HALF A LOAF Chapter 3 Prom Night

The Senior Prom
courtesy photobucket.com

 

My school years gave me a taste of what eternity is like.  It seemed as if they would never end.  Finally it was graduation day!

I made it through all the senior events the high light should have been the senior prom, but it was one of the few times Mercy’s parents intervened and they chose the date for Mercy.  

This was the bummer of all bummers.  I was really looking forward to taking her to the prom.  It was the biggest let down of my whole life so far.

I hadn’t done anything to deserve this kind of treatment for she wanted to go with me. It came down to social politics where it was important to associate with and be seen with the right person.

I always thought her parents liked me, but this was something beyond their control.  I knew several girls of what was considered to be the lower stratum of society by my schoolmates and I chose one of them named Sally to be my prom date.

Actually I didn’t know her and had only talked to her at the malt shop and the city library.  However when I asked her to go with me she said okay.

I had never been to her house and when I arrived it was a mansion with servants and everything.  I was told by the butler to wait in a large room that was most elegant.  

 

After a few minutes a lovely woman came in and introduced herself as Sally’s mother and said she would be right down.

Sally was actually pettier than Mercy and in fact she was prettier than all of the senior girls at my school.  After seeing her in her beautiful dress I wished I had spent more money on the corsage I had bought for her.

She was most gracious and said how nice it was.  Her mother said we are not using the car for the evening so I will have Charles drive you.

We went out and there was their limousine and chauffeur waiting for us. Actually we were not that conspicuous because there were others also arriving in limos.

Several turned to stare at us when we entered the ball room where the prom was being held.  

 

After dancing a couple times she excused her self to go and freshen up.  While in the ladies refreshment room there were a number of snide remarks aimed in her direction which she ignored.

With a flip of her hair she walked by them with a snooty expression she had picked up from them.

When she returned, she told me about what happened and as I started to apologize, but she stopped me and said they weren’t classy enough to offend her.

During the evening a couple of the inflated egoists sauntered over and asked my date for a dance.  She coquettishly looked at me and said; “All my dances are reserved for my man here.”

They weren’t used to being turn down and one said; “I was just doing you a favor.”

She laughed and replied, “Is that what that was?  How noble for all to see. Why don’t you run back over to your friends and say something nasty about me and save face.”

They tried to hide their anger, but their facial expressions wouldn’t cooperate.

We had some watered down punch and danced a couple more times and she said, “Let’s get out of here.  These people are too boring to be around.  This is the reason I didn’t go to school with this bunch which I could have if I wanted to.”

She continued, “Just because they have a little money they consider themselves to be elitists.”

The prom was just half over but I had to agree with Sally it was kinda boring.  

I could see Mercy and she seemed to be having a great time.  Her date was dancing a lot closer to her than I would have liked.  It was the first time I felt jealousy.

This was a new experience for me but with Sally in my arms the feeling soon disappeared.  I hated to miss the last dance of the prom for it was usually a slow dance where the mood was romantic.

We left and found our car waiting for us and Charles took us to Sally’s house.  She said, “Come on in and we will have something to eat. That stuff that was catered tasted like…well it wasn’t very good, and I bet they got soaked for it.  My folks had some friends over for dinner and there will be some tasty stuff left I’m sure.

She brought out a feast and we stuffed ourselves.  

She said, “We have the finest cooks on staff because my folks often entertain.  Some times like tonight it will be friends and then it will be for business at other times.  My dad said he gets more done over dinner than he could ever manage during business hours.  There is nothing like a good dinner and a pleasant evening to close a deal.”

After eating I said, “Maybe I should leave,” but she said, “I want to get to know you and most of your classmates will be out most of the night so you are going to stay right here.”

Her mother was dressed for bed but she came down to check on us and asked how the prom was as we came home early and it made her wonder about it.

Sally said, ‘It was okay but I found Lonny to be more interesting than the people at the Ball.”

Her mom said, “I see…” then after a pause said, “I am going to retire… I’ll see you again mister Lon.”

I said, “I hope so… good night.”

For some reason Sally and I had to laugh at what had just occurred.

My impression of her mother was highly favorable.  Sally put on some soft music in the background and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes; the bath room is at the end of the hall if you want to check it out.”

After seeing the bath I decided to make myself at home.  I removed my jacket and tie for they were rented and not the most comfortable clothes I was used to.

Shortly she returned and asked if I found everything I needed to which I replied, “Yes.”

She had changed into more comfortable clothes and looked more relaxed.

As I looked at her I felt like I had fallen in love.  I know that sounds silly but that was the way I felt and I knew I needed to watch out and not do something untoward.

I sat on the couch and she came over and sat over against me and took my arm and held me close.  We talked till early in the morning and I thought I heard the cook go into the kitchen so I figured it was time to leave.

She walked me to the door and kissed me like we were lovers.  I was tired but that pleasantly stunned me.

I said something like I would like to see you again if it’s okay with you.

She said, “Absolutely, you better call me later today.”

During our chatting she told me she had seen me many times while I was working at the super market, but had never spoke to me except once asking where a product was.

She said, “You took me over to the aisle where it was and pointed it out.  I didn’t want the item but ended up buying it because you were watching me.”

She said, ‘You probably don’t remember that.”

I told her, “I watched for you every time I was working there and even walked by your school when they let out just to see if I could spot you.”

She said, “Why didn’t you talk to me?”

“To be truthful,” I said; “I thought you were too pretty to be seen with me and when I asked you to my prom I didn’t think you would go with me but I just had to try.”

She said, “I’m glad you did otherwise we might have never got together and that would have been terrible.”

I had to agree with her on that.  I had driven my folk’s station wagon to her house and headed home in it when three of the guys at my school with three girls in the back seat pulled up alone side me and began making fun of me and the car I was driving.

They were in a very nice nearly new convertible and when I pulled into my driveway they stopped and were making lewd remarks about Sally.

I told them they must be talking about their mothers which made them very angry.

One of them jumped out and started swinging at me.  I hit him in the mouth and knocked him down on his back.  A couple more got out and tried to look menacing but when I took a fighting stance they changed their mind and picked their friend up and put him in their car.

As they were leaving one of them said, “We will get you for this.”

I shouted back, “I’m here right now, so have at me.”  I wouldn’t have been so bold if they hadn’t been about drunk.

I didn’t know if they would all try to jump me sometime or not but just in case I began to carry a pair of brass knuckles; Because if I was going to be attacked by that many guys I had to do something to even the odds.

To Be Continued