I can’t make this story up if I tried.

Let me set the scene for you….

Last night was Maranda’s senior prom.  Maranda is my son Hunter’s girlfriend. We live in Smalltown USA where prom night is “The” social night of the year for teenagers. The girls spend extravagant amounts of money on beautiful dresses while the guys shine up the Jeeps and Ford F250’s.

We had previously rented a tuxedo for Hunter last winter and I swore I’d never again pay that amount of money to “rent” clothes to be worn for 2 hours. So me being the bean counter that I am, I decided that I’d buy Hunter a tuxedo.  One he could wear while accompanying Maranda to her prom.  He could also wear again next month when she accompanied him to his high school formal. And again next year when he graduates.

Smart mama, right?

Well…. all did not go as planned.

There was the problem of shoes. My country boy wanted to wear his $220 cowboy boots that he bought with Christmas money with the tux.  Between me and Maranda, that idea was nixed real quick.

Hunter was a good sport and asked Preston to take him shoe shopping.  My redneck country boy went all city slicker on us and found some fancy smancy shoes.  Hunter was so proud of his shoes and even prouder of the fact that he got them for only $20!   He thought that was a great deal since he only planned to wear them once!

Yesterday arrived and my boy took a bath in soapy water and later in cologne.  He clothed himself in his starched tuxedo and proudly put his new shoes on that matched his girl’s dress. He looked sharp.  He was ready for Maranda.

Hunter and Maranda had a scheduled photo shoot at a local park before the festivities began.  All was well. Maranda was absolutely stunning and Hunter was handsome.  Preston and I headed home as the photo shoot started.  We wished the kids well, told them to be careful and have fun.

Not long after we got home, a laughing Hunter called and asked if we could please come and meet them.  Hunter had a wardrobe malfunction.   The soles had fallen off not one, but BOTH of his $20 shoes. He needed us to bring him his cowboy boots.

I immediately complained to Preston that we would be taking those shoes back and how horrible it was that they literally fell apart in the first hours they were ever worn.

While waiting for the kids to arrive at the designated meeting place, Maranda’s father pulls up.  He has Maranda’s Crocs.  The kids arrive, and are still laughing about the whole fiasco.  Hunter changes into his cowboy boots and his lady changes into her Crocs.  Off to the prom the laughing couple go.

This morning in church, they were still laughing about the shoes and what a wonderful time they had.

Then it dawned on me, my original attitude is what is wrong with this world. When one little thing went wrong, I was ready to go show my tail and demand a refund and maybe even more for such a special occasion being “ruined”.  But was it ruined?

No, it wasn’t.  These are great unspoiled kids that love family, church, and God.  They were having a ball in their boots and Crocs at the Waffle House last night when many of their classmates were at after parties and having a different kind of fun.  The laughter that has come from this mishap has been worth that entire $20 bill.

Hunter lost his soles, but he and Maranda enjoyed a beautiful night without losing their souls.