The Dotusi

The Widow O'Malley's basement on Chickatawbut Street in Neponset is full of the mingled sounds of house music and boot heels. Her nightclubbing grandchildren and their neighborhood colleagues are intent on choreographing the next dance craze they expect to sweep Boston and then the nation. Who knows? At the 2012 Democratic convention we may be watching the delegates do the Dotusi on broadcast television.

Charlie O'Malley explains: "I was watching a Batman marathon on cable one night and I saw Batman dancing the Batusi. I could relate to Adam West. This is how we dance at block parties around Neponset Circle. The hand gestures and the hip shake...they're pure Dorchester. I thought about how to make it more local and express the spirit of the Dot and I got to thinking that, really, at all the clubs downtown, Dorchesterites are lords and ladies of the dance floor. By combining the Batusi with some Riverdance moves, I think we've come up with something that combines the best elements of Dorchester in a way everyone can get on board and strut their stuff."

He and his friends went through some steps for my benefit. They made their fingers into peace signs and pulled their hands over their eyes. They shook their arms like they were holding a cape. They shook their booties for at least five seconds. The whole time they were high-stepping with their feet rat-a-tat-tat on the Widow O'Malley's cement basement floor.

"Come Spring we're thinking of renting the Party Trolley to introduce this new dance to Boston," Charlie continued. "We'll start here in Neponset and then head inbound tying up traffic all the way with strobe lights, disco balls and fresh moves. We're planning on hitting Felt and Machine and then Utopia in Fenway. We'll probably stop at other places along the way. We want to spread the Dotusi wherever it will take. I think this dance has it all: blue collar, camp, highbrow, Irish, and most importantly...fun."

Lost on Washington Street

I was in Eggleston Square in Roxbury this afternoon doing a little shopping at Skippy White's Record Store when I noticed a pedestrian wandering about from corner to corner between Washington Street and Columbus Avenue, obviously without a compass. "You look lost," I said. "You've got that right, friend," he replied. "Which direction do I take to Codman Square?"

"You're a long way from Codman," I answered.

The stranger looked up at the street sign and said, "But I'm on Washington Street, right?"

"You're on Washington Street, alright," I said, "But you're on Washington Street in Roxbury. That's a different avenue from the Washington Street in Dorchester."

"Am I still in Boston?"

I reassured him, "Indeed you are. The problem is, if you follow this Washington Street, you'll end up in Hyde Park in one direction or downtown in the other. If I were you, I would head that away toward downtown. At least you'll be able to catch the T and save yourself some shoe leather. If you take the Red Line to Shawmut you'll just be a few blocks from Codman. I wouldn't recommend walking to Dorchester's Washington Street from here."

The stranger looked puzzled. He asked, pleadingly, "Where am I?"

"Oh, you're in Boston," I said, "You're not that lost yet, but don't let the street names confuse you. There are at least four Washington Streets that I know of but there are probably more that I don't. Don't trust the signs. In Boston you have to poke about and find your way through trial and error. I was like you when I first moved here but I've learned my way around. Just get on the T and it will take you close to where you want to go, assuming its close to a T station."

"Where's the nearest T station?"

I pointed westward. "It's somewhere over there," I said. You'll hit a main-looking road that runs north south and you should follow that one way or the other as you feel inclined. You wander back and forth along a few one way streets with no clue where you're headed until you hit some stairs headed underground, Follow the rumble of a train on submerged tracks. Let that sound be your guide and you'll eventually find your way."

"Can I follow you?" he asked. I told him I was taking the bus through Jamaica Plain to Calumet Square in Mission Hill and once he was dropped off there he would be just as lost as he was here. "Let your conscience be your guide," I said, feeling like Jimminy Revere, ""You'll get where you're headed in the end even if it takes you all day. We've all done it at least once."

Taking the Bus on The Red Line!!

We arrived at Downtown Crossing en route to JFK/UMASS and the station was full, shoulder to shoulder from the platform's edge to the exit stairs. The announcement came that train service was closed due to a fire at South Station and buses would take passengers to thier destinations. The announcement didn't say where the buses would be but my companion and I are quick on our feet and we hightailed to the light of day. There was no sign of a bus on Winter Street.

We decided to head to Park Street where there were already buses headed toward Kendall/MIT for some regularly scheduled bridge maintenance. Unfortunately, this was just as the Gay Pride Parade was ending and Park Street was crowded and clotted with celebrants as well as disgruntled T passengers who had been disgorged from that station. We could see this from the corner of Macy's. We conferred and decided South Station would be better equipped for a speedy, less congested escape from downtown.

We got to South Station and there was a crowd but no buses. I went to the turnstyles and was told the buses would be directly upstairs. They weren't, so we went into the station to see if we could cadge a ride on a regularly scheduled bus headed down Dot Ave. There were no schedules in sight and no indication where that bus may be found, if it indeed exists. We headed back to the crowd across from South Station's main entrance. There were four buses there by now and we got on board number four.

All in all, it was a speedy trip from South Station through South Boston to Andrew Square and then JFK/UMASS. One woman even ate a cup of ice cream while straphanging for the full T experience. When she got off at Andrew, some wag commented that at least she hadn't been eating pork lo mein. It was very speedy and the MBTA performed admirably. I am sure this dispatch of little inconvenience will be in the minority, but as usual, I think the MBTA did a good job, all things considered. It was a lovely day to walk back to the Dot, but I didn't have to. Dare I say the bus driver looked like a halibut?