SR'S 92- PROM, "Pretty in Pink"

From the beginning days of high school when I was just a little freshman I thought about my senior prom. What would it be like, what would I wear, would I have a date? Up until my senior prom I had seen some of my friends, and my brother go to prom and wonder what it was like for them. I did not have high expectations of even going in the beginning. I pictured myself falling on a decoration piece, spilling some thing on myself, or being asked by a policeman to walk a straight line! The summer before my senior year ever began a friend of mine named Steve tells me that when time rolls around for the prom if I need a date that he would love to take me. Steve was a counselor at summer camp, and had known him for several years. He was a great friend, and someone I felt comfortable with. He was a 24-year-old law student at the time, owned a fitted tux, and had a convertible! He always told me that he was just my backup in case I got no other offers. I was thrilled that he offered. So that was always on my mind, and was a weight off of my shoulders. As time got closer my friend Waco asked to me if I would go to the Prom with Alex if he asked me? I was completely shocked. Alex was a cool guy, and I enjoyed being around him. He always had me laughing. But I immediately got nervous, because I did not know what kind of expectations as my date he would have for the prom. It seems very stupid, but you hear stories about after prom parties??? He never led me to believe he wouldn’t be a gentleman, but other than at school or school functions I had never been around him. I did not know much about him personally. So my answer to Waco was, "Have him ask me, and I will tell him." Waco knew about Steve being a backup date. So I do not know if or what he said to Alex, but he never did come and ask me. He probably couldn't except a rejection from the little disabled girl! This was my thought, although I do not know what I would have even said to him if he did ask. That is one of them what if questions I have in my life, but I have absolutely no regrets in what did occur. But get this, a couple of weeks after prom a whole bunch of us were at our local hangout (Mazzio’s) celebrating the victory of a basketball game. Someone raised a question about how this one guy was treating his date like a piece of meat at the game asking if anyone else saw it? Alex said, " I did, and I would never treat a girl like that ever!" From that point on I had a crush on Alex! Go figure! Okay, back to the prom. My best friend from ninth-grade, Kari, let me borrow one of her formals. She had like five of them to choose from. They were all really nice dresses, but which one do I choose? The oldest one from a prom she went to in 1986! Hello, it was 1992 Stephanie!!! Leave it to me. It was pink with ruffles and lace. I was big into pink at the time so cut me some slack! It was not horrible. But anyway, I went to Nine West to get crazy pink shoes, and accessories. I had called Steve, and told him that if the offer was still good I would love for him to be my date to the prom. So it was all set. I went to my hairdressers (Keeta’s) to get my updo for the evening, and my nails manicured and painted pink. When Steve came in to get me he looked very handsome in his tux, and was grinning from ear to ear! I never saw Steve without a smile. He bought me a pink corsage, and helped me to put it on my wrist. I felt "Pretty in Pink!" (One of my fave movies!) I would have made Molly Ringwald jealous! My aunt had came over with her video camera to record us as we were driving off in his convertible w/ the top down. I brought my wheelchair for I knew it would be a whole lot easier for Steve to push me rather than trying to help me walk in my pink dress and crazy pink shoes. I knew the main problem for that evening was going to be my crazy pink shoes! They were a ballet type of shoe with no heel but they were harder than all get out to keep on. I just knew that those crazy pink shoes were going to cause me so much trouble. We headed off to a really nice restaurant where we had reservations. It just happened that there were also some friends of mine there for dinner before the prom so we got a big table and all sat together. Steve had ordered a beer, and I do not blame him at all. I would have bought him one if he didn't get one already! The dude was 24, had just taken the bar exam, and was sacrificing his Saturday evening with a bunch of teenagers (all for me, God love him)! That would have been enough to drive me to drink as well!! So we get to prom. It was at the Petroleum Club in downtown Tulsa, Okla. The theme was Treasure Islands, and the tables were neatly decorated with treasure boxes, pearls, and costume jewels. We ended up dancing to two different slow songs, "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton and "The Dance" by Garth Brooks. On both of these songs Steve helped to me to stand. I never did fall. Shown below, is the picture that we took together while there. It is a really good picture of me standing. The crazy pink shoes behaved themselves quite nicely which surprised me even though they still managed to fall off a few times. God was definitely watching over me and my crazy pink shoes that night! As we were leaving we were given champagne flute's with the date and title of the prom theme on it as souvenirs. In the attempt to abolish drinking and driving Sonic Drive-In gave out coupons for free large soft drinks to every person at the prom. Do you think it worked??? That was our first stop after we left the prom! I probably got my fave which is DP, and Steve got a vanilla DP. I remember him getting that because the server guy over the intercom made a big deal of the fact that his DP would cost 10 cents because of the vanilla in it. We were laughing! My friend Bubba was having an after prom party at his church. The church had a big theater room were they rented movies and had tons of snack food. That is where we headed. About six other couples joined us there. They rented three movies We stayed for the first movie (Uncle Buck, it was ok), and half of the 2nd one (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, was good and have seen the whole thing tons of times now). Steve had a long drive home so we did not stay, but we were there till 2 in the morning. As we got to my house he walked me inside. I gave him a BIG hug, and he kissed me on my cheek!! He made the prom a wonderful memory for me. I would love for you to share your story about your prom, formal, or similar event.

After prom, for several years we did keep in contact with one another. He was a very busy and successful lawyer with his own law firm in Bartlesville Okla. After moving to Texas when I was almost 20 we lost contact with each other. In February of this year after about 12 years of no contact I found myself thinking a lot about him so I gave him a call. I spoke to his mother who informed me that he was no longer with us as of late August 06. He had a long hard battle with leukemia. I still cannot believe it. It makes me so sad that I did not make myself stay in contact with him. Life can be taken away so easily. So cherish those who are in your life. It doesn't take much to let somebody know that you are in their thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to read, Miss S