Song du Jour: "Feliz Navidad"

Jose Feliciano, "Feliz Navidad."

Two weeks before Christmas a couple years ago, my daughter and I walked into a diner in Palo Alto, California. Two Chinese women were behind the counter, giddily running their own business. We got our sandwiches and sat down to munch.

The place was half-full, a Sunday morning. I was in a good mood -- our first semester at the adult playground that is Stanford University was over, and now there was a lull in the action as we got ready to go home for Christmas -- so I went about doing what I do best when I'm in a good mood: embarrass my daughter.

"Feliz Navidad" came on over the speakers and I started shimmying in my seat, munching potato chips, and snapping my fingers like Minnie the Mooch. My daughter rolled her eyes and told me to stop.

I was about to, but then I felt a tap on the shoulder of my jean jacket. I turned to find a senior citizen babe with white hair and a powder-blue sweater holding her hand out to me. "May I have this dance?," she said.

I'd noticed her when we'd walked in. She was alone at a table with an address book, stamps, Christmas cards, and envelopes strewn out before her.

I took her up on her offer. Twirled her. Dipped her. Sang the song. The Chinese women clapped and laughed. My daughter was mortified but extremely entertained. When the song finished, we politely thanked each other for the dance. I finished my lunch, she went back to her Christmas cards, and we said goodbye.