Your Prom is on the same night as mine?!

Prom

Well, time went on and prom was coming. Yes, Ronnie asked me to the prom! We met in April and the prom was in May. Not many days had passed but again this is teenage world. It felt like we had known each other forever. I picked out a dress at the local Casual Corner, put it on layaway and paid on it with my own paycheck each week. My Mom offered to make me a dress but after I saw the pattern she picked out. Well, lets just say I didn’t want to look exactly like Laura Ingles on Prom Night. I saw the cutest cotton woven flats so I bought them to go with my supper lacy dress. They came with cotton laces that were to be worn wrapped around your legs but I replaced them with pink satin ribbon. I didn’t need flats as Ronnie was taller than I. Finding any shoes to fit my size 4 feet that would match my dress proved to be a bit difficult.

My dress had big puffy short sleeves made of white lace hearts, the skirt alternated in pink and white satin panels with white lace hearts as an over skit. The most difficult item to find was a draw string hoop skirt or crinoline slip with a small enough waist! I was only 98 pounds. I picked Casual Corner since at that time not many stores offered the “We only sell one dress for each school during prom season. We want you to be the only girl at your Prom with your dress.” My mother did have to take the dress in quit a bit. It was a size 4 but it was still way to big for me before the alterations.

“What? Your Prom is on the same night as mine?!” We decided it was possible to attend both proms. We would make it work…some how.

The night of prom Ronnie was running late so his Mom called to say not to worry, he was on his way. A few minutes later he arrived and my parents took photos. The corsage Ronnie picked out for me was made of pink roses. I loved the smell and from that day on pink roses became my favorite flower. After my parents took a million photos of us we were ready to head over to his parents house for another round of camera flashes.

I was a little surprised that Ronnie didn’t bring his own car with him. To me the car did not matter. I was thrilled to be going to the prom with my Knight. He explained there was a bee in his car so he had to use his Mom’s car, a Dodge Dart, to pick me up. Ronnie knew I was deathly afraid of bees. He assured me over and over again that we would take his car to the prom after he was sure the bee is removed. I didn’t care if we walked to the prom, I was going with Ronnie and I was the happiest girl in the world.

We arrived at Ronnie’s house and his Mom was all teary eyed. She loved my dress and admired my very large corsage. Soon Ronnie’s best friends, Jim Puhl and Matt came over with their prom dates. I was surprised to see that their dates were from my high school as well. Karen Line was Jim’s date and Matt’s date was a sophomore I had seen from time to time. I was even more surprised when the sophomore took off her wrap. She was wearing the same dress! We had the same exact dress on! Not only would there be another girl at my prom with the same dress but she will be at the same table at dinner, BOTH proms AND she was a sophomore. Ok, none of that should matter but I did buy my dress at Casual Corner for a reason. Apparently, she purchased her dress in the next state trying to avoid the same issue. I tried to be cheerful about the “happy” coincidence but Ronnie and his mother realized this was an unfortunate incident and each assured me that it looked far better on me. I didn’t wear mine with the neck line pulled down around my shoulders. My Mom also added a satin sash around the waist (to hid all the adjustments to the waist).

After we were all officially blinded by camera flashes, Ronnie and I hugged and kissed his Mom. Arms linked together each couple headed out the door to dinner at The Bull restaurant on Market Street in downtown Frederick. We girls looked over the menus and each decided on the chicken. The boys each made some sort of groaning noise. Ronnie was the first to say “Chicken? Why chicken? That is the cheapest thing on the menu. You can have anything you want. We can afford it!” We girls glanced around at each other and still said “Chicken.” Ronnie made it clear that his prom date was not going to eat chicken for dinner. Finally, I spoke up. “Well, I know what the chicken is. The rest of this, well… I don’t want to end up with snails or something gross.” Ronnie laughed! When he finally caught his breath he went over the menu with me and told me what each item was. This is the night I discovered Filet Minong. At this point I was slowly realizing that I had lead a very sheltered life. My goodness I still hugged and kissed my parents when I came in and when I left the house. Ronnie also did this and he was a senior but he knew what all the items on the menu were.

We went to the Walkersville Prom first as the boys were Seniors, then we headed over for the last bit of Governor Thomas Johnson Prom. Ronnie said how sorry he was that we spent so much time at his prom but I completely understood. It was his Senior Prom after all. I only wanted to make an appearance at my Prom with my Knight, show him off a bit on the dance floor then leave. I do have to say that Ronnie took very good care of me at his prom. I only knew a hand full of people who went to Walkersville High School and very few of them were at the prom. Ronnie made sure I was always by his side and introduced me with great pleasure to his friends. You could tell everyone liked Ronnie , not only by the way they greeted him. It showed even in how they greeted me. They gave me such a warm welcome despite the fact I was from a rival school.

The enviable happened while at our Prom. Karen and I couldn’t wait any longer…we had to use the ladies room. If you have seen the movie 27 Dresses you know how big ballroom/ wedding dresses and bathroom situations work. Someone you trust has to hold the masses of your skirt. My dress was the big puffy type. Karen was a real dear and helped me out. Unfortunately, Karen’s dress was a very sleek, form fitting dress which did look absolutely fabulous on her. The problem was, well, I couldn’t help her in the same way. She had to actually take her dress off in order to use the facilities. I did hold her dress on the other side of the stall, to save it from touching the bathroom floor. From that day forward I never wore a form fitting gown for two reasons…one I was far to itty bitty and second, I really didn’t want to be nekkid in the ladies room.

After both proms were over Jim and Ronnie took Karen and I over to Jim’s house to wait for the sunrise. The boys explained it was tradition to watch the sunrise before going home after the Prom. So we waited for sunrise in Jim’s paneled basement listening to the guys tell us jokes and entertain us with stories of their youth together.

Karen and I were a little apprehensive about staying all night with the guys. Not that they had done anything for us to think they were bad boys, just the thought of being alone with boys. All. Night. Long. We made a pact not to be out of each other’s sight for even a moment. Yes, they tried once or twice but didn’t push the issue when they saw us grasp each others hands tightly. They then realized there was a girl pact in place.

After we watched the sunrise Ronnie took me home. My make up was in desperate need of repair, my delicate shoes were ruined by the dewy grass and my hair was wind blown. Still, as I sat next to him, my arm wrapped around his free arm, our fingers entwined and my head on resting on his shoulder, I felt like a Princess riding off with her Prince. He walked me to my door and ever so graciously bowed, kissed my hand. With one swift movement he dipped me looked in to my eyes then kissed me, Wow! What a kiss! Just as I thought he was going to walk away he grasped my hand, pulled me close then kissed me again. I was exhausted from dancing and lack of sleep but not quit ready to fall asleep. My head was spinning. I hung up my dress and tried to remember every detail of the night. Especially that kiss. Oh my. He really knew how to make my knees weak.