertwined with the business, Victoria had veto power over my wishes.  She insisted I stick around while she made up her mind, so I did.  But I wasn't happy about it.  Trust me, I had little trouble letting go when Victoria finally decided to return to Michael."

"That is so interesting.  But it brings up another question."

"Fire away."

"I hope you don't feel like I'm prying.  Just say so if this is none of my business."

"Go on."

"Okay, here's my question.  How on earth could Victoria's husband take her back after the horror she put him through?"

Ah, the million dollar question.  I smiled darkly.  "You know what?  I ask myself that same question all the time."

Hazel replied, "Then you must have an answer."

"Yes, Hazel, I do, but it is a little far out.  Are you sure you want to hear this?"

"Of course!  You can't stop now!"

"Have you ever heard of the Iliad?"

"Helen of Troy.  The Trojan War."

"Exactly.  In my imagination, Victoria's relationship with Michael ran an odd parallel to Helen of Troy.  Homer wrote that following the sack of Troy, Helen was dragged before her husband Menelaus, King of Sparta, and thrown at his feet.  The way I see it, Michael had the same decision to make as Menelaus."

"Okay," Hazel said, "I can see the parallel.  So what did Menelaus decide?"

"Menelaus was the man Helen spurned to run off with Paris.  Menelaus was understandably a proud man.  It wasn't enough that Helen had given her love to another man.  That was humiliating enough.  In addition, Menelaus had been forced to watch thousands of Greek warriors go to their death trying to avenge Helen's kidnap.  That included friends who died in battle before his very eyes.  The loss of these loyal men infuriated Menelaus no end.  Several times Menelaus spotted Helen watching the battles from a perch high above on the walls of Troy.  Each time his rage knew no limits.  This war was Helen's fault!  These men died because Helen could not be faithful. 

But the war was over now.  Helen had been thrown at his feet.  With Helen prostrate before him, Menelaus was so angry, he was trembling.  What should he do about his wife's betrayal?  What was a fit punishment?"

Hazel whistled softly over the phone.  "So what happened to Helen?"

"With his court watching in morbid fascination, Menelaus stared intently at Helen.  He was so angry his hands were shaking.  Everyone could see the rage burn inside him.  Bets were being taken whether Menelaus would have Helen beheaded or stabbed to death.  Others thought he would strangle her with his bare hands."

"So did Menelaus kill her?  That's what I would have done.  I am not the forgiving kind." 

"Me neither.  If it was up to me, I would have strangled her.  However, Menelaus did not kill Helen.  He hesitated due to his uncertainty of the truth.  How much culpability did Helen share in this foul deed?  Had Helen been kidnapped against her will?  Did she kick and scream or did she elope for love?  Did she leave of her own free will?  Unsure of Helen's answer, Menelaus decided this was a private matter.  So he dismissed the court.  Once they were alone, Menelaus raised his sword, but could not make himself strike her.  Abruptly Menelaus changed his mind and put down his sword.  In the end, he decided to take Helen back to Sparta."

"Really?  Did the Iliad bother to explain why Menelaus spared Helen?"

"Not to my knowledge.  I assume Helen told Menelaus that Paris had taken her against her will, then kept her captive behind the walls of Troy.  She probably claimed she was miserable at all times, a helpless victim who played along to save her skin." 

"Was Helen telling the truth or trying to survive?  I am sure most of the Trojans despised her."

"Who can say?  I assume Menelaus suspected Helen was complicit in the so-called abduction.  How else does one steal the Queen of Sparta?  One good scream would have stopped that.  However, Homer's Iliad depicts Helen as a woman who had come to regret her choice.  She was a wistful figure, a sorrowful one.  I imagine she told Menelaus she deeply wished to be reunited with him all along."

"Why would Menelaus believe a word she said?"

"That is a good question.  No doubt Helen continued to kneel at her husband's feet.  Prostrate before him, she wept huge crocodile tears and swore she had always loved Menelaus dearly.  When a woman is that beautiful and possesses the gift of silver tongue, she is difficult to resist.  If Helen claimed she was taken against her will and desperately wanted to return to the rightful arms of her husband, why not take her word for it?" 

"You don't suppose Victoria said the same thing to Michael that Helen said to Menelaus?"

"I wouldn't put it past her." 

"What would Victoria say to him?"

"No doubt that I seduced her and made promises.  Who knows what Victoria told her husband.  All I know is that Victoria can be very persuasive."

"So did you seduce her?"

I laughed scornfully.  "Yes and no.  Victoria was very tantalizing.  So back when she first declared her love for me, I reciprocated in a way that could be considered seduction.  However,  I knew right from wrong.  I said the only way I would touch her would be if she left her husband.  So she thought it about.  After three months of agonizing deliberation, one night she did indeed leave her husband.  She showed up at my doorstep and reminded me of my promise."

Hazel interrupted.  "I'm sorry to ask, but what was your promise?"

"Victoria claimed her husband had given her permission to have an affair with me.  I said I didn't trust her, that I would not take her word for it.  If she remained in the same home as Michael, why should I believe her?  So I told Victoria that if she left her husband, she was welcome to move in me as proof of her sincerity.  Under normal circumstances, she would have never dreamed of moving into my rundown house.  And I liked it that way.  That was how I kept her at arm's length.  However, Victoria is a very competitive woman.  She refused to let Madame X have me, so one night she knocked on my door to claim me.  Victoria showed me her suitcase and said she was moving in.  When I hesitated, she told me I was honor-bound to keep my promise.  What was I supposed to do?  If I spurned her, she threatened to burn down the studio."

"You mentioned that earlier.  Did Victoria actually threaten the studio?"

"Unfortunately, yes.  And I believed her.  Victoria has a deep vindictive streak.  If I chose Madame X over her, there was no doubt in my mind that she would seek revenge."

"Please tell me you are not making this up."

"I am telling the truth, Hazel.  Victoria made it clear that if I chose Jennifer over her, she intended to write a poison pen letter and mail it to my students.  In her words, 'I sacrificed my marriage for you and look how you treat me.  I built this studio and I can tear it down.'  Fearing she meant what she said, I kept my promise to let her move to keep her from hurting the studio.  That is why I let her through the door."

"Are you serious?"

"I am absolutely serious.  Victoria had me cornered.  If I defied her, I risked losing my career.  I had to choose between keeping Jennifer and probably losing the studio or turning my back on Jennifer to protect the studio.  I know this sounds awful, but I was already angry at Jennifer for threatening to return to her on-again, off-again boyfriend.  If Jennifer had stood by me, things would have been different.  But as it was, I had lost faith in her.  I decided I could replace Jennifer someday, but I could never replace the studio.  The studio was my child, my entire reason for being.  In a sense, I decided to sleep with the boss to keep my job."

"I'll be darned.  I always wondered how the Affair started.  Fascinating.  I have to tell you, ever since that airport incident I can't seem to get Victoria out of my mind.  Like I said, I am not a forgiving person.  I cannot imagine taking Tommy back if he pulled a stunt like that.  I have too much pride to accept that kind of behavior.  Nor do I trust easily.  If someone cheats once, I expect they will cheat again.  I am curious about Michael.  What is he like?"

"Michael is intelligent, soft-spoken.  He is very reasonable, very personable.  He is easy to like."

"Yes, that is the impression I had when I saw him at the airport.  Michael handled the awkwardness a lot more gracefully than Victoria did.  Michael seemed like a nice guy, a gentleman.  You know, during my airplane flight, Victoria's rudeness ate a hole through me.  The nerve of her to treat me that way.  I felt like she had slapped me in the face.  I don't understand why she was so cold.  I was so shocked at being two-faced, that is why I called you looking for answers."

"You have every right to be upset.  Victoria's behavior is very unpredictable.  She remains the great mystery of my life."

"Here's what I don't get.  Victoria and I spent a lot of time on the phone.  I liked Victoria, but there was one thing about her that never made any sense.  Victoria used to tell me all sorts of great things about her husband.  She continued singing his praises even after he moved out of his own house.  I would sit there listening and think, 'What is wrong with this woman?  If she thinks this highly of her husband, then why did she leave him in the first place?'  I could not get that thought out of my head.  Now that I have met the man, I realized Victoria was telling the truth.  Michael was so poised, I can see why Victoria was proud of him.  But that is why I am so baffled.  If she admired him so much, then why leave him?"

"I witnessed the same thing.  Many times I overheard her bragging about how wonderful her husband was at the Pistachio Club or the Winchester Club.  Every time I asked myself the same question.  It would be one thing if Victoria left a ruined marriage for someone she thought was better.  But obviously I was not an upgrade.  I say this because Victoria discarded me the moment she had me.  She stayed at my house one lousy week, then turned around and went home."

"Why didn't the affair end there?"

"That's what I thought too.  I figured she was going to back to her husband, but I was wrong.  She told me to stick around or she would carry out her threat."

"Why would she say that?"

"Victoria said I got her into this mess and she had sacrificed her marriage for me.  So the least I could do was remain her boyfriend until she figured out what she wanted to do now that she was home again.  Responding to her threat, I did what she said.  A year passed and her divorce went through.  Victoria was a free woman.  She was able to choose any man she wanted.  That included me, no guilt this time.  Did she show renewed interest in my direction?  Hell, no!  All she wanted to do was date other guys.  But here's the kicker.  She told me to stick around as her play buddy in case she changed her mind.  When I asked permission to do the same, she said no, quoting her recent divorce as the reason for her fragile state of mind.  This nonsense continued for two more years."

I paused to let my anger cool, then resumed.

"The woman is a total riddle.  For three years Victoria said she was in love with me.  However her actions never matched her words."

"Did you love her?"

"There was a moment when I did.  That's is when I said she could move in with me if her marriage failed.  But once she got cold feet, all bets were off.  I could not trust her."

"If she wasn't truly in love with you, then why would the woman turn her back on a guy like Michael in the first place?"

"They say a woman never forgets the man she could have had.  Victoria was not willing to let another woman have me.  I will go to my grave wondering why winning a beauty contest was more important than keeping a good husband."

"Are you bitter?"

"Yes.  And you would be too if someone kept you as a pawn for three years.  At the same time, I feel sorry for Victoria.  It was my impression that Victoria always wanted what she could not have, then lost interest the moment she had it.  For example, following their divorce, the moment women showed interest in Michael, she chased them off."

"Seriously?"

"Yes.  I know of two different women that Victoria chased off.  The second one shook her up so much, Victoria suddenly realized she risked losing him forever.  That was when she decided she wanted Michael back."

"Do you agree that her love for Michael never died, that it was there all along?"

"Yes, I believe that."

"But if she didn't leave Michael because she loved you more, then why do it in the first place?   Like I said, when I met Michael at the airport, I realized Victoria had been telling the truth.  She respects her husband and I can see why.  He is a very attractive man in more ways than just looks.  I don't mean to hurt your feelings, but I am dying to understand why Victoria left Michael.  Why would Victoria turn her back on a guy like that?  Didn't they have a child?  What woman in her right mind pushes away a good man who is the father of her child?  I wouldn't dream of treating Tommy that way.  That is not how a decent, God-fearing woman is supposed to act.  Why would Victoria betray Michael like that?"

I smiled a rueful smile.  Hazel was back to the million dollar question.  Why would Victoria choose the lesser man over the better man?  Should I give Hazel the Realistic answer or the Mystic answer?  Somehow I did not think explaining 'Cosmic Stupidity' was a smart move, so I decided to stick to Realistic.

"Victoria was in my life one month shy of four years.  In my opinion, Michael is a really nice guy, a gentleman just like you said.  As long as I live, I will never understand why she chose to betray him.  That is why Victoria's decision to choose me over Michael remains the great mystery of my life."

"Maybe she used you to get back at him.  Does Victoria have a legitimate reason I don't know about?"

"Like what?  What are you getting at?"

"I mean, did Michael provoke this by cheating on Victoria first?  Was her betrayal a payback?  Did he cheat on Victoria?"

"I doubt it.  Victoria has a big mouth.  She loves to complain.  Whenever Michael did something wrong like yell at her or call her trashy names, she always told me about it.  If Michael cheated or drank too much, I am sure that is the sort of thing she would have mentioned during the four years I knew her."

"That's good to know.  What about honesty?  Does he lie?  Is he a wife beater?"

"I doubt it seriously."

"Well, then, what was it?  What did he do wrong?  If he doesn't drink, cheat, lie, or abuse, that leaves squandering money."

"Victoria always said that Michael was an excellent provider."

"All right then, that leaves you as the only other explanation.  Maybe you are irresistible.  Tell me, Rick, are you irresistible?"

I scoffed.  "Hazel, if you knew my unfortunate track record with women, you would realize how absurd that statement is.  No, I am hardly irresistible.  However, I was in the right place.  Victoria was determined to be the most beautiful, most popular girl in the Disco Kingdom and I was the pawn she needed to claim her throne.  Victoria could take me or leave me as suited her whim.  To be honest, I felt like a patsy.  I had the distinct impression Victoria kept me around mostly to use as leverage against her husband."

"So let me get this straight.  You were not irresistible and you did not attempt to lure Victoria away from her husband."

"That is correct.  I assume you played 'Tag' as a little girl.  Victoria tagged me first.  She said loud and clear her husband didn't want her anymore, so feel free to come and get her.  So I did.  I don't claim to have clean hands in this mess, but my mistake came as the result of reacting to Victoria's provocation."

"Okay, Rick, then tell me something.  If I didn't know you, why should I believe you?  Why should I believe that you did not try to steal Victoria from her husband?"

"Because I was surrounded by a lot of very talented, very attractive women.  You met Patricia.  You met Jennifer.  You met Joanne.  There were others of similar value that I had my eye on.  I don't care how attractive Victoria is, I had other choices.  Plus I supported her marriage.  This Affair was her idea, not mine.  Trust me, this entire ordeal had more to do with their marital power struggle than my alleged attempt to seduce her.  Victoria felt like she was being ignored and taken for granted, so I was a handy way to punish Michael." 

"Good grief, the more you tell me, the more upset I get.  Unless you are engaged in serious character assassination, I cannot make sense of this story.  There must be a reason to explain Victoria's decision to chase you.  Listen, I am a woman.  I know for a fact that every woman has to have a reason to cheat.  When I first met Victoria, she struck me as a moral, God-fearing woman.  So what was Victoria's reason?!  I can't figure it out.  Just tell me one thing.  Promise me you are not hiding something.  This makes so little sense, surely you are leaving something out."

"You have my word I am being candid.  I am not proud of what happened, but I've come to grips with it.  I don't mind answering your questions.  Besides, maybe you can see something I can't.  I have covered this same territory with similar questions of my own.  The answers always elude me.  As far as I can tell, the only thing Michael did wrong was work too hard and ignore her.  Michael is very committed to his career.  He feels like what he does is important.  The world needs a cure for cancer."

"So Victoria complained that he ignored her."

"Yes.  Rather than support the guy and praise his commitment, Victoria got lonely and needed someone to appreciate her.  I definitely appreciated her.  Victoria helped me with my career in many ways.  During that time, a serious chemistry developed between us.  I am not going to deny that.  However, I have a pretty strong conscience, so I held out.  Unfortunately, the day I tried to pull away and call her pursuit off for good, Victoria flipped out."

Hazel interrupted.  "Was that the Madame X incident?"

"Yes.  I wanted to marry Jennifer.  As God is my witness, you have my word that I began our affair against my will to protect my studio from Victoria's wrath."

Hazel paused a moment to think about what I said.  Finally she spoke up.  "What you say is very disturbing, but I believe you.  But why three years?  Given what you say, Victoria was not exactly a very good girlfriend."

"I have several reasons why I stuck around.  Guilt, loyalty, need for atonement.  However, the real reason was a movie called Kramer versus Kramer.  That movie illustrated the damage people do to their children by fighting for custody.  The way I saw it, the dance studio was our child.  I did not want Victoria to lose her temper and damage the studio in any way.  What I wanted was for Victoria to hand me the studio of her own free will, then move on without rancor.  To accomplish that, I had to be patient.  I suppose if someone had told me I would have to wait three years, I might have chosen a different approach.  However, by waiting patiently, in the end Victoria handed the studio to me with her complete blessing.  That vindicated my decision to honor her wishes."

"Wow.  Good for her.  In the end she did the right thing.  But I still can't believe Michael decided to take Victoria back after all the pain and humiliation she put him through."

"Neither can I, but that's what happened.  You told me yourself you saw a wedding ring."

"Unbelievable.  But it makes no sense!  The Iliad is a work of fiction, but in real life, no one puts up with that kind of bullshit.  What do you suppose went through Michael's mind?" 

"That's a tough question, Hazel.  Like you, I am not very forgiving, so I can't imagine how Michael ever forgave her.  Like I said, I assume that Victoria appealed to his better nature and had the sense to blame her mistake on me."

"But you said she manipulated you into the affair!"

"Yes, that is true, but Michael didn't know that.  I am embarrassed to say this, but I don't have any witnesses to corroborate my story.  It's my word against hers.  I am fairly sure Victoria painted an ugly picture to Michael.  Trust me, when Victoria's memoir comes out, I will be the gigolo, a selfish user.  I was the man who deceived her, made promises, told her I loved her, and made a fool out of a lonely, vulnerable woman.  When she gets around to telling her side of the story, I expect to be the snake with the apple in the garden of Eden.  She will portray me as the villain who led an innocent woman astray.  Victoria is fully capable of spinning a yarn, so perhaps she was able to appeal to Michael for sympathy.  It is the only thing that makes any sense.  But let me say one more thing."

"What's that?"

"Victoria is the best mother I have ever seen up close.  She is phenomenal with her daughter.  And so is Michael.  He is a very caring father.  I am certain a major reason Michael gave Victoria a second chance was for the sake of his daughter."

Hazel paused for a moment to think it over.

"That makes a lot of sense.  I claim that I not the forgiving type and that it is true.  But I also have two wonderful daughters.  I can see myself making sacrifices on their behalf.  I imagine Michael thought the same thing.  He took Victoria back for the good of his daughter.  But what about you?  Didn't you do the same thing?"

"Are you referring to sacrificing Jennifer for the good of the studio?"

"Yes.  Plus sticking by Victoria's side for three years after that."

"I see your point.  You are right, the studio is my child, my mission in life.  I would do anything to protect it."

"Do you regret sacrificing Jennifer and your freedom?"

"At first I did.  But a strange thing happened.  Deprived of the chance to look for someone to take Jennifer's place, it gave me the incentive to pour my heart and soul into the dance studio.  For that reason I can make a strong case that Victoria's refusal to set me free led to the spectacular rise of my program."

"Someone told me you have the biggest dance studio in the city."

"That is true.  It is also true that I could not have done this without Victoria.  That should explain why I was so loyal to her."

"Well, good for you to stick by her.  However, you also make it sound like you wish she never pursued you in the first place.  Would you have the biggest dance studio in Houston if she had bypassed the affair?"

"That is a tough question.  Yes and no.  Before her breakdown, Victoria was like a mentor to me.  She groomed me to become a star in my dance kingdom.  She also showed me how to run a dance studio.  Thanks to her I gained the skills necessary to take full advantage of country-western dancing when Urban Cowboy came along.  Can I be honest?  The training I received from Victoria during the Disco Era is a major reason I did so well with Country-Western.  Could I have become as successful as I am without her blueprint?  Probably not.  But here is what I regret.  I wish we could have bypassed the unnecessary affair.  How many times did I tell Victoria let's skip the romance and be friends?  But no, she had to have it all.  The strange thing is that ultimately my lost years of freedom worked out in my favor.  Unable to play the field, I spent three years building my business with single-minded devotion.  In the process, I managed to grow in many ways.  What I am saying is the affair had an invaluable silver lining to it.  So the answer is yes, I doubt I would have had the biggest dance studio in Houston if Victoria had bypassed the affair.  The worst thing to ever happen to me ultimately worked in my favor.  As for Michael, however, I seriously doubt he saw any sort of silver lining."

"How much credit does Victoria get for building the studio?"

"She deserves a lot of credit.  In my heart, I do not think I had the talent or the experience necessary to accomplish what I did without Victoria's help.  Yes, it is a shame my studio was born of scandal, but give the woman her due, Victoria was one heck of an entrepreneur.  Thanks to the headstart she gave the studio, SSQQ turned out to be a pretty special place.  That is why I still care about Victoria despite her crazy behavior.  Every time I get angry, I say to myself, 'But look what a wonderful thing she gave me!'  In fact, that may be the answer to your question concerning Michael.  For all her faults, Michael admires Victoria for her skill as a mother.  And don't forget that Michael gets to return home to be with Stephanie on a full-time basis.  Those are compelling reasons to forgive Victoria."

"So what you are saying is that Michael decided to give Victoria a second chance for the good of the child.  And you did what you did for the good of your child."

"Yes."

"I get that, Rick, but I am still unsettled.  Listen, I am a mother just like Victoria.  I can tell you from personal experience that no mother in her right mind tosses away a good husband like Michael without a compelling reason, especially when there is a young child involved.  You and I have talked for nearly an hour and you have yet to offer me a single reason that makes the slightest bit of sense why Victoria would leave a good husband, a good home, and a loving daughter behind.  If there was no compelling reason for Victoria to leave Michael in the first place, then her betrayal must have hurt him terribly.  I cannot imagine the pain Michael felt knowing his wife had coldly turned her back on him when he had done nothing wrong.  How could Victoria behave this way knowing the enormity the pain she would cause him?  Any normal woman would have the sense to back away before it's too late."

"What you are saying is that Victoria's betrayal makes no sense."

"That is exactly what I am saying!  Her behavior exasperates me.  After she separated from Michael, Victoria came over to my house for lunch one day.  Victoria sat on my couch and spent the whole time telling me how wonderful Michael is.  She also admitted that she devastated him by choosing you over him.  Now you tell me that you were never in her long-range plans.  That drives me crazy.  It suggests that Victoria deliberately and knowingly chose the wrong man.  Victoria strikes me as a decent woman, but a decent woman does not behave this way.  Something snapped inside her and it makes no sense.  From what she told me, Michael works hard, provides for his family, loves his daughter and was a good husband.  I cannot emphasize this enough... No mother leaves a man like Michael without a compelling reason!"

I sighed for a moment, then responded.  "I completely agree with you, Hazel."

"So try again.  What was Victoria's compelling reason to leave her husband?"

"I do not know.  That is the great mystery of my life.  She did something impulsive.  She lost her mind for reasons I will never understand and made the worst mistake of her life.   On the surface, there is absolutely no rational reason to explain Victoria's rejection of Michael.  I can only blame it on loneliness.  Loneliness does strange things to people.  I guess Victoria got fed up with being taken for granted and wanted to demonstrate her attractiveness to other men to teach Michael a lesson.  Except that she took it too far.  Now she is doomed to spend the rest of her life wondering why her better judgment failed her."

"Oh, bullshit.  Sure, women get lonely.  So they flirt a little, attract some interest and pretty soon their husbands snap to attention.  I can see Victoria flirting with you, but an intelligent woman should know when to draw the line.  Not Victoria.  Victoria just kept going right over the cliff.  What did you do, sprinkle her with Disco fairy dust or something?" 

"Gee, Hazel, you finally figured it out.  I must have cast a Disco spell over her."

"Ha ha, aren't you funny!  Hey, a Disco Curse makes about as much sense as any other explanation that we've come up with.  Well, thank you, Rick.  I can't say I got all the answers I was looking for, but I feel better knowing you are just as baffled as me.  Before I go, let me say one more thing.  I am a student of human behavior.  I like to know what makes people tick.  Of all the people I have met in my life, Victoria is the one person I cannot seem to figure out.  So it makes me feel better to know you can't figure her out either.  Thank you for giving me a chance to explore the mystery of your life."

And that's where we left it.  Hazel thought I was kidding about casting a Spell, but I wasn't.  As far as I was concerned, the best explanation for Victoria's mistake was Destiny.  If our Affair was meant to be, then Fate would find a way to make it happen.