Prom 2005 - An Invite to Remember

I went to prom this year. No, I did not attend with a student, but as a chaperone. It's something I did a couple of years ago at my old high school when I taught seniors. This year, I have only a handful of those that don't realize they aren't ready to take on the real world. But as I am one who rarely rejects any Halloween party, I took the opportunity to dress up.

The procedure for chaperoning prom was to write your name down on the purple flyer left in your box. For me, I lost that flyer somewhere on the desk. Apparently, under the space for you name, there was a line under and the word "Guest." Had I recovered the flyer, the obvious choice to put on that line would be the name of the Counselor. However, as she and I were still dodging rumors traveling through halls, offices, and cubicles in the school, I thought otherwise.
I asked her what we should do. It would be ridiculous to be there together and pretend we just happened to go there separately.
"Well, why don't we invite Mica and Lara?" the Counselor suggested.
I considered the possibility of my friend Mica and his girlfriend Lara acting as the Counselor's and my date's respectively. The only problem would be convincing Mica to drive the entire thirty minutes it could take to get to Long Beach. I figured the best way for this to happen was to have the Counselor ask.
Mica had gotten to know the Counselor through entries written on this blog and a few conversations on my cell. It would provide the perfect opportunity for Mica and Lara to meet the Counselor. Unfortunately, Lara couldn't go, but Mica was convinced. Screw the freeway traffic; Mica wanted to meet the Counselor.
That meant I had to find a date elsewhere. Counselor Marini, a friend of my Counselor, would suffice.
It seemed simple enough. Four people, two couples, going to dinner and then the prom. That changed quickly.
A teacher (who I will dub Farah) asked me about prom in the copy room. I'd talked with her during our conference period over the hum of the Xerox machines throughout the year. The conversational topics ranged from teaching, students, administrators, teaching abroad, and students. I figured when she mentioned prom to me that it fell into the series of school-related topics. I told her that I was going. She told me how she was looking forward to seeing her students. My copies finished. I logged off the machine, said goodbye. Then I went about my day.
Two days later in class I got a phone call from Farah.
"So," she laughed, "a funny thing happened. I left a note in your mailbox, and I was thinking that because you didn't call me that it wasn't like you, so that's why I'm calling. You see, another teacher came up to me today and said that they found this note that was on the floor in the nurse's office. How it ended up there? I don't know. I mean how embarrassing when I put it in the staff mailroom and it ends up down the hall in the nurse's."
When I saw the pause, I spoke, "What was the note?"
"Oh, it was asking about going to prom."
"Oh." I said. I then explained that I was already going with two counselors and a friend.
She added, "Oh, you're doing a group thing. That's cool. Well, I was just asking because I think it's silly to show up alone to these things."
Feeling cornered, I rashly suggested, "Well, would you like to join us?" I then added the lie, "It looks like we were trying to get a small group together anyway."
"Sure, that sounds fine. Well, just let me know what plans you have for dinner beforehand."
"Yup. I'll do that when [the Counselor] and I talk more about it."
"Well, okay. Talk to you later."
I hung up.
When I got to my mailbox during my conference period, I found the note inside. I stopped for a moment, figuring that Farah's phone call basically replaced the note.
I opened it up and read:
"Hey Matt,
I have a stellar idea--let's go to prom together. Not only am I fabulous company but you would also have someone to commiserate with about having crossed over into the realm of old, whitish-establishment people who should no longer dance in public.
let me know,
Farah"
Gee, the last time I received a note inviting me to something I had to circle "Yes" or "No."