Viernes Está Para Bailando

He has to work until 2
That's the shift
And it sucks

Noche malísima de todos modos

That's what he tells himself

He's working with Ray
His supervisor
Only twenty-three
And already running the place

Hector thinks he should skip college
Stick it out at the gas station
Maybe get Ray's job
When Ray moves to St. Louis with his girl
Like he keeps saying he's going to

That's why he takes these Friday night shifts
Nobody else wants to work them
And it makes him look good to Ray

Maybe he'll give him a recommendation
When he leaves

Viernes está para bailando

But when he's running the gas station
And he's pulling in big money
He can dance on Mondays

Rich people dance whenever

The hardest part about working the Friday
Is seeing people come in and out
Filling up their tanks
Going places

Karen from school came in
Looking really good
With her hair all done
And her nails done
And her black lipstick

'Why you wearing black lipstick? You're not Goth.'
'I like to be a little dark sometimes.'
'Extraño.'
'Whatever.'

But she laughed
This is how they talk in class
During Bio
Which might as well be Greek
For what Hector understands of it

'Vas al baile?'
'Nah, gotta work. You know.'
'Yeah, I know.'
'How's your sister?'
'Desordenado. Same old, right?'
'Right, yeah.'

Her friend Tara beeped the horn outside
And Karen looked irritated

He liked that she looked irritated

'Gimme a call later. We might go to Ricky's after.'
'Cool, yeah. I got it.'

Hector wasn't sure that made sense
But he couldn't concentrate
With Karen writing her number
On the bottom of his name tag
Using the sharpie she took off the counter

It didn't look too professional
But he couldn't stop her either
He liked the pull on his shirt
As she pulled at his name

'Hey Boss, you trying to score dates?'

Ray came in from the back
With his time sheets
And a bottle of Coke

'Nah, Ray.'
'Then why you got your number under your name?'
'The number's not mine.'
'Scoring dates on the clock?'
'Wasn't trying to.'
'Ohhhhh...I got you, Boss.'

We had a lull there
So Ray turned on the t.v.
And we watched scratchy black and white
Reruns of some show that ran forever
That nobody ever watched

'So did you know this girl?'
'Yeah.'
'Yeah...and?'
'We go to school together.'
'She stop by to bring you dinner?'
'She was going to a dance.'

Ray turned off the t.v.
And sat down

'A dance at school?'
'Yeah.'
'Yeah...and?'
'And what?'
'How come you didn't go, Boss?'
'Because you scheduled me to work, Boss.'
'I would have let you off.'
'Yeah, well, I need the money.'
'You need to go out and have fun. It's a Friday.'
'It's just a school dance.'
'Gotta dance while you can, Boss.'

A car pulled in
Ray stood up

'I got this one.'
'I don't mind.'
'Yeah, but you're leaving.'
'Huh?'
'I'll put you on Sunday. Time and a half.'
'Serious?'
'Yeah, get out of here.'

He got his coat
And grabbed a Coke from the freezer

'Thanks, Ray.'
'Go home and put some gel in your hair first. You look like a dirty mop.'
'Haha, thanks, Boss. Tell Sara I said hi.'
'She'll be asleep when I get home. I'll tell her in the morning.'
'Thanks again.'
'Yup.'

Hector runs out into the Friday
And jumps in his car

In his mind he's already at the dance
And his hands are on Karen's waist

Maybe later he can kiss some of the darkness
Off her lips

Feels good, you know?

Feels good to know you're going out
To dance