Last weekend as I was coming home, I
noticed the neighbor’s high school-aged daughter outside their house in the
middle of suffering through photos with a young lad before heading off to what
I assume was their high school prom. Either that or they were in route to an
event celebrating girls in hideously colored formal dresses, because her
peach-tinted affair rated as one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Still, despite
the visual assault her dress launched on my eyes, seeing the young couple all
awkward and irritable in the presence of her fawning parents made me smile and reminisce.
Back in my high school days, I never really
understood the whole idea or notion of prom, honestly. The entire event seemed
like an excuse to spend a lot of money for what essentially turned out to be another
high school dance, except it was held in some hotel conference room and all the
boogying was done in uncomfortable clothes with ruffles and shiny shoes. Throwing
in a semi-decent meal wasn’t exactly a big enticer for me, either. Really, and
probably sadly, in the big scope of things, prom seemed like an opportunity for
a few hundred or so underage kids to congregate together after the formal stuff
was out of the way and proceed to drink themselves silly until the sun came up.
I also felt the officials in my school
failed in the opportunity to inform students why prom was even an important event
in the first place and maybe even provide a little background and history of
prom’s origins. Why was it exactly that kids dressed up, rented limos, and
bought each other flowers? Not that I minded; I just wasn’t sure what the
occasion was exactly. As it was prom was just kind of announced a few months
before the shindig took place as being on such and such date and at such and
such location. Wear a tux or a dress, cover the cost of the meal, bring a date
if you can get one, and that was that. Not sure what the importance of prom
themes where, either, and I can’t remember a single one.
Despite all my reservations and
questions about prom, I have to admit I got sucked into the pageantry of the
whole thing and actually liked seeing my classmates all prim and proper—well,
some more than others; powder-blue doesn’t flatter everyone. In a small town
where you see the same kids all year, day in and day out, there’s something
refreshing about seen the gearheads and band members and jocks and thespians
and wallflowers and farm kids and others get out of their tennis shoes and jeans
and get all dolled up for one night.
I went to prom four times starting my
sophomore year and coming back for one more as a college freshman with my
girlfriend who was still a senior. That first one was an eye-opener. I was only
15, it was the first time I was measured for any type of clothing in my life, I
didn’t know what cufflinks were or where they went, and the usefulness of a cummerbund
escaped me (and still does). Worse, there were very few of my own classmates
there, and I felt out of place with so many older kids. Even worse still, I got
dumped at the party afterward, which was held in a cornfield. (Glitz and
glamour, baby.) On the positive side, there was plenty to drink my sorrows away
with, and although my ego was bruised a bit, I wasn’t all that upset with being
ditched. It wasn’t like we were in love, and it wasn’t like I really expected
our “relationship” to be long-term. I just thought it was cool I got asked.
Besides, my best friends were at the party, and we tore that cornfield up.
The next three proms were much better
and much more fun. My tuxes got progressively better-looking, there were many more
of my friends in attendance, I got to drive big daddy’s car to all the gigs,
and the two girls I went with those three years were great friends and great
people I was proud to be there with.
My senior year, I got to see my main man
Chris get crowned as king, and truthfully it nearly made my entire year. That
year was also the first time in my life I wasn’t given a curfew, something I
can’t believe occurred to this day.
I’m pretty far removed from proms, but I
know through my kids how much has changed. Back in my day, there was no
school-sponsored post-prom party with raffles and events and good-intentioned
parents looking out for the kids by keeping alcohol and other substances out of
the equation. In fact, back then, I think it’s safe to say kids looked forward
more toward the after-prom party where the beer would flow than they did the
actual event. Kids will be kids. Today, there are also different kinds of proms,
including an “alternative” prom at my daughter’s school where gay and lesbian
kids can celebrate without a hassle. Very cool.
Some kids never go to prom, which I find
a shame but understand. I’m thankful I did. I’ve great memories, and when I see
photos from those proms, it reminds me I had a pretty good childhood.
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