Dancing Into Fall— Part 2
Picking up from last week…after having left my son on the dance floor at his first middle school dance, I was off to prepare Robyn for her first high school homecoming experience.
Due to Hurricane Ian, the homecoming football game had been moved to Thursday in hopes of avoiding side effects from the hurricane that were expected to come Friday and Saturday. So, I left Jacob at the dance to pick her up for the game, and drop her off when I pick him up. It’s that mom life.
Anyway, the homecoming dance was set for Saturday night. She hadn’t voiced any plans to attend the dance until her freshmen friends kept bringing it up a few weeks before the event. I told her if she didn’t want to go, don’t succumb to peer pressure. She said she’d think about it.
About two weeks prior to the dance, she figured that she could just wear something in her closet if she decided to go. Well about 10 days before the dance she decided to go and I decided I would just cruise the internet for a cheap dress—in price not in style. I saw a few on Macy’s site which I saved in my cart for her to review. She was o.k. with one of the seven but by the time I tried to make a purchase, it was sold out.
She had an image in mind, something long and classy but not poofy. I thought a bridesmaid-like dress would fit the bill so on to David’s Bridal website I went. I searched the markdowns and found a few for her review. One in particular came up a winner for both of us but I wasn’t too sure about the fit. I ended up buying two, at an excellent price, so she’s all set for next year too. It arrived, it fit, and she was in business.
She and her friends had intended to eat at the dance as the dance announcement, which was also very vague, noted that food would be available. However, it did not state that the food would be at a price and not included. Saturday came with the rain and wind subsiding. We did hair—a blowout with a simple low chignon and prepared her for the event.
I dropped her off at 7, no time to be fashionably late when the event is only three hours. She arrived around the same time as one of her nearly life long friends did. When her friend Denise hopped out the car with her short dress, leggings, Doc Martins, and leather jacket, I thought she and Robyn could not have dressed more different for the occasion but both within their persona.
When Robyn stepped out of the car with her long strapped dress with a gold mosaic bodice and tulle skirt with five inch heels, Denise’s dad said “wow, Robyn has really grown up. I mean just since last year.” I assured them that the exaggerated height was likely the heels. He recalled how our kids began kindergarten together and have remained trusted friends still. We marveled at them both, took a few pictures before Denise’s mom walked them to the entrance.
I was expecting a call before 10 for pick up but it came about 10:10 and it was for a transport rather than a pickup. She and her friends had discovered that the food was not free and that eating elsewhere was more appealing.
So she and her freshmen friends had decided to go eat afterwards. Her bestie, Bri, could only go if she was going and I was taking them. And so began my night of adventure with the freshmen crew.
The initial plan was to dine at Chilli’s but without an adult, the hostess would not seat them and none of the other parents seemed willing. As the girl’s chatted on the phone in the back seat, I volunteered to chaperone the dinner. In the 10 minutes it took to travel from the dance to the restaurant, the girls had changed their mind due to the wait time.
They settled upon the IHOP, which too would become inundated with sparkly dress, heels and suits. By the time I arrived with part of the crew, a few others had arrived and put their party on the wait list. The wait was about 30 minutes or so.
I took a seat and waited inside with the young ladies as more homecoming dance youth filed in. I heard the hostess quote wait times that had climbed to an hour for some pancakes and bacon.
As I sat and waited, I clicked some pictures and sent to my conversation chat groups including a few of the parents. I sent a picture of the girls all siting in a line on their cell phones. One parent responded, “technology has taken over” with the hand to the face emoji. She also gave me a big thanks.
It wasn’t much longer before the girl’s party (with a few faces I didn’t know) was called and seated. Robyn invited me to come dine with them; I walked them to their table, gave her my debit card, and exited for the car.
Sitting in the car, I didn’t imagine my night would end up with me alone in the parking lot. However, if that means my kid is safe and accounted for then so be it. That means I will likely have a lot of similar nights in my future between Robyn and Jacob.