Tales from the Faulkner Files: The High School Prom

[Faulkner]

I was first asked to chaperon the senior prom for our local high school when my oldest son was a high school senior about 14 years ago. The school superintendent reached out and asked me if Mrs. Faulkner and I would consider doing so that year, and after conferring with Mrs. Faulkner, I told him we would.

That particular year Mrs. Faulkner was the director of the local Chamber of Commerce and vice president of the PTA, and she also did some substitute teaching in the elementary school. I had coached Little League baseball for my oldest son's team several years and was still coaching my youngest son's teams at the time, so we were both quite active in the community.

When the school superintendent called I asked him, "Do you want me there as a parent or in my official capacity?"

He replied, "You guys are so involved in the community that the kids would recognize you in uniform or out, we just need some parents to keep an eye on things."

So, my first year as senior prom chaperon I escorted Mrs. Faulkner in her formal wear and I in my Sunday go to meeting suit and tie. The superintendent asked us to just mingle around the inside of the gymnasium and be seen without getting in the way. The senior prom committee did a great job of decorating the high school gym and the deli from the local Big Star grocery store outdid themselves catering the food and drinks.

I knew a lot of the senior boys from coaching baseball, but Mrs. Faulkner knew many, many more of the boys and girls from her substitute teaching and many years serving on the PTA, so we had a good time mingling with the kids who came up to us as well as the other parent chaperons and teachers there. After about half an hour, though, I asked Mrs. Faulkner if she needed to step outside for some air. She said, no, she was fine, but my head was about to explode with all the loud music so I told her I was going out and would be right back.

As I stepped outside the main entrance I was greeted by a couple of high school coaches who were keeping an eye on things out front.

"Hey Deputy Faulkner, how's it going inside?" one of them asked.

"It's loud," I replied, "I may need to go to the car and get some earplugs."

"Yeah, that's why we always volunteer to be front door greeters," the other one said.

About that time, a 4 wheel drive pickup pulled up under the covered entrance to the gym and stopped. I could see a young fellow in full tux behind the wheel and a cute young lady in formal wear in the passenger seat. She opened the passenger side door and kind of struggled to work her way to get her high heeled shoes down to the step rails on the truck. I stepped up to hold her hand and looked over at the young fellow and said with a firm tone in my voice, "hey, climb out of there and get over here and help your date get out of the truck!"

He immediately threw the truck in PARK and jumped out, ran around the front of the truck to the passenger side and took the young lady's other hand and helped her step down to the ground.

"Now, take her by the arm and slowly escort her over to the door and drop her off inside," I told him.

He looked at me then over to his truck and back to me.

With an exasperated tone I said, "you're truck isn't going anywhere, it'll be right here when you get back."

He took her by the arm and escorted her over to the entrance door where the school superintendent and high school principal were opening the double doors as the kids came in. As they walked past me the young lady looked over and smiled.

After he deposited her inside he turned and came waltzing back out and I said, "get a move on buddy, we have people lined up behind you, we're not going to wait on you all evening." He took off double time, rounded the front of the truck and climbed in and took off to the parking lot.

I turned around and the two coaches, the superintendent and principal were all standing there looking at me. I held up my hands and said "what? Do these boys not have a daddy to teach them how to treat a young lady?" The superintendent and principal shook their heads and went back inside to their post as doormen.

I turned around and the next pickup truck pulled up and stopped, but this time the young man jumped out of the cab and hustled around the front of the truck, pulled open the door and helped the young lady out. He kept looking over his shoulder at me as he was doing so, then he slowly escorted her to the door and dropped her off. He then hustled back out and headed back to the truck. As he went by I gave him the thumbs up and said, "good job young man!"

One of the coaches laughed and said, "looks to me Deputy Faulkner, looks like you made an impression."

It went on like this for another hour. Whenever the young men were a little slow or seemed indifferent in helping their dates out of the vehicle I stepped up with a little encouragement and motivation. When they did well, I also let them know that too. As the drop offs started to slow down the principal stepped out and said, "Deputy Faulkner, Mrs. Faulkner is looking for you."

I looked over at the two coaches and said, "you two got this under control now?"

"YES SIR," they said in unison.

I stepped back in and worked my way through the throng of young people and found Mrs. Faulkner standing with the wife of the superintendent chatting by the punch bowl. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and said, "Sorry babe, I got a little tied up outside."

She looked up at me and said, "I know exactly what you've been doing." She looked over at the superintendent's wife who returned a knowing look. "In fact, you've become the talk of the prom, at least among the adults."

With a defensive look on my face I said, "yeah but, I was just . . . . " she held up her hand to cut me off.

"Look at the bright side," she said. "At least you won't have to worry about getting invited back next year."

Interestingly enough, we have been invited back EVERY year since.

 

[sophie]

Now that's a good one. Thanks for posting the story.

 

[LVSteve]

Interestingly enough, we have been invited back EVERY year since.

What's that thing about "no good deed..."

 

[NMPinNYC]

Your last name, sir, is well given. Thanks for the great read.

 

[DWalt]

My best friend has a son graduating from high school this year, and the Senior Prom was two weeks ago (this is a Charter School). My friend's son had no date, so he drove him to the event. He went inside for awhile, and he told me that very few of the kids seemed to have "dates" He said it was mainly groups of guys and girls standing around and doing geeky things on their iPhones and iPads. No one was even dancing. I guess things have changed since I was in high school, when the Jr.-Senior Prom thing was a big deal.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My oldest went to the prom stag, he was leaving for basic training in two weeks and didn't want the hassle. When his little sister told me, I was kind of POed, one of the girl classmates didn't to go at all! He had 4 friends that also didn't take dates. 5 girls from a class of 30 didn't get to go to the prom. I told the group of them, "You've known these girls since 1st grade!! THIS IS BAD FORM!"

Next year #2 son takes a married woman to the prom! She had become a mother her Junior year and was not allowed to attend the ___ Christian School Prom that year either. So #2 didn't have a girlfriend and called her husband and ask permission to take his wife to the prom. Everybody but the school board had a great time!

My daughter went with a boyfriend but danced with every boy in her class! (all 17 of them!) (That church didn't believe in dancing!)

The youngest went with one of his classmates who didn't have a boyfriend or date. He warned her that he had no plans of ever returning to the school and she may wish to stay away from him when they arrived. "Josh, I've known you since the day I was born, I would expect no less from you, and I'll be glad to help if I can!" He drove her to the 2003 __ Christian School Prom in he fully paid for 1989 Sadan deVille, wearing a Purple 3 piece suite that had tails, a buff-colored wide brimmed hat with a matching purple hat band with an 18" Ostrich feather sticking out of it. Patten Leather shoes, belt and gloves! Last but not least a black cane with a gold skull on top.

Like his oldest brother, they had been known to do pranks! (and other such unbecoming behavior) They both were allowed to graduate, but in the folios with the diplomas was a formal letter telling them they were now expelled from school. No, they never went back!

In spite of the school board, my kids enjoyed High School very much!

BTW My daughter is the president of her kid's school PTO, and her husband is on the school board! But then she lives over 500 miles from where she went to school!

Ivan

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

At a recent employer, we were prohibited from opening doors for women or letting them go through doorways or exit elevators first as it was judged an affront to their dignity. We older guys naturally did it anyway and most women would not complain, but some did and we got our wrists slapped by personnel over and over. Strange times.

 

[Puller]

Good story Faulkner. I'm glad there are still places in our country where courtesy and respect of women is still a thing.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Hick from the Sticks - never been to a Prom.
But my Kids and Grandkids have.
Here's my Grandson a couple of years ago.
He's Second from the left.
My comments were -
You Ladies look Fantastic!
You guys look like your auditioning for a Blues Brothers Sequel.

 

[Faulkner]

At a recent employer, we were prohibited from opening doors for women or letting them go through doorways or exit elevators first as it was judged an affront to their dignity. We older guys naturally did it anyway and most women would not complain, but some did and we got our wrists slapped by personnel over and over. Strange times.

That's a shame when being courteous to women is frowned upon. You are right, modern society is in a weird place right now.