It was nearly eight PM and the Davis family hadn't returned from dinner at Pizza Planet. In Andy's room Mr. Mike's dial had been switched to the radio and music was blaring. Jessie in particular was having a rollicking good time, boogying with whatever and whomever she could get her little wooden hands on.
Buzz sat off to the side watching the other toys dance. He knew he could dance the batteries out of any of them (He was the most athletic toy in the room after all) but still he stayed in his spot. Instead, he just sat quietly with his blue eyes glued to Jessie.
Woody danced by holding onto Bo. Buzz could tell Bo was actually the one leading since Woody wasn't that great of a dancer, but he didn't say anything.
"Hey Buzz, what are you doing sitting there all by your lonesome?" Asked Bo as they danced in front of him.
"Yeah, come join us!" Woody encouraged.
"No thanks. I wouldn't want to be the third wheel…"
Woody rolled his eyes. "Not us us! I mean join the party!"
Buzz waved him off. "Nah…" He continued to stare past them.
Woody followed his friend's gaze. It was firmly attached to the red headed Cowgirl who was moving to the radio rhythm. "Hoo Boy…" He stopped dancing. "'Scuse me Bo, but I gotta go cheer someone up."
She made a playful pout. "Ok, but you owe me another dance."
As Bo walked away to join the rest of the toys, Woody took a seat on the blocks. "So what's wrong? Isn't this your big opportunity to dance with Jessie?"
"I dunno. Maybe."
"So," Woody shrugged. "Ask her. I mean, she's dancing with everybody else." They looked at Jessie. Mike was playing:
"You spin me right 'round, baby
Right 'round like a record, baby
Right 'round, 'round, 'round…"
Jessie had picked up Mr. Potato Head and was gleefully spinning in a circle. Suddenly his arms popped out and he went flying. Jessie winced as he hit the Lincoln Log Cabin and his parts went in all directions. "Sorry! Sorry!"
"Then again," said Woody. "Maybe you don't dare…"
"I'm not worried about that!" Buzz interrupted. He sighed. "It's just that…well…"
"Well what?"
"I'm…"
"Come on Buzz!" Woody demanded. "Spit it out!"
"I'm too short!" Buzz finally exclaimed. He slunk back, looking defeated.
Woody blinked. "Too short? What does that have to do with the price of beans in Texas?"
Buzz looked at him confused. "I don't know. What?"
Woody sighed in irritation. "It's just a phrase," he explained. "It means what does your being short have to do with you asking Jessie to dance?"
"You don't get it! When a guy dances with a girl, he should be taller! At the very least the same height! And I'm just…" He didn't finish.
"Buzz," Woody tried his best to sound comforting. "I'm sure Jess doesn't mind that you're shorter than her."
"Well I mind."
Woody gave a helpless shrug. "You're not that much shorter."
"Easy for you to say! You're taller than everyone!" Buzz put his chin in his hands. "If only there was some way to make me taller…"
"You spin me right 'round, baby," played Mike.
Right 'round like a record, baby
Right 'round, 'round, 'round…"
Buzz's eyes suddenly lit up. He looked at Woody, who was tapping his hands against his knees to the beat of the music. He stopped tapping. "What?"
"I don't know how I let you talk me into this." Woody grumbled as he stood in front of the toy box where the other toys couldn't see.
Buzz was standing behind him on a stack of blocks, pulling on a large doll coat. "Just try not to trip okay?" Awkwardly, he began to climb on Woody until he was perched on the Cowboy's shoulders.
"Ow! Careful!" Buzz let the bottom of the coat fall over Woody. "I can't see!" He pulled the coat open a little bit. Buzz quickly shut it.
"Don't do that! You'll give us away!"
"Oh like she's really not going to notice…"
"Move forward!" Buzz instructed. He wobbled as Woody moved. "Whoa, not so fast! Ok, left! Now straight! Slow down a little!"
"I can't see where I'm going!" Woody complained.
"Ok, a little more to the left! Now stop!"
The first song had stopped and now another took its place. Jessie was dancing by herself:
"I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry
What could I do?
My baby's love had gone
And left my baby bluuuueeee…"
Buzz cleared his throat and Jessie turned around. Seeing the Space Ranger in the long coat she began to laugh. "So which one of the Seven Dwarfs are you supposed to be?"
"Dopey." Came the muffled reply from inside the coat. Buzz gave him a kick. "Ow!"
He looked up at Jessie and smiled sheepishly as he pointed down. "Uh, my tummy is talking." Jessie giggled and tugged her braid.
Again, Buzz cleared his throat. "Jessie, may I have this dance?" He asked, trying to bow a little without much success.
Jessie's face lit up. "Sure!" Buzz's arms were now above her head and she had to reach up to take his hands:
"Dance magic dance, magic dance
Magic dance, magic dance
Put that baby's spell on me…"
"You know Buzz," Jessie smiled almost shyly. "I've been waitin' all evening for you to ask me to dance."
"Really?" Buzz looked happy, then concerned. "The height difference doesn't bother you?"
"Well, it's a little awkward." She admitted. "I can't put my arms around you."
"No, I mean before." He blushed a little. "Because well, you know…"
Jessie stopped dancing and smiled. "Buzz Lightyear, did you do this because you're insecure about being short?"
Buzz gave an unconvincing laugh. "Who me? No way! Buzz Lightyear is never insecure!"
"Oh yeah right!" Said Woody inside the coat. Again, Buzz gave him a kick.
Jessie squeezed Buzz's hands. "Partner, I don't care if you're the size of a giant or a Smurf! I'll dance with you any time!"
"Well, if I were a Smurf you'd have to be careful not to step on me." Jessie laughed. Standing on her tip toes, she tried to reach Buzz's face as best she could. Buzz bent down with his lips puckered…
Suddenly, he began to wobble. "Buzz be careful!" Woody cried from inside the coat. It was too late. Buzz stretched out his arms like a windmill trying to keep his balance, but he toppled anyway, taking Woody with him. Jessie had no time to get out of the way and they landed on right on top of her.
On the floor, Buzz climbed out of the coat and crawled over to Jessie. He stood up. "Jess, are you ok?" He asked, holding out his hand.
She nodded and took it. Helping her to her feet, he asked, "You're not hurt are you?"
"Nah." Jessie suddenly smiled at the hand holding hers. Buzz began to blush as she sidled up to him. "Buzz, may I have this dance?"
Buzz smiled as a slower song began to play. "I'd be delighted." He placed a hand on her hip as he clasped the other one. They began to move to the rhythm of the music:
"Slow dancing, swaying to the music
Slow dancing, just me and my girl…"
Buzz flushed red as Jessie put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Gently, he petted her braid, hoping she wouldn't mind. She didn't.
"Slow dancing, swaying to the music
No one else in the whole wide world
Just you, girl…"
Woody stood off to the side with his fingers in his belt loops, watching the pair. Jessie, with her big green eyes closed, looked contented.
Someone tapped the Cowboy on the shoulder. He turned. "Oh, hi Bo."
She smiled slyly. "You still owe me that dance, Sherriff." Woody smiled and took her in his arms. They began to sway.
"No one else in the whole wide world
Just you, girl…"