Signs of the Season

The last name has been removed to protect the innocent.

Eleven years ago, on this day, I looked up and saw these two signs:

The first one: Melissa. The second one: Prom?

I never did find out who Melissa was nor whether she accepted this invitation, which makes sense because she is a private individual and it’s none of my business. But making the “Prom-posal” in such a public way does tend to stir up some general interest. So, if you’re Melissa, message me, okay?

Hope springs eternal in the Prom department, apparently, as one desperate asker revealed in a pizza order to River House Pizza on Thursday.

I don’t know whether this ploy was successful either but I do have some thoughts. Who waits until the night before? Proms require all sorts of advance preparation. Back in the day, if someone asked you the night before you’d likely tell them you had a prior engagement. Washing your hair, for instance. Visiting your grandmother. Dog sitting.

Speaking of pizza and prom night…there’s always this possibility.

A reminder that, in 2022, we still don’t possess local venues in Columbia/HoCo suitable for our own high school proms. (The Main Event at the Mall in Columbia has cornered the market on the After Prom business, though.) I don’t mean to suggest that there’s no good reason to patronize establishments outside of our own bubble. I get that it adds a sense of adventure and possibly even glamour, from the prom attendants’ point of view.

But it would be nice to have a few local options and, frankly, it would mean less driving. On prom night that could be a good thing.

I have a feeling I’ve probably already written about my dislike of fancy promposals. And perhaps I’ve already held forth on the interesting contrast between those who do their local pre-Prom pictures at the Columbia Lakefront and those who do them lined up by the family swimming pool. I have a soft spot in my heart for the old-fashioned pictures taken in the front yard, but, honestly, it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that we all hope they’ll have a good time and be safe.

And why do they look so grown?

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