Split Second Essay, Research Paper

Foreign country. Exotic setting. Unfamiliar feelings. All these thoughts crowded my head, as I walk through the doorway to the building. Setting foot in an Italian dance club, although a new place, has the same mood as a club in the U.S. On vacation in Florence, wanting to experience new things, I ventured to a local discoth?que, to get a taste of the nightlife.

My senses come to life, as I creep across the dance floor observing my surroundings. Sweaty bodies dance to the beat, constantly moving, never stopping, even to breathe. One couple, dancing intimately in the corner, draws my attention, because of the intenseness of their actions toward one another. Packs of males slither across the floor, as if looking for their next victim, flirting with the nearest lady they can find. Barely-there outfits, create a wide spectrum of colors and shapes on the dance floor, as bodies move in and out, forming a human jungle. The intensity of the strobe lights hurt my eyes, as I strain to see across the room.

The overwhelming smells on the dance floor engulf me as I make my way through, hoping by chance to recognize someone. An odd odor, a mix of sweat and various scents of perfume, hits me head on, as I make my way through the crowd of people in front of me. Every person seems to be wearing a different perfume or cologne and the mixing of all of them, gives me an instant headache. The stench of burning or long ago burned cigarettes fills the empty holes in the atmosphere. As I look up, I realize there is a huge cloud of smoke hovering over the room, created by the many cigarettes, and adding to the feeling of suffocation in the tiny space.

I finally see the bar in the distance and make my way over, sidestepping a crowd of rowdy twenty-somethings. The man behind the bar looks at me peculiarly, as I order a drink. The sting of tequila, sliding down my throat, is like a smack in the face. Having an unexpected burst of energy, I move rapidly to the dance floor, to make the most of my sudden alertness. The heat has turned humid, creating a light film on my skin, from dancing. Lost in the crowd of frantic people, I try my best to stay upright, for fear of being trampled if thrown to the floor.

The sound of the pulsating bass rings in my ears, creating a rhythmic beating in my head. People following the beat, jumping up and down, and moving side to side, creates a sea of dancers, all in sync. The sounds of peoples? screams, whether it is of drunkenness or of pure joy, echo in my ears. One crazy individual runs around the room, tossing out Mardi Gras beads to each and everyone who screams. Wanting to follow suit and blend in, I?m sucked into the fanatical scene before me.

The feeling of sweaty bodies, pushing against me, generates a human wall around me. My body, numb from dancing, feels like it has been moving for hours, but in reality has only been a split second. The humid heat and my claustrophobic tendencies, makes the moment last a lifetime. A feeling of purity passes through me as I continue to dance through the night.