HUDDLE!

I have wondered ever since we drove away from Camp DuNord if the Irish Jig Huddle tradition would work outside of the magical sphere that is family camp. Would our four families gather some night for a reunion dinner and adhere to the command to huddle and jig if someone called it out? Right in public? And would it work? There was something about the darkness and the mood and the space that made our huddling raucous and undeniable out at camp last week- would it work here in the cities? Would we be as enthusiastic? Because a huddling jig is nothing without full on enthusiasm.
Well, this is what I know. I was at the neighborhood pool the other day with my boys when I noticed Theo looking shy and a bit nervous- I followed his gaze and saw that he had spied Kira- a DuNordian pal. I think he was going to play it cool, but then Kira spotted him. I was watching from the sidelines and was pleased as punch to see Kira run up to Theo in the middle of the kiddie pool, grab his shoulders and start doodle-de-dooing at the top of her lungs. Theo looked surprised for only a second, then he threw back his head and belted out the tune with her, both of them highstepping it and kicking up water. They finished with a fist pumping 'Hey!' and then instantly turned to go grab Eli. He, being a bit older and trying for an attitude of maturity every now and then these days, remained aloof for the first measure. But then I saw "What the hell" pass over his expression and he jumped right in. I giggled away watching the three of them being taken over by joy. Later, Kira bumped into me on the diving pool deck. Upon recognition she instantly grabbed me and started dancing. I joined in, wholeheartedly. Without our whole group to back us up, the tune was a bit foreshortened and not as loud, but every bit as joyful.