The last of our proms is tonight...

...and it's about time.

The 'little black dress' has been used for each of the three preceding proms -- if there are three different escorts it's apparently acceptable to use the same dress with each.

The one dress Long Suffering Spouse and I liked best will not be worn at all. Presumably because we liked it. But Younger Daughter would never admit that.

No, tonight is the night for Younger Daughter's Prom -- all of the others have been for other schools -- and therefore tonight will be the night she unveils the new dress.

It's orange.

I said it's hard to find a turtleneck that goes with orange -- but I was ignored, as per usual.

I had a brief flare of hope last night as we discussed plans for this evening. It seems that Younger Daughter's escort has gotten in some trouble at his school and will be required to serve the dreaded Saturday detention -- meaning he must be at school at 8:00 a.m. -- and meaning, further, I found out last night, that the boy's parents will require him to return by 1:30 a.m.

Yes! I exulted.

But... my hopes were quickly and cruelly dashed. Youngest Son advised that he has a baseball tournament on Saturday morning. He's not sure where it is... but he must be at school to catch the bus by 6:30 a.m.

And then Younger Daughter said it was a shame that her escort was obligated to return home but she didn't see why she couldn't continue on and frolic with her friends until 3:00 a.m.

And then, worst of all, Long Suffering Spouse indicated a willingness to go along with Younger Daughter's plan. She confirmed it this morning.

Unlike the days of my carefree youth, when I came home singing with the birds just before dawn, I now generally fall asleep by 9:00 p.m. on Fridays.... the weeks are just too long for me now. But this one is going to be a lot longer than usual.