Remember back in the "olden days" when a boy asked a girl to the high school Homecoming dance?  If they weren't dating, the young man simply asked the young lady, "would you like to go to Homecoming with me?" The answer was a simple "yes" or "no." End of story.  Not today.  No one would ever do something so SIMPLE. Everything has to be not only complicated but a competition as well.  I personally think it's a response to the Disney movie "Prom" that came out a few years ago.  Although it was a well-intentioned script, the many different scenarios that played out within the story lines lent itself to a new fad.  Not only does the girl get warned by her girlfriends that she's going to get asked, but then she also expects an original proposal.  It's so over the top.  But then I'm sure our parents categorized our behavior the same way back in the 80's. All this to say, that my poor little freshman was feeling some of the pressure when all he wanted to do was go to the dance and have fun with a group of friends--and a date.

I came home from work one night and Ian told me he wanted to ask a certain girl to Homecoming but it felt awkward because this certain girl happened to be the younger sister of his older brother's girlfriend.  Are you following?  I told him he should do it if he wants to and not let that fact deter him.  Being that Ian's a simple guy, I thought he would just ask her and be on his merry way.  Silly me.  He got an idea from an older guy and decided to run with it.  This particular creative idea also meant that we had to drive all over town to find a goldfish bowl and a small, plastic fishing rod,  He was so cute and excited, and he rarely asks for anything, so I  had to indulge him.  The next day, with the help of his prospective date's friend, he filled the fish bowl with Goldfish crackers and put it on her desk in her first period class.  Alongside the bowl was the fishing pole with a note that said, "Of all the fishes in the deep blue sea, will you go to Homecoming with me?"  I have to admit it was pretty darn slick.  She loved it.  He texted me after class with a simple message, "she said yes."

I made the suggestion that the two couples double date.  Bad idea.  The older couple would have none of it. Going with Freshmen could potentially damage their social status or so it seemed.  The best I could do was insist on a picture of all 4 of them at the girls' house before they went their separate ways.