Prom is stuck in my memory as a series of snapshots of the evening, like a mental photo album. The first picture is of me, standing in my room in front of the mirror, struggling with the pants that were never tight enough and desperately fighting off my dog’s ubiquitous white hairs. The next photo is of me leaving my car at Matt’s house and jumping in mom’s car, remembering everything except Tiffany’s flower. Note the look of shock in the next picture, that is me realizing what I have forgotten. Here I am, finally at Alice Doughty’s house, awkwardly shoving the flower box into Tiffany’s hands as she does likewise to me. The next picture has the flash ridden goodbye and cramped backseat travel toward the hotel. The hotel lobby, a myriad of tuxes, dresses and out-of-place civilians, gathered in protective clusters and trying to remain casual while hoping that your shirt is tucked in correctly all the way aroud. Dinner; a long wait for food that wasn’t that good. The crowded dance floor is shaking in this photo, and in the next one the crowd has thinned out and couples are caught mid-sway. Ah, here we are, another one back to the hard beat of the bad music. Nick, Maria, Jess, Missy and I are sitting in the jazz lounge in this one, letting the soothing melodies of Dan Moore’s piano sink into our memory, in sharp contrast with the teeming dance floor. Dan finishes before the prom is over, so we stand around and chat with him, until most people are gone. Here is a photo of Missy and I in the middle of the room, far from the dance floor, dancing to the song she requested, the song she has waited for for the entire evening. All of us are jammed into an elevator that was made for four but is now holding nine. Jess’ room, final photos and goodbyes as Matt Harrison, Andrea Johnson, Jeremy Griffin, Dakotah Woitko, Jason Jewett, Heather Flick, Nick Poulin, Missy Knight and I head back to Matt’s house for the post-prom party. The long car ride next to Missy, finally working up the nerve to hold her hand. Matt’s party, with all of the above plus Chris Maher, Alan Graffam, Chris Ford and Shannon in Matt’s living room. Oddly enough Matt was among the last to arrive. Everyone laughing at a sleeping Chris Ford as we toss a sock into his face and he sleeps through it. Sleeping masses on the floor after watching a movie and playing video games and talking until five in the morning. And my favorite picture, Missy’s face smiling at mine at a distance of two noses.

Prom Pics