Of Teens and Ticking Time Bombs

Sometimes our kids drop bomb shells – but this this time Pedro gave us a ticking time bomb.

He told us months ago that he had agreed to bring a friend to her senior prom. I registered the information and quickly forgot it.

So did he.

Until this week when he realized the event was Saturday night.

After mentally kicking myself for missing this one, I took a deep breath, then started firing questions (as only we mothers can do!)

Me: “But son – you are scheduled to work Saturday! And did you get her a corsage? And what are wearing?”

Pedro: “What’s a corsage? And I’m wearing jeans.”

Oh my.

Me: “First – a corsage is an arrangement of flower that girls wear, they expect the guy to bring it when he picks them up. It should match her dress.”

Pedro: “Where do I get one and is this going to cost money?”

Me: “Yes, this will cost money. First find out the color of her dress and we’ll go from there. Oh and ask about the jeans. I don’t think that idea will fly.”

He started texting. A few minutes passed.

Pedro: “She said NO to the jeans. Now what I’m going to wear?”

I am not surprised.

But still – this is a problem. The kid doesn’t own a suit. His dad has a very nice suit – but Pedro’s at least an inch taller.

It’s Thursday. The nearest men’s store is 2 hours away. Ditto for a  place to rent a tuxedo. Not that we wanted to spend much money on this.

Why, oh why didn’t I remember this date!

Then I remember the two suits I picked up at the thrift store over a year ago for the Valentine Banquet. One was too big and one was too small. They were in the boxes that were supposed to be donated last Friday – but the thrift store was closed.

Divine intervention?

He found them and tried them on. One suit coat was much too big – but the pants could be taken in.

The other coat fit well – but the pants were so tight he couldn’t even button them.

Not to worry! I could let out several inches in the waist.

He could now get them buttoned – but still couldn’t breathe. He thought breathing was important – so I let even more out – taking it to the very edge.

He could now breath and speak – but only in a high shrill voice.

This wasn’t going to work.

I took a few minutes to study out the situation.

There was no way I wanted to tackle altering the suit coat from suit number one. No way. But the pants I could easily take in.

And then it hit me! What if he wore the pants from the first suit and the suit coat from the second? They were both a dark gray pin strip and the the strips were almost identical.

Almost – but not quite. But still – you would have to look pretty close to find the difference.

And it would be at night.

Who would notice? Right?

I tested my theory with both of his sisters and it passed.

A ten minute sewing job and the kid had a suit that would pass on prom night.

We’ll just keep that switcheroo our little secret – okay?

Now onto the corsage.

But first – I need chocolate.

And a secretary.