The Nightmare Before Prom

I had a dream the other night.  My daughter was going to Prom.  She was dressed in an elegant white tulle gown dusted with glittering beads, her long brown hair in lazy waves, a  beautiful orchid circling her delicate, tiny wrist.  Her date was a blur to me…but my daughter seemed happy, excited and ready to experience one of the most seminal experiences of being a teenager. 

I awakened suddenly.  So what’s wrong?

Nothing.  Everything. 

Rewind back more than 4 decades to my wanton youth.  All those romantic school girl dreams about the “perfect prom”… so far from the reality so many experience:

1. The zits on your back that make you ditch the dress you were going to wear and pull out the Big Sister hand-me-down
2. The sometime BFF who fast-talks you into accepting an invitation from a senior you hardly even know, but who is well-known by your parents to be a “troublemaker” (and kind of is)
3. The “floating prom” on a party boat – and the liberally flowing booze smuggled aboard that has your friend and about two dozen others heaving their guts over portside (this was the early 70s, remember).
4. The perfunctory attempt by your date to stick his tongue in your mouth when he kisses you goodnight.

Ah, those were the days!

You shudder and realize that memories are made of moments like Prom -- that  you did everything as a teenager someone could possibly do (ok, well most everything – 1 or 2 things were saved for college) and your child will have to go through all of that too and the crucible of her own prom one day.  Because that is the natural order of things. 

You may remember your prom fondly or not, but in any event, I hope those of you who are parents of teens or tweens can take some solace from a friend whose daughter is attending her boyfriend’s high school prom tonight.  “At least they lock the school down to keep the alcohol and stalkers out," she assured me.

Uh-huh.

 PS--Happy Memorial Day, everyone!