[TANGO-L] a friend of tango

[Janis Kenyon <jantango @FEEDBACK.NET.AR>]

During my second visit to Buenos Aires in March 1997, I went to Club Almagro
one night where a stout gentleman invited me to dance a tanda of Pugliese.
Afterwards, he escorted me to my table and asked me to write my name on a
piece of paper for him.  He in turn gave me a small scrap of paper with a
number on it.  No, it wasn't his telephone number.  It was a number given to
me as dancer No. 6,458.  I asked the woman with whom I was seated about the
significance of this number.  She told me that he is an accountant by
profession and is keeping a record of all his partner in the milongas.

It was about a year ago that this man, David Derman, gave me one of the
special cards he had printed to give to his partners.  The card indicates
the date, city, number and and name of the dancer. It has David's photo with
his address and telephone number.  And with this message: ya para siempre te
registre en mi corazon para mi no seras solo un nombre ni seras solo un
numero, tendras de mi este recuerdo de quien te agradece profundamente haber
compartido estos minutos de danza en la cuales nos evadimos del mundo
material y nos introdujimos a puntillas de pie en el rieno de la emocion y
la alegria que nos depara el tango.  Gracias por bailar conmigo.

David Derman turned 69 on April 9.  His partner for the past 11 years,
Susana, told me that he was parked in his car in front of El Beso the night
of September 4, when he passed.  His dance partners numbered around 7,600.
He loved all kinds of music, but especially tango and jazz.  He was known
and loved by everyone in tango.

Pichi de Buenos Aires