My boys attended Prom only during their Junior year in High School, which differed from my own experience. Back in the 80s, I attended prom as a Sophomore, a Junior, and a Senior. What made the Junior prom so special was the opportunity to plan and take part in creating the event.
For me, the most exciting part of prom each year wasn’t the event itself—it was the shopping for the dress that brought the most joy. The pre-prom event occurred on a Saturday about a month before the dance. Mom and I spent the day at East Towne Mall in Madison with our good friends Jackie and her daughter Jill. We visited various stores, tried on dresses, and admired different colors, styles, and fits until one stood out. We always seemed to know and unanimously agree on which dress was perfect for Julie and me.
After shopping, we headed to a restaurant called Mountain Jacks, known for its delicious creamy mushroom soup and homemade bread. Each table also received a lazy Susan with lettuce and all the toppings. Shopping and dining with a small, happy group of family and friends… aaahhh!
On the prom night, we always took pictures in our living room with other couples before heading to the main event—the dance!
Prom consisted of couples with their arms around each other, swaying back and forth to slow songs. During anything more upbeat, we stood talking and laughing.
There was another memorable event that occurred during my Junior year. My boyfriend and I attended the dance and then went to a gathering of friends at Jim Weckerly’s house. We sat around talking until around 2 a.m. Then, my boyfriend took me home for a few hours of shut-eye. He picked me up at 6 a.m., and we went to breakfast in our full prom regalia. We arrived back at my house around 8:00 a.m., and this is where it gets interesting.
As we pulled into the driveway, briefly sat, and my boyfriend leaned over to give me a kiss. Unfortunately, as he did this, my kiss caused his foot to lift off the brake. The car slowly rolled forward and crashed through the closed garage door.
Flying out of the car, I looked across the street. We lived across from a park, and the baseball diamond was directly across the road from our house. At 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, a boys’ baseball team was in mid-practice. The coach in the field behind first base was laughing hysterically. He had obviously seen the commotion, and I assumed that he thought we had just returned home from the evening’s events.
Needless to say, Mom and Dad didn’t find our homecoming as exciting as the boys’ baseball coach did.
Reflecting on the evolution of prom experiences from my own high school days to my sons’, I can’t help but appreciate the timeless joys that remain constant. While the dynamics may have shifted, the essence of prom—whether it’s the thrill of finding the perfect dress or the unexpected twists like a memorable homecoming mishap—continues to weave unforgettable moments into the fabric of our lives. Reminiscing about those cherished memories, I’m reminded that it’s not just the event itself, but the journey leading up to it and the laughter shared along the way that truly make prom an enduring tradition.
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