My First Prom

I went stag. Joe Campbell, a late dear friend of our family, used to take pictures for the high school dances. When I was 8 years old, he and his wife, Debbie, invited me to go with them to the Mountain Crest prom while Joe took snapshots of the couples. I was thrilled. I remember being in awe at all of the fancy dresses and hairdos. I remember snickering at couples who were smooching while they waited in line to be photographed. But most of all, I remember very much looking forward to seeing a particular high school male. (I guess you could say I've always had a thing for older men.)

We'll call him Tom. I thought Tom was the most handsome fellow in my ward. I wanted to look my best for him. Such an occasion called for a slathering of strawberry Lipsmackers and my most ravishing outfit. Every girl knows the way to a man's heart is through white laced knee socks. Joe snapped this picture of me looking most alluring. As you gaze at this photo, I believe the words you are looking for are "timeless elegance".

I decided to sneak into the gymnasium to try to catch a glimpse of Tom. I spotted him across the dance floor with his date. Okay, I STARED at him for quite some time. It was almost more than my 8-year-old jealous heart could take. Some of Tom's friends noticed me stalking him and pointed him in my direction. Tom smiled and walked towards me with his date. A slow song started, and Tom asked me for a dance. I tried to decline his offer out of embarrassment, but he insisted, and my yearning for romance won over. Tom was quite tall, so he got down on his knees, took my hands, and twirled me on the floor for a minute or two. I don't remember exactly what was going through my mind. There is probably a good chance I was telling myself that his date was no match for my charm.

What a magical night. No girl ever forgets her first prom.