some thoughts on prom

the beach bum
So, beach bum, jr. has a date to jr/sr prom tomorrow. The works. Tux--pink vest!--dinner reservations, new shoes picked out w/ Ma beach bum's help, etc. there's even a free t-shirt from the tux rental place, the punchline to which is "Looking sharp in a tux from Floyd's...priceless!"

Some prom observations:
--they're expensive! dinner, tickets, tux, flowers, pictures....
--they're fun! dinner, dance, post-prom parties (he has two lined up)
--most folks only have two in their lifetime
--I hope beach bum, jr. has a wonderful time!
--his date is in one of my classes I teach....yeah...that's slightly awkward...
--mrs. beach bum & I are chaperones...on the late shift....the cleanup shift. Two things I'm very un-good at: staying up late, and cleaning up. But I'm actually looking forward to it.
--one of my students & his date are arriving by boat from across the lake. How cool is that?


Proms are a link from new school to old school. A satisfying link (to me, anyway). Not all traditions are worth keeping, nor celebrating. However, it is equally true that not all traditions are worth denigrating nor jettisoning.

My old self is glad that prom is still a big deal. Here's hoping that it always will be.

BTW, I went both 11th & 12th grade years. With the same girl. In 11th grade, she was my girlfriend. In 12th, we were "still friends." Last I heard, she was the wife of a Methodist pastor out in TX somewhere. I hope she's happy & fulfilled, as she did not get much of that at her house.

One more thing. It seems that students frequently feel the need to bend/break/shatter rules on prom night in ways that they never would otherwise. Here's hoping that none of that happens tomorrow night. Or if it does that no permanent scars are inflicted.