Prom Night by Bob Johnson

Today was the day, Harry thought to himself. He had feelings of anticipation and fear and excitement.  I’m going to ask Mary Lou Wyneski to the Junior Prom. The plan was in place and he was ready.

Harold (Harry) Lindstrom, aged fifteen and three quarters, was ready to get into the dating scene. He had his driver’s license, just, was now a little taller than all the girls in his class except Jane “the stilt” Williams. No one had the height that she had. That’s why none of the guys liked to stand to close to her, plus all of his friends had a date to the school dance.

Harry stood in front of the mirror and studied his face. Just a few pimples but not bad, and the cuts from using his Dad’s razor had almost healed up. He tilted his head a little and decided he looked a lot like Ricky Nelson. If only his hair was longer he thought. It took forever to grow out after that last buzz cut his Mother had given him. He slapped some Brylcreem on the scalp and combed a perfect part on the left side of his head. “A little dab’l do ya “is what the commercial says and that’s what Harry did. Maybe I’ll put just a little more on, he thought. Never hurts. He worked another dab into the hair.

Harry found some Aqua Velva in the medicine cabinet and doused a little in his hands. Whoee! That stuff was strong, he thought to himself. He decided to take it easy putting that on my face.

He put on his best jeans and clean shirt had the cool button down collar feature, inspected his finger nails, rubbed his brown leather loafers on the back of his calves to give them a shine, pulled his white socks just a bit, and put the new fashion thin belt through the pant loops.

She can’t resist me for sure he thought as he gave a salute to the image in the mirror and headed downstairs for breakfast, the taps on the heels of his shoes announcing his arrival.

“Well don’t you look smart today?” His mother said as she poured milk on his Cheerios.

“Big day today, huh.” She added.

Harry had confided in her his plans but made her promise, cross her heart, not to say anything to his Dad until after it was done. She crossed her heart, buttoned her lips then zipped them. Dad sometimes was too much.

“Yep, I’m going to do it.” I said with hidden excitement.

Just then his Dad walked into the kitchen.

“Hey, Rudolph Valentino, gonna pop the big question today, huh? Let me give you a few pointers from the old master.” He said in a plenty loud voice.

Harry glanced up and over to the corner of the kitchen where his mother stood.

“Thanks a lot, Mom.” he said with a slight edge to his voice.

She just shrugged.

“Now, make sure you get in a quiet area so the other kids aren’t snooping into your conversation, okay, then come right out and propose your plan straight out and no hemming and hawing. A girl doesn’t like a guy to pussy foot around when it comes to a date, right Mother?” he said.

Harry rolled my eyes and tried to hide behind the Cheerios Box. He had developed his own plan. He wished he were deaf right at that moment.

“Ya gotta come across as a smooth, cool dude, like I was, right Mother?” his Dad said then looked at Mom for approval.

His father came over and ruffled Harry’s hair.

“The way you smell with at aftershave you’ll knock her off her feet.” He said and laughed loudly at his own words.

Now I have to comb my hair all over again, Harry thought angrily. Sometimes he just hated his Dad.

“Now Pete, just leave the boy alone and let him do things his way.” His mother said softly.

Sure, after you blabbed to Dad, Harry thought.

The walk to school took about twenty minutes. Harry met his friends, Meatball and Patrick, along the way. They had been the three musketeers since forever.

“You ready to ask Mary Lou?” Patrick said in a nonchalant way. He had been Harry’s best friend since the first grade, and lived across the street.

They moved down the sidewalk with only the taps that had nailed to their shoe heels making any noise.

“What if she says no?” Harry asked.

“Well then the heck with her, find another date.” His pal suggested.

“But I don’t want to go with anyone else?” Harry whined.

“Then stay home and be miserable.” Patrick said.

He always had a suggestion, good or bad. That’s what friends were for Harry guessed.

“Hey guys, wait up.” Came a voice behind the two.

They turned around to see Mike aka Meatball Slovinski, running up the sidewalk. He was big; no he was fat, but didn’t mind the nickname. He was holding up his pants and trying to put a belt through the loops. Meatball was always late. Harry got into an argument in the fourth grade with another kid and Mike came between the two fighters and just stared at Harry’s opponent until he took off. Since that day they had been friends and shared in a lot of adventures.

“Come on, slow down, what’s the hurry?” Meatball said as he approached the two.

“Harry’s going to ask Mary Lou Wyneski to the prom today.” Patrick announced.

Meatball’s eyes got big.

“Really, Mary Lou Wyneski? Why her?” Meat said with little tact.

“Just because.” Harry said.

The conversation quickly turned to the science test that was coming up in second period, the lousy football game the weekend before, and the sweet 57 Chevy Belair convertible that Russ Hornsby, a senior, was driving around. They discussed what cars they were going to get when it was time.

Harry was involved with the talk but in the back of his minds he was going through his plan to ask for a date. He gulped as the thought of doing this might be too much for his nervous system.

Patrick was right, if it didn’t happen, no big deal Harry thought. He would just go out and kill myself.

The day just dragged by as Harry prepared to actually ask a girl for a date. He had never done so before, ever. Mary Lou sat across from him in several classes and smiled at him a lot. Harry thought she was really pretty. Her hair was usually nice except when her aunt gave her a permanent and her hair ended up looking like she put her finger in an electric outlet. She wore colorful bows in her hair, she had cool cat eye glasses with all kinds of shiny gems around the edges, and her front teeth didn’t stick out as much as they used to since she started wearing braces. Yep, she was the one.

History class finally ended as Harry rushed over to Mary Lou’s desk before she could leave. He stood next to her, his heart pounding.

She looked up.

“Hi Harry, she said a little startled, what did you think of that story about the Magna Carta, really crazy right?”

That was the last thing Harry wanted to discuss.

“It was cool, but will you go to the prom with me.” He blurted out suddenly.

That wasn’t how he had rehearsed the proposal but it was out there now.

Mary Lou stopped reaching for her books and looked at Harry for what seemed to be forever.

“No.” she said quickly.

Harry’s heart fell through his feet. How could this happen, after all the planning?

“No?” he said feeling like a broken man.

“I mean I have to ask my Dad if I can go.” Mary Lou explained.

“If he says okay then I would like that, very much.” She finished.

She would like it very much, wow, Harry thought.

“I’ll let you know tomorrow before class.” She announced.

Mary Lou got up to leave, then stopped just a few inches from Harry. He started to hyperventilate.

“What’s your last name again?” she asked.

“Lindstrom, Harold Lindstrom.” Harry said with some hidden disgust in his voice with having to share that information.

Boy, he thought, unbelievable.

Mr. Wyneski must have given his approval because Mary Lou walked by Harry at his desk the next day and gave Harry a big emphatic nod yes and told him that they could talk about it later. Mary Lou gave him her telephone number on a pink piece of paper, folded in the shape of a heart. Harry didn’t hear a single word from the teacher about King John or anyone else. He was going to the prom with Mary Lou Wyneski.

The dance was only a month away so Harry’s mother sprang into action immediately. She called Mary Lou’s mother to find out what color dress she would be wearing, he guessed so the corsage he was supposed to give to his date wouldn’t clash with her clothes. Harry didn’t think that was important but the mothers did.

His Mom went down to some second hand store and found a white sports coat, had it altered in the sleeves and the shoulders, got it dry cleaned, and sewed different colored buttons on since a few of the old ones were missing. Harry tried it on.

“Boy, all the girls will turn their heads when you walk into the gym wearing this.” Mom gushed.

“Give me a break, they’ll all have their own dates.” I said but secretly thought she might be right.

Harry looked pretty sharp. He had some dress pants and shirt that went with the coat. Even his Dad got into it by taking him down to get a new pair of black dress shoes and dark socks.

“Ya don’t wanna look like some goomba with white socks. His Dad said. “They’re okay for everyday but for the big night ya wanna look like a million bucks.”

“Ya got any underwear that isn’t ripped or holey?” he asked.

“Dad!” Harry said in exasperation and shook his head.

“Ya never know, ya gotta be completely dressed for action if you know what I mean.” His Dad said loud enough for everyone in the store to hear.

Thankfully, after a short prayer by Harry, they left and headed over to Little’s Lanes for a soda.

Harry’s Dad was quite a bowler and involved in a couple of leagues each week. He liked the game and hung out with a lot of guys, mostly from the Ford factory where he worked. He drank a lot of beer when he bowled.

“Keep ya loose and focused.” His dad explained when Harry asked him about all the beer bottles at his teams table.

When people walked by they immediately started shouting at his Dad with jokes and jabs. His Dad shouted right back. Harry asked for a grape Nehi and his Dad drank something called a bourbon ditch.

“I gotta set something up with Marvin so I’ll be right back.” His Dad said as he moved off his stool and walked to a back room.

Marvin was the manager and maybe a part owner, Harry was not really sure. The noise of the balls rolling down the lanes, the pin strikes, and some kind of crappy piped in music was constant.

“Harry, Dad said when he returned, I just got word that I qualified for the state tourney over in Brownsville, so I won’t be home for your prom.”

“What about the car, I was going to drive it to the dance.” Harry asked with a great concern.

“Hey, bud, old Dad isn’t going to ruin your night, I’ll just tell grandpa that we need to borrow his car for a night, he’ll let us.” His father said nonplussed that the plans of picking up his date in a big Ford Fairlane had just evaporated.

Harry groaned. Grandpa’s car was a 1953 Buick Special. Puke green. It looked and drove like an army tank. It the inside stunk from cigar smoke. His Grandpa Bill, was puffing on one all the time. Harry thought he might as well pick up his date on a bicycle built for two. His life was over.

Harry talked to Mary Lou a little ay school but now that the word was out of who was going with who to the Prom it seemed like everyone was watching everyone else to see if there was budding romance. He played it cool and calm. Harry let her know when he would pick her up and she just nodded. That was her answer? Maybe she wasn’t that excited to go with me, he thought.

Dad brought over grandpa’s car a couple days early and Harry spent a quite a few hours cleaning all the brown gunk off the inside windows, scrubbing the seats and wiping the dash with hot sudsy water. A whole can of Glade air freshener didn’t seem to do much and he had found a green bottle of air wick and stuck it under the front seat. It was the best he could do. The morning of the big dance Harry washed the car by hand, scrubbed several months of dust and mud off of the tons of chrome and wheels, and deemed it ready.

Harry slid into the driver’s seat of the finished product, then immediately got out and started rummaging through the house for another can of Glade.

“I got it all set up for you at the Lanes tonight.” His Dad yelled at him while packing for the state bowling tournament.

Harry wondered what that was about and went upstairs.

“Huh?” Harry said.

“Yah, I got a private back room at Little’s Lanes for you and the little lady to enjoy a fine meal, compliments of Marvin and the guys.” His Dad explained.

“No, I was going to take Mary Lou to Henry T’s for a dinner before the dance. Mom got reservations for me last week. I explained. All my friends are going to be there.”

Me and your mother decided it would be a lot nicer to have a private dinner for two, so I had her cancel the plans. You’ll like it. They make good burgers, you know that.” His Dad droned on.

Harry stomped down the stairs.

“Mom, I’m eating at a bowling alley.” Harry whined.

“Oh, you know dear, your father wanted to do something special for you and your date tonight. It’ll be really nice, he said so.” She said.

Harry went to his room, laid down on his bed, and screamed into his pillow.

Harry stayed upstairs the rest of the day, then started to get ready. He took a long hot bath, closely inspected his face and teeth, combed his hair to his satisfaction, put on just a little after shave and started to dress.

Harry realized he didn’t have a tie. How could he have forgotten such a thing!

“Mom! He yelled down the stairs, I don’t have a tie.”

“I’ll be right up.” She said from the kitchen.

Harry’s mother came up the stairs with a tie she had grabbed from their closet.

“Your Dad said that this was a new tie and he had never worn it.” She said as she measured, flipped, and knotted the neck piece.

Harry put on his jacket and looked in the mirror. The tie had red and white bowling pins and black bowling balls plastered all over it. Harry wanted to cry.

His mother inspected him up and down, tucked and prodded then stood away for one more look.

“You are so handsome.” She said and kissed his cheek.

With teary eyes she gave him the corsage that was to be given to Mary Lou.

They both went downstairs just as his Dad was about to leave for Brownsville. He looked Harry over,

“Ya gotta be careful with those flowers, ya don’t wanta stick her boob with a pin.” He said and laughed loudly at himself.

“Honey, he wouldn’t do that.” Mom said with a hidden smile.

They wished Harry good luck and he left, alone with his anticipation and expectations.

His date looked beautiful in her green dress that kind of puffed out all over.  It made a loud swishing sound when she moved. Harry handed the corsage over to her mother.

“Mrs. Wyneski, could you pin this on for me, I’d be afraid I might poke your daughter.” I said with an air of confidence.

“Why Harold, that is very thoughtful.” The woman said.

Harry heard a voice from the living room loud enough to drown out the sound of the television.

“What time you bringin her home, kid?” was the question.

Harry peeked around the corner to see Mr. Wyneski laid out on the sofa wearing only an undershirt and shorts. He was drinking a beer.

“It should be about midnight, sir. Harry said with a little fear in his voice. Maybe just a bit later.”

“Well, I’ll be up and waiting right here.” The guy said and pointed down to the sofa seat.

“Shut up Jack, Mrs. Wyneski said, let the kids have some fun.”

“He’s just trying to be gruff.”  She added.

Harry looked over at Mary Lou and she just rolled her eyes.

The two left the house and Harry raced around to open the door of the big Buick for his date. She slid in. He practically ran around to the other side and jumped in. They didn’t say anything for a few moments.

She looked around the interior of the car.

“It belongs to my Grandpa, I tried to get the cigar smell out but couldn’t completely. The windows were brown with all the smoke. I washed everything down. I hope it’s okay.” I blurted words out nervously.

Mary Lou looked across the expansive seat to Harry.

“It is certainly a big car isn’t it?” was all she said.

They drove off.

Harry explained what his family had planned for the evening, and where they were going to go to eat. He could tell his date wasn’t really enthused about it but that was what it was going to be. It’ll be alright he told himself. He hoped.

The drive to the bowling alley only took about twenty minutes. Neither person said much of anything.

There must be something he could talk about to start a conversation, Harry thought. Then it hit him.

“Did you know that the Magna Carta was annulled shortly after it was signed so it wasn’t that big a deal?” Harry announced.

“Oh.” Mary Lou answered.

The Magna Carta, what an idiot he was, Harry thought, couldn’t he think of something else. What a dope.

The short drive finally ended and the two kids walked into the building’s entrance. They took a couple of steps then heard it.

“Attention everyone, please stop bowling, I have an important announcement.” Came the voice.

It is really weird to listen to the noise of the place then suddenly silence.

“We have in our presence tonight, prom royalty, Miss Mary Lou Wyneski, and Mr. Harold Lindstrom.” Boomed Marvin’s voice.

“Please give them a Little’s Lane welcome.” He continued as he held a big smile aimed at the two stricken teenagers.

Applause and most likely some derisive cheers filled the air.

Damned Marvin, Harry thought. He tried to hide his face.

The two moved as quickly as possible to their dining room which was really the office with everything moved out of the way. A card table and two chairs sat in the middle. A tablecloth, two candles, and a vase with flowers adorned the scene. Dean Martin crooned from a record player behind the two of them.

Marci Morgan, a woman who was always hanging around the Little’s lounge waltzed in.

She took the drink order. Harry ordered a Grape Nehi, and Mary Lou asked for an RC Cola.

It arrived in plastic glasses full of ice. Real classy Dad, Harry thought.

“Huns, don’t worry about the meal, we’ve already planned your menu. Just sit back and have a good time.” Marci said with a slight slur.

Harry was stricken with foreboding. What would be next?

Surprisingly, a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, an antipasto salad, and bread sticks appeared.

Harry had seen this exact food before, at Luigi’s across the street. Okay, things were looking up.

They carefully ate, not to get spills on their clothes, but much to Harry’s chagrin, meat sauce dripped down his Dad’s new tie. His date offered to clean it but Harry really saw it as a sign.

“Nah, I’ll just take it off.” Harry said as he removed the tie and stuffed it in his pocket.

“You must really like bowling.” His date stated.

“Oh this, this belongs to my Dad, it wasn’t my choice. He bowls all the time.” Harry explained.

 They ate pistachio ice cream for dessert, and got up to leave.

As they walked out of the room to leave, Harry saw trouble.

Tommy Nichols and his cousin, Fred Peters, stepped in front of Harry. They were kind of the school juvenile delinquents with their ducktail hair and black leather jackets. They thought they were pretty darn cool.

“Well, aren’t we the pretty boy tonight.” Tommy sneered.

“Just get out of the way, Tommy.” Harry said.

“Introduce me to your little date, I think she’s kinda cute with those glasses and her Hee Haw teeth.” He continued and started to laugh.

Harry didn’t hesitate, but threw a fist right into Tommy’s nose and the jerk stumbled backward. Both guys, after their initial surprise, started toward Harry. Suddenly a big arm and body stepped in front of him.

“You pea brains get out of here, now. I’ve put up with enough of your guff. And I hope Harry busted your nose.” Marvin said evenly.

The two trouble makers left all the while yelling back at whomever would listen to them.

“Sorry Harry, is everything alright? And for you too, Miss.” Marvin asked.

Mary Lou nodded slowly, and the two left the place thanking Marvin for everything.

Not a word was said between the two but as Harry opened the door for Mary Lou, she suddenly reached over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thanks.” She said as she squeezed his arm.

Harry, now in seven heaven, practically ran around the car and climbed in. His date, was demurely sitting right beside the drivers area, the Prom dress covering a large portion of the front seat. He got in.

“I hope it’s alright if I sit here, I feel so far away by the door.” Mary Lou commented.

“Sure, no problem.” Harry quickly said and climbed in.

They were practically touching shoulders. He didn’t want to move an inch.

The dance was great with all the colorful streamers, lights, and a live band. The two of them entered the decorated gymnasium and went their separate ways to meet their friends. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Even Meatball, his date, Cinnamon  Roll and her sister Tootsie, were chatting it up over by the punch bowl. The theme chosen by the junior class was April Love, a movie and song made famous by Pat Boone. It was wonderful.

How’s the night so far, Harry?” Patrick asked as he walked up to stand beside his friend.

“Oh, a few bumps here and there but otherwise its okay, you know.” Harry said with a nonchalance.

“We’re both a couple of pretty sharp looking dudes tonight, huh. Gotta go, Barbara is waiting for me.” Patrick said and was off.

Mary Lou began walking across the gym floor toward Harry. She was absolutely beautiful. Then he remembered something and immediately panicked.

Cripes, he thought to himself, I don’t know if I remember how Mom taught me to dance last week. Was it two steps forward and one back or just the opposite? He started to sweat just a bit.

They finally got out on the dance floor and Harry admitted to his date he couldn’t dance very well. She smiled and told him to follow her lead. It was lovely, they were a perfect fit. The two traded partners with their friends for a few dances, tried their hand at doing a little jitterbug, and sat occasionally to enjoy the terribly sour punch, cookies, and nuts set up for everyone.

The prom queen and king were announced and the regal parade of people marched around the gym receiving applause from the many chaperones. The lights danced on Mary Lou’s face and Harry was beside himself with happiness.

The two climbed into the Buick, and much to Harry’s relief, Mary Lou resumed her previous place on the seat.

Harry made it to Mary Lou’s home much too soon for his liking and parked the big car.

The two of them sat and talked nonstop about the meal, laughed about the P.A. announcement, briefly mentioned the altercation with Tommy, searched for a good music station on Grandpa’s radio, reviewed all the couples and their finery, and laughed some more about Marci being a bit soused but delivering a good waitress job. Then they decided April Love was the best song ever. It would be their special song.

Suddenly the porch light began to flash off and on.

“I guess it’s about midnight and I don’t want to make your father mad.” I said.

“I don’t want him to get mad either, otherwise he won’t let me go out with you again.” She whispered.

Harry’s jaw dropped, then a smile formed.

“No, I wouldn’t want that either.” He said quietly.

The young girl moved over and gave Harry and sweet kiss on his lips! They didn’t move from that position for what seemed to be hours. She moved away.

“Thanks Harry, I had a wonderful time.” she said as she scooted to the passenger door.

Harry didn’t move for a bit, then he jumped out of the Buick, ran to the other side of the car and let his date exit the vehicle. They held hands as they walked up to the house.

“You are a special guy.” She said as she opened the front door and disappeared into the house.

Harry drove home in a fog of love. What a Prom night!