Spring is always the season when everything and every creature resuscitate for the new year, but to us, teenagers is the season to graduate, to leave and to step on a new journey. Cherished the coming of spring and the ending of the good memories, American school or church usually has a dance called “Prom” for those who will leave for the other new challenge of life. In the end of my year, I will graduate from my American exchange year too.
Remember in the end of the winter, I met a girl in a Mormon church in Richmond. As my dad told me, I should have friends I could talk on the phone, I have been her friend for half year. We talked a lot and had lots of fun. Although we were both very busy people, we still tried to share fun in each of our daily life. Day by day, I have learnt lots of different things from. She shared me her experience on fencing, dealing with animals and people and I shared some of my working experience with plants and American. That have been the luckiest thing I have had in my visit-to have somebody to talk and to share my loneliness.
As the end of the school year came, her church had held a prom for those who wanted to meet new friends or to say “good bye” to old friends. That was my pleasure to be her prom date, invited to her first prom.
In March, I received an invitation from Mormon Church about the prom in Richmond Metro Zoo. To me, the prom was a fresh term especially the prom in a Zoo. Dance with monkeys?
Seriously, I had no experience about the prom, Meanwhile, My host mom’s daughter, school picture photographer came home to see her mom. She was an expert of prom because she took prom picture for many high schools and universities. She knew some tradition of prom and told me that I needed to have a certain color of tie to match my prom date’s dress and also I needed to have a corsage for my prom date. To me, go to prom was like to go to take SAT that serious. I talked to her and figure out the color of dress and corsage. I checked on the ebay and found a good solid color tie.
When everything settled down, I talked with her again but she said she got a free dress with different color. How a surprise! I went online and change my order. Good thing that I could change the deal. Well! As my host mom told me “The woman has right to change.” That was my first lesson.
The madam brought me to Richmond was very nice. She had been driving her sons and other teens to Richmond for more social chance for a long time. She also made dress and corsage for those girls and boys. My corsage for my date was a little white rose with silky leaf and sparkling pearls which looked very elegant and fascinating.
The afternoon before the prom night, two vans with ten kids crowded headed to Richmond. Ya Hoo!
On the van, I had met many people from other schools. They all dressed up really pretty and handsome. Everybody seem happy and expecting the prom.
We arrived the zoo, I came out the van with a little bit little boy-nervousness. I didn’t what would my date looked like nor what to talk with her. I stepped into the zoo, handed my ticket and then I saw her parents. They were all excited about their daughter’s first prom. Her dad brought a big cannon camera to take a good shot of her daughter and her mother was really excited and dressed her daughter up. I talked with them for while. They led me to the hall which hosted the prom. I saw her in the middle of the hall looking at me. She was so pretty, wore very simple but graceful sky blue dress. With a little shining blue sprinkle on the top of her inborn bright black hair, She was really unique in the crowd. She sweetly put a little red flower hairpin that I gave her a gift of friendship in my palm and told me to help her put on. I carefully stuck the hairpin into her topknot. Suddenly, I knew we were the most special couple in the whole prom. Her dad rapidly took couple shot of us. I was nervous so I didn’t even talk to her immediately. Later, we sat outside of prom hall where had some seats and tables for those who were waiting for prom picture. She was a little nervous too. To prepare for prom, her mother helped her to dress up and to arrange the hair. Actually, before I came to prom, I was working in the school garden in muddy field with sweat. Although I took a really good shower, my face looked like over cooked moon cake.
We both didn’t like fast music such as Rock and Roll or Pop music but classic and slow gentle music. Totally, we danced four times. Even I felt headache in the loud music. We chatted a lot with other different people. There was only one fast song we danced the tap dance, sounded like a Scottish song. I couldn’t catch the melody and didn’t know when should I kick or tap at first. Later, We figured out what were we supposed to do. That was fun to follow the melody and move the body, but to her, Good thing she took her high heel shoes off, so she didn’t need to ruin her foot. By the way, I was trying so hard not to step on her foot and finally everything were fine.
As I felt sleepy, the prom ended at 10:00 o’clock. Coming after the prom, the After-prom party was a relaxing activity to do after heavy suits and dresses. After we changed into casual clothes, we met together and took a little tour train to the interior are of the zoo to see animals and to experience different kinds of carnival facility. That was exciting on that over occupied tour train which was transformed from a little truck. We actually needed to jump out and pushed the tour train when it headed a so-called high hill.
The light of carnival atmosphere led the prom night to the climax. After a prom, we were tired and hungry. She brought me to the consession and we had some pizza and awesome smoothie for the energy until midnight. Talking with people, we knew that the sky ride was lots of fun. We lined up for the sky ride with one of my friend in front of us. Well, my date was technically taken because each of the ride can sat two people, he didn’t have a date so he naturally “shared” mine. That was fine, but later I had to sit by myself. While the sky ride was rising from the ground to around 30 feet tall upon the air, I was freezing cold and a sudden acrophobia. The breeze of night passed through my feet with a little drop of lake. The moon hung on the other side of sky. What a night voyage! Just like the poem of Li-Bai, he said ” Tonight only has moon drinking with me, so I drink with myself and my shadow and the moon as triple”. Well, that was simply enjoying oneself. Graduated, I started whispering some song such as “ The rain drops are falling on my head”. The rain was still falling on my head but I knew I would be no longer alone because I had my head.
The night passed so fast that I couldn’t realize the ringing of 12 o’clock was already knocked. As the princess in the “ Cinderella” had to go home before the mid-night, the prince tonight had to go the wooden hill too. After the palm tree climbing, I was really tired and my hands were so sour. I didn’t how came I could have that kind of strength and speed to climb a 20 feet tall palm tree within minute. I through that was because I was very happy and I knew my prom date was cheering for me.
We walked to the tour train station waiting for the next train brought us to the entrance of the zoo. Sitting on the train, Her parents appeared in front of us. It is always good to see adults when you feel tired. At least, they made me feel safety and comfy. I asked her” Are you happy? “. She replied me with a sweet smile. I through I had done a good job and I was happy too.
In the story of “ Cinderella “, the princess had a beautiful pumpkin wagon was her ride, but it was pity that the fact was, when the time passed 12 o’clock, the wagon reform to a real pumpkin and the handsome white horses turned into little mice. Fortunately, tonight I didn’t need to worry about my ride. As we walked outward the zoo, a GMC truck parked in front of me. I remembered my dad had a little box-car, and that was our truck. I always feel really safety when I sat in the back seat watching my dad rolling the steering wheel.
On the way to her house, I felt really happy and I couldn’t believe I was invited to her house for a weekend. It would be a great chance for me to see the other American family. When we arrived their home, It was actually 1 o’clock, well, “ Good Morning and I will go to sleep.” The prom was really meaningful and joyful, I couldn’t image the coming weekend.
