Sunday, May 14, 2017.
A Few More Words On The Dead Topic.
I feel I must add a couple of notes to yesterday's dilation on the last Prom Night Celebration And Gadabout. Quite a few people wrote to tell me that they were moved to ask questions. What happened to my date, for example. I called her a week before the prom to remind her that I would pick her up at six on May 13. Her reply, which has echoed through my memory ever since, was that she couldn't go with me after all because she needed to "wash her hair." Not shampoo, but "wash" it. Not a common way of saying that, although it caught my attention because that's what my mother says when she performs that ablution.
This morning after Mass, I was approached by a lady who had read my Prom Night article in the Inside NorthSide magazine, where a different version of my prom night massacree ran about a month ago. She said that she knew why my dateless date said she was going to wash her hair.
"Lice," she said. "Head lice, like your kids probably had when they were starting school. That's what she was saying. She could have gone to the prom if all she needed to do was shampoo. But getting rid of lice takes awhile, and it's very embarrassing."
Amazing! After fifty years of fruitless investigation, a new wrinkle in the Prom Night mystery opens up.
On a more appetizing note, I forgot to mention in yesterday's Dining Diary the supper I had at the Camellia Grill. I haven't been there in quite some time. The last time, I was mostly disappointed. Today's cheeseburger and fries (as prescribed by the Prom Night Canon) showed me good versions of both elements. The customary problem with most hamburgers these days was here: the bun is too light and doesn't hold up as you eat. Needs to be toasted first.
On the other hand, the apple pie was better than I remember. The Camellia Grill is better known for its pecan pie, but I always liked the all-American job. The apple pie was unusually thick, with a very good crust, dusted with cinnamon in every crack. The apples were firm, too. This now takes the prize as the best apple pie in town.
Camellia Grill. Uptown 4: Riverbend: 626 S Carrollton Ave. 504-309-2679.
