For the past few weeks, I could not turn on the TV or go online without seeing photos, videos and postings of high school prom happenings. Proud parents sharing pics of their kiddos in fancy suits, tuxedos, gowns and the like. There are many clever prom proposals staged and other coverage that celebrates the teen’s dress up nights. Museums in Chicago and even the Navy Pier Ballroom are popular locales for the dances. The whole prom culture is a big deal. It reminds me of my proms when I was 17 and 18.
Oh wait. I didn’t go to my proms. Full disclosure, I was as smitten by my female classmates at York High School as any other guy at our school was. However, like many of my buddies, I was a bit gun shy to ask any young ladies to be my prom date. To quote Bob Seger’s “Night Moves”, we young dudes were “working on mysteries without any clues.”
Some prom headed kids about to have a fun time.
Still, I was out and about on prom night back in my junior and senior years. In 1978, I went to a small party held by a classmate. It was a gathering for those who wanted to have a few beers and commiserate with others who were NOT at prom. The only problem was everywhere I turned there were teen girls hugging and comforting each other while crying because nobody asked them to the big dance. It was a dark and sad time and by midnight I got the hell out of there.
In 1979, my senior year, I went to a raging beer bash held by my good friend Gordie Carlson. Again, this was a gathering for the non-prom people. I could only stay there til 10:30 because I was scheduled to work the 11pm til 7 am graveyard shift at White Castle. I had two or three beers but had to cut myself off so I could make it to my job.
Full disclosure- Senior year, there WAS a girl a year younger than I who was on my dating radar. Through mutual friends I knew she was interested in me as well but I waited too long to make a move and some other guy zoomed in and began going with her. Doh! In the early evening of that prom night in ‘79 I drove by that girl’s house in time to catch her and this guy walking to his car, all dressed up and headed to the prom. Ugh. I felt ridiculous pangs of regret.
But that wasn’t my lowest point of the night. That happened at about five a.m. at White Castle when four prom going couples I recognized from York came rolling into the store’s dining room to munch on some sliders. Still decked in their tuxes and gowns, these peers were having a blast and here I was sweeping and mopping the dining area floors. Mick, welcome to Loserville, population: you!
Working the graveyard shift on prom night = loser!
The good news is like all my friends I did eventually get over my reticence to ask girls out on dates. Yes, I’ve had my share of women. But my share seems so little. Hey now!
A few years later I did D.J. and co-host several dances at York that were more casual. They were called MORP which was PROM spelled backwards. Those dances were packed and my college radio pal Jim Turano and I had a blast being the life of those record rocking parties.
Fast forward a couple more years and Jim and I played DJ stars for Fenton High School. We were hired to do the record spinning for their prom two years in a row. So FINALLY, I made it to a couple prom events. And they paid very well!
Hosting and DJ-ing proms was a blast…And profitable.
Looking back on my high school years, I only had two regrets. One, was never learning to play the guitar. I sort of noodle on a chord or two now but I should’ve taken lessons in my teen years.
My second regret was not asking out more of my female high school classmates. Years ago, the great Wayne Gretzky said a famous quote that fit my situation to a T. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne, why didn’t you say that quote while I was still in high school? Damn you, Gretzky!
To all the prom goers, I hope you had great fun at your springtime events. And to the teen guys who are like I was, a bit hesitant to ask girls out, take a shot. If you get turned down, so what? But give it a go, chances are, you’ll score. Right Wayne?
Speaking of Prom, here’s one of my favorite music video parodies Al Flash and I have done.