The Prom

  The Prom


As I reflect on my prom experience, I realize that it was an expected high school experience that I participated in simply because it was part of the culture. While I was involved in many things in high school, I never felt like I was part of the "in-crowd" and did not keep in touch with my high school friends like many others do. It has been over thirty years since I had any real contact with them.


I attended Monroe High School in the San Fernando Valley and graduated in 1968. My prom date was Louise, and the event was held at the Proud Bird Restaurant, which is located under the runway at LAX. Although it was a long drive from the Valley, it was not a big deal as Los Angeles was and still is, car-oriented. We drove and drove to get to the prom, and once we arrived, it was a typical formal event with music and dancing.


After the prom, a group of us went to the Beverly Hillcrest in West LA for dancing at their rooftop restaurant and bar. I don't remember much about that night, who was in the group or how long we stayed, as it all seems like a blur.


Louise and I did three senior events together, including the senior dinner, which was a formal event similar to the prom. We also went to the all-night Disneyland senior night after graduation. That night was also a blur, and I don't recall much other than going to and from on the bus.


While I saw Louise for a couple of years after our high school graduation, we eventually lost touch. Looking back, I don't believe there was much of an attraction between us; we simply knew each other and wanted someone to go with. At that time, it was just the norm to attend such events with a date.


As I reflect on these events, I don't have particularly positive or negative memories of them. They simply just happened, and while they were part of the high school experience, they were not defining moments in my life. I realize that while they may have been significant events for some, they were not for me. I moved on from high school and created my own life experiences, and while I have no regrets about attending the prom, I also don't have any significant memories attached to it.

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