The Prom

While all the news is doom and gloom about covid-this and covid-that, let us remember it is spring. A time for renewal. Chase away those old cold buggy-boos and welcome the flowers and sunshine and birds and cutting grass and showing your neighbors you pathetic legs after months of sitting on the sofa. This is the time to get out and attempt to jog while the weather is still cool enough. This is the time to go to the local hardware store (for they are essential) and pick up seeds and pots and plants to landscape until you forget to water and they wither up and die or a bunny eats them. Mighty tasty from what I hear.

Yet we are quarantined and not suppose to go out and play, so let’s remember the good old days.

The Prom

From what I hear this was a BIG DEAL! This was the event that ended the year before summer vacation.

Who you asked to attend the prom was the next best thing to getting married. A couple showed up together, dressed to the nines, if for only one night.

I think the ladies were more into this ritual than the guys because they had to pick out that ‘special dress’ and get their hair done and all the friends would gather around and giggle at clothing they would never wear anywhere else.

Guys would have to rent formal attire that went from sophisticated black and white with cummerbunds to bell bottom pastels that makes everyone laugh now.

In the rural land, the prom was the event of the season (other than the final football game and the state fair). This was the event when the kids could look their best to impress. No expense was spared.

Cars would be polished; plans of who would meet when and where were made, as the excitement of the prom got closer. Remember we are talking about teenagers.

The high school gym or local grange hall was decorated in tacky balloons and crape paper with a table with punch and cookies and chaperons to watch over the shenanigans.

There used to be local bands playing the same songs copied off the radio until DJs started spinning records. It was all carefully coordinated to keep the hyped up teens working off their energy with an occasional slow song to fuel the romance.

Like every teen event, the after-party was planned by the local fire department or 4-H Club at some comfortable setting where the teens could cool down while being supervised until dawn.

Like every teen event, they didn’t follow instructions. The parking lot would be full of giggling and sweaty gowns and tuxes trying to decide where to get some alcohol. There was mischief afoot.

Motel rooms had been reserved for this was going to be a ‘special’ night. This would be an evening to never forget.

Sometimes this was the evening that started a life long marriage. Sometimes this was a good-bye to college or the military. Sometimes it was just a rite of passage.

Along with the corsage presented to the date (to impress the parents) there was the garter ceremony.

There was even a King and Queen nominated and present to the class of the prom. Not sure where that went into the resume or the obituary?

Don’t know what happened to those prom dresses or rented tux. Put back on the rack after some serious dry cleaning and decontamination for the next class? If purchased, put in the closet next to the wedding dress(s) as a reminder of that special spring night.

I participated in many Cotillions. These were when girls came out (no, not like that). These ladies were presented on the arm of some appropriate gentleman to acceptable society as becoming a woman. There was no talk of losing virginity or passing out in the backseat.

These were formal dances held at private clubs and no expense was spared for these little princesses. The dance was a ritual passed down through generations and was strictly herded to.

Without final graduation, basketball finals, SATs, hanging around the soda fountain or going to the drive-in, the prom for this year will only be a dream that never happened.

No one knows what the future has in store, but reflect on the time of starched shirts and crinoline and moonlight slow dances at the prom.