My parents never really put much interest into my schooling. At most it usually consisted of a command - "Get in there & do your homework now", followed an hour later by a question - "Did you finish your homework?" & a reply by me - "Um, yeah, sure Mom (& if ya believe that I have a bridge to sell ya)." But I do give my mother credit - she belonged to the Sunshine committee of the PTA - where I think her job was to make the clouds go away on rainy days. I think that's what they did on that committee.
Which is why I found it curious that finally, finally, in my Senior year of high school, she decided to get more involved. She started badgering me to go to the Prom. Why or what prompted this (get the pun?), I don't know. But I finally gave in.
Now, I had no clue what a Prom was. I thought it was where the girls are on one side & the boys are on the other side & they play music. Boorring. The other thing was that I was very shy back then, unless I got to know you for 3 or so years. How shy was I? I had problems looking into the mirror & talking to myself. Can you imagine with a girl? Although I did have girl friends, just not girlfriends
One of them was Georgette, a Junior in my sister's class. We all hung around a lot. Georgette & I even held hands a few times when we walked. Not because I wanted to, but because she had a crush on me & wanted to. I was having borderline apoplexy. Well, she had mentioned the Prom a few times & what the hell - I asked her. She accepted. Happy Mom? A few days later she came over & told me that her mother wouldn't let her go to it. Dunno why. "Gee, Georgette, that's too bad (hahahahahah), sorry you can't go (hahahehehehaha)."
It didn't get me off the hook. My mother still brought it up. I told her I didn't know anyone to ask. She mentioned Evelyn. Now Evelyn lived across the street from me when I was younger. We were in the same elementary classes. She moved a few blocks away when I was like 11. When we reached high school I had lost all track of her. We were not in any classes together, she had her own friends & I rarely saw her in the hallways. But, I bravely went where no coward has gone before & I prepared to ask her.
I prepped & rehearsed what I was going to say to her. Nervous? You bet...not that she would turn me down, but that she would accept. I don't remember what night it was, but after postponing the inevitable enough, I walked down to her house. As synchronicity would have it, I passed Evelyn on the street the day before & we both said, "Hi" as we walked by. First contact in ages.
It was about 9pm, dark, chilly with a light drizzle. Perfect weather for the doom I was feeling. Against hope, they were home. I rang the bell & waited for her mother to come out & tell me she was sorry but that Evelyn had dropped dead or was taken by aliens. Instead, you know who answered the door. Figures. Can't get a break in life - geesh.
She gave a super friendly hello to me & I began talking. Now mind you, I hadn't spoken to Evelyn since elementary school. Well, I started talking & talking & talking & talking. No clue now what I talked about. All I know is that it was about school & tv & friends & God knows what else. And she was talking back too. She was probably wondering why this strange creature who she hadn't spoken to in years is suddenly at her door in the drizzle & prattling on about inane things.
Well, an hour passed & I was still prattling. It was getting scary because I was running out of things to say & it was getting near her bedtime, I assumed. Finally it just came out spontaneously. I swear I heard my self say "please don't go to the Prom with me", but she heard it as, "Can I take you to the Prom?"
Her eyes light up in surprise & I heard her say, "Yes, I'd love to go!" But I swear she meant to say, "Hell no, sucker." Well, the cat was out of the bag, so I prattled on just a few minutes more & left after telling her I'd see her tomorrow.
She went in probably wondering what the hell that was all about, but I'm sure very happy because she had no boyfriend & I don't think she would have gone to the Prom otherwise.
I walked home in the drizzle not believing what I had just done. Oh God. But also happy that I did it. And I didn't do it for my mother anymore, I did it for me - because I was getting out of my shell & I was hopefully doing something nice for my old friend from elementary school.
We went to the Prom, which opened a whole new world for both of us. We merged our friends into one group, did a lot of things together. The group carried on well after high school. And I had found true love, really, at least for those 4 months before we broke up.
Which is why I found it curious that finally, finally, in my Senior year of high school, she decided to get more involved. She started badgering me to go to the Prom. Why or what prompted this (get the pun?), I don't know. But I finally gave in.
Now, I had no clue what a Prom was. I thought it was where the girls are on one side & the boys are on the other side & they play music. Boorring. The other thing was that I was very shy back then, unless I got to know you for 3 or so years. How shy was I? I had problems looking into the mirror & talking to myself. Can you imagine with a girl? Although I did have girl friends, just not girlfriends
One of them was Georgette, a Junior in my sister's class. We all hung around a lot. Georgette & I even held hands a few times when we walked. Not because I wanted to, but because she had a crush on me & wanted to. I was having borderline apoplexy. Well, she had mentioned the Prom a few times & what the hell - I asked her. She accepted. Happy Mom? A few days later she came over & told me that her mother wouldn't let her go to it. Dunno why. "Gee, Georgette, that's too bad (hahahahahah), sorry you can't go (hahahehehehaha)."
It didn't get me off the hook. My mother still brought it up. I told her I didn't know anyone to ask. She mentioned Evelyn. Now Evelyn lived across the street from me when I was younger. We were in the same elementary classes. She moved a few blocks away when I was like 11. When we reached high school I had lost all track of her. We were not in any classes together, she had her own friends & I rarely saw her in the hallways. But, I bravely went where no coward has gone before & I prepared to ask her.
I prepped & rehearsed what I was going to say to her. Nervous? You bet...not that she would turn me down, but that she would accept. I don't remember what night it was, but after postponing the inevitable enough, I walked down to her house. As synchronicity would have it, I passed Evelyn on the street the day before & we both said, "Hi" as we walked by. First contact in ages.
It was about 9pm, dark, chilly with a light drizzle. Perfect weather for the doom I was feeling. Against hope, they were home. I rang the bell & waited for her mother to come out & tell me she was sorry but that Evelyn had dropped dead or was taken by aliens. Instead, you know who answered the door. Figures. Can't get a break in life - geesh.
She gave a super friendly hello to me & I began talking. Now mind you, I hadn't spoken to Evelyn since elementary school. Well, I started talking & talking & talking & talking. No clue now what I talked about. All I know is that it was about school & tv & friends & God knows what else. And she was talking back too. She was probably wondering why this strange creature who she hadn't spoken to in years is suddenly at her door in the drizzle & prattling on about inane things.
Well, an hour passed & I was still prattling. It was getting scary because I was running out of things to say & it was getting near her bedtime, I assumed. Finally it just came out spontaneously. I swear I heard my self say "please don't go to the Prom with me", but she heard it as, "Can I take you to the Prom?"
Her eyes light up in surprise & I heard her say, "Yes, I'd love to go!" But I swear she meant to say, "Hell no, sucker." Well, the cat was out of the bag, so I prattled on just a few minutes more & left after telling her I'd see her tomorrow.
She went in probably wondering what the hell that was all about, but I'm sure very happy because she had no boyfriend & I don't think she would have gone to the Prom otherwise.
I walked home in the drizzle not believing what I had just done. Oh God. But also happy that I did it. And I didn't do it for my mother anymore, I did it for me - because I was getting out of my shell & I was hopefully doing something nice for my old friend from elementary school.
We went to the Prom, which opened a whole new world for both of us. We merged our friends into one group, did a lot of things together. The group carried on well after high school. And I had found true love, really, at least for those 4 months before we broke up.
Speaking of proms, a year later I was asked to a Senior Prom by Elaine, who I hung out with but we were not boyfriend/girlfriend. So, yeah, we went. But 3 days prior to the prom I went fishing with some friends down south Jersey in the bay. The boat was a little putt-putt with no protection from the sun. Well, we had our fun & fishing of 8 or so hours. Next day I woke up & kablooey - sun-burned to hell. It so happens that I burn easy - too easy. Besides the pain of the sunburn, my lips turned into neat pockets of burnt sores. This was not going to sit well with me at the prom. So I tried all kinda ointments & prayers, but still had the sunburn & great lips of sores.
Ever try to wear a tux with neat sunburn all over ya? Not comfortable indeed. I apologized to Elaine after beating my head against the wall at home. So the prom went off super despite my pain. But when I brought her home & after careful consideration, we both decided that kissing goodnight was not such a good thing. I haven't fished since then.
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