Prom Complexity

Preface

 Preface

I never thought that if I took a mug shot I would be in a Prom dress.  Then again, I never pictured my Prom night ending with a mug shot.  I wasn’t a criminal; it was a misunderstanding of extreme proportions.  A classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Only no one will listen.  I tried explaining it to the police officer standing next to me, who was well over six feet and stood more like a marine.  But, he waved me off and told me to go stand on the mark.

I was given a number that I held up as I stared straight into the camera lens.  I knew I would be dead, if it wasn’t from the transgender prostitute in the holding cell then it would be from my parents.  I could already picture them in my head; I was never going to see the light of day again.  I could picture the veins popping out of my dad’s head and his face turning purple due to the lack of oxygen from his yelling.  My mom would take the more quiet, “we’re disappointed in you and your decisions” approach, while my brothers would find it hilarious.  I will never see any other four walls besides my bedroom ones again.

I briefly looked down at my gray dress.  Torn and wrecked.  The bottom seams were torn and was covered in scuff marks.  There was unintentional side opening on my right leg that exposed my unshaven leg that I had forgotten to shave. I haven’t seen my reflection in a while, but I imagined that my curls were completely deflated.  My make-up must have looked disheveled.  After the long night, I imagine that my face must have been stained with mascara and smudged eyeliner.   It wasn’t one of my greatest moments.

The police women behind the camera looked up at me, a slight curvature in her mouth formed as I stood there with the sign.  She looked back down at the camera and prepared for the picture, telling me to face forward.  I wasn’t sure whether I was suppose to smile or frown.  It was a picture, but it was a mug shot.  She took the picture during my inner deliberation.  I imagined I must have looked like a deer in headlights.

I turned to my side where I faced my friends.  I was the first of my friends to have their mug shot taken, and judging by the looks on their faces they were thinking the same thing I was thinking.  How the hell are we getting out of this?