Prom

Prom has been a big deal for girls since time immemorial. The fancy dresses, the flowers, maybe a little champagne? This was a magical time for us, our first foray into adulthood that didn't involve school uniforms, and we were all princesses.

Prom season was extra special when you went to an all girls school. It involved something so alien to our little lives that we had to have a special  assembly  just to address this issue. Prom meant Boys. Charming boys. Boys in suits. Boys that weren't your brother or your cousin. Boys that you would remember for the rest of your life whenever you thought about prom night. 

Among other things, the nuns told us that boys were filthy animals who were out to take advantage of our morals. We were not advised to encourage them in any way, and the nuns promised to place flowers in any low cut bodice that they encountered at the dance. I swear I can remember the nuns also telling us that we should avoid going out to dinner with our dates after prom because white tablecloths reminded boys of bed sheets. Or maybe it was white dresses that reminded the boys of going to bed. I believe we were told that everything reminded the boys of bed.

But no matter. Nothing could stop our night of all nights. We had been dreaming of this night since we played with Barbies, since we first skated couples only at the roller rink, since we started reading TigerBeat magazine.

Details, details, details! 

Hair, makeup, matching accessories, jewelry, nails, purses, garter belts...

Plans, plans plans! 

Are we double dating? Getting a limo? Getting liquor? 

So many choices!

As the night of the dance approached, many people had advice for after prom activities. Some people suggested a late night boat ride. Others thought it would be fun to get a hotel room (I guess you weren't a whore unless you went out to a restaurant  with tablecloths first), other people thought it was a good idea to go home early since there was a class picnic the next day.

Sister Henrietta thought it would be nice to go to the planetarium after prom. Now why she thought this, I'll never know. But she shared her 80 year old nun thoughts with either her English IV or Great Books classe (I had both). We thought it was funny because "going to the planetarium" was a euphemism for making out with your boyfriend. Maybe she knew what that meant and was just trying to be hip. Maybe that's where she went after her prom in 1910. Anyways, we all smiled and thanked her for the advice.

What a weekend! Big dance, romance, picnics and plans. We could hardly wait to get to school on Monday to exchange notes. (It would still be another week till our pictures were developed at Walgreens and another 30 years till we could twitter, tweet or twat about that night.)

Sister Henrietta was just as excited to find out how prom night went for all of us. She opened our Monday class by asking each of us what we ended up doing after prom. 

The first girl she asked quickly responded that she went to the planetarium. So did the second and third. It quickly became apparent that the entire class was lying through their teeth or that every one of them had gone to the planetarium. Until Sister Henrietta asked me what I had done.

"Well, sister," I answered. "After prom, my boyfriend and I went back to his place and tried out those souvenir prom glasses with a bottle of wine. Then we made out for awhile before we met some friends for a party.

Sister was silent, as was the rest of the class. I remember everyone looking at me with big eyes, waiting for sister to respond.

She paced slowly in front of the room, silently looking at the floor.

The palpable silence was broken when she looked at me and said, "Now Laura, what did you Really do after prom?"

To everyone's relief,  I answered, 

"I went to the planetarium." 

I hope everyone enjoys their prom, however you choose to remember the night.