The Craziest Thing I Did in High School

The devil made me do it ...

Someone once asked me, “What was the craziest thing you ever did in high school?” I didn’t have to think too hard or too long to give them my answer.

For senior prom in 1967, my mother, an accomplished seamstress, made my prom dress herself, copied from a picture she saw in a magazine. It was absolutely gorgeous.

My only problem was, I had always been such a tomboy that I couldn’t imagine myself in such a girly-girl dress. Of course, I couldn’t tell Mama that —I would have chewed my whole arm off, before making her feel her hard work was unappreciated.

The day of the prom arrived. I didn’t know which would be worse, wearing the frou-frou dress, or trying to walk in the matching heels —another girly-girl thing I always tried my best to avoid.

Mama and Dad were so excited! They didn’t get to see their oldest daughter dressed up very often. I could hear Daddy downstairs, getting his camera ready so he could capture my secret discomfort for posterity.

“Joanne? Did you see where that box of flash bulbs got to?”

“Joe, you put them in your shirt pocket ten minutes ago.”

“Oh, right. Here they are. Thanks.”

“Cathy? Doug will be here in a few minutes. Are you ready? Is there anything I can help you with?”

“No. Thanks, Mama.”

(Standing in front of the full-length mirror)

Great. Just great. I look like a frilly girly-girl … Doug is going to laugh his ass off.

Just then, I had a brilliant idea. I would prank Doug!

There was a knock at the front door. Doug was here.

(Almost finished …)

(Done)

As I carefully navigated our front stairs in my heels, I saw Doug smile.

“Damn, Babe, you look s o o o beautiful!”

Midway down, I stopped and smiled broadly, revealing my blacked out two front teeth ...

Doug’s face turned white. “Ho-ly Shit, Cath’! Are you o-KAY? What are we going to do? Should we call a dentist? Go to the E.R.?”

Mama’s feathers were ruffled. “Catherine Jo! Tell Doug what you did, apologize, and get back up those stairs!”

Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018.
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