Marvel: A Lazy-Ass Superman

Chapter 759: Chapter 759: The Coming-of-Age Ceremony for American High School Students

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The reason American high school proms are taken so seriously is that they serve a function similar to the coming-of-age balls of European aristocratic society. Although certain ethnic groups in North America still have their own coming-of-age party traditions, most high school students rely on this dance as their opportunity to ”train for the battlefield.”

The important part isn’t really dancing with a date. What truly matters is learning proper social etiquette and taking one’s first steps toward independence, rather than remaining a puppet whose parents arrange everything and whose only job is to do as they are told.

So a proper prom isn’t simply about dressing up beautifully and going somewhere public to dance with the handsomest boy or prettiest girl. It begins with the invitation, with every student trying to come up with something creative so they can successfully find their ideal date.

Then, before the dance, most couples will also have dinner together. This can take place at either the boy’s house or the girl’s. Naturally, that’s another part of the social process: before winning over a stranger, you first have to win over your date’s parents.

Gwen’s mother wasn’t around, and expecting George Stacy, the police commissioner, to prepare dinner would be asking too much of him. Henry was staying at Katherine Hepburn’s house. The old lady probably wouldn’t have minded, but bringing a girl there for dinner wasn’t exactly appropriate either.

As for the house Henry had bought himself, it hadn’t even been furnished yet, so that was out of the question. A boy and a girl having dinner alone together...

George would probably pull his gun before Henry even finished picking Gwen up and put a few holes in his forehead.

For a situation like Henry and Gwen’s, the alternative was simple enough: find a suitable restaurant.

Henry didn’t choose some cheap family restaurant, but neither did he go for one of New York City’s most prestigious establishments, even though he could easily afford it. Instead, he picked an upscale French restaurant on the expensive side and treated the girl to dinner.

Even Gwen’s nervous expression as she entered the restaurant was almost identical to that of the valet who had taken the keys to the Red Skull’s car from Henry.

The valet looked terrified that he was about to ruin everything and be hit with an astronomical compensation bill.

Henry let the girl take his arm as they entered.

”Don’t worry. This restaurant isn’t one of those places where the etiquette is so strict that they’ll throw you out for saying the wrong thing.

”After all, we’re going to your prom afterward. We can’t spend several hours eating here, and you can’t drink alcohol. Most importantly, the food here is genuinely delicious, and it isn’t particularly expensive.

”You paid for the prom tickets, and I’m treating you to dinner. That’s what we agreed on from the beginning. You’re not thinking of backing out now, are you? Otherwise we’ll have to find a pizza place and stuff ourselves with a few slices.”

”Bonjour.”

The restaurant manager greeted them in French.

Henry responded in French as well.

People often say English is the world’s universal language, but the French would probably be the first to object.

On the streets of France, it was better to struggle through a greeting in French, humbly admit that your French wasn’t very good, and then ask for directions in English than to launch straight into a stream of English.

The latter approach could very well earn you complete indifference from the proud Gallic rooster.

Even in the United States, where English was overwhelmingly dominant, restaurants with French owners or French heritage still retained some of that pride. Speaking to the manager in English and speaking to him in French could result in somewhat different treatment.

Someone like Henry, who could speak fluent French, was naturally quite welcome.

Not to mention his outfit and the automobile he’d arrived in. He might not have been among New York’s absolute wealthiest elite, but he certainly wasn’t some shabby kid from the streets either.

After they sat down, Gwen looked at the menu, which was filled with French.

She smiled helplessly.