B2 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
M 1 • Sunday • 06.08.2014
Community
PROM
• from B1
An Elvis-like swivel is an early highlight
give her extra oomph that night.
She stood up and gave a preview of her Elvis-like
swivel. She was excited to show off her moves that night.
But first, she needed to go home to her husband.
She described Eric, 83, as a quiet man who is always by
her side.
He’s more comfortable letting her answer the questions
he’s asked. “Talk to my wife,” he’ll say. “She takes care of
this stuff.”
But on this day, he would be thrust into the spotlight:
Eric was a candidate for prom king.
This was news to him.
“Nobody tells me I’m on the prom court, so I don’t
know,” he said.
Anita insisted she told him. He wasn’t overly enthusiastic for the event or his candidacy, which was decided by
drawing names out of a bucket.
“I’m the kind of person that I don’t get too excited …
more of a flat approach, I think,” Eric said.
What he does enjoy, he said, is dancing with his wife.
That night the dance hall filled with people of all ages.
Members of the Young Professional Division, a post-college Jewish organization, gathered to volunteer and dance
with the others there. Joan Denison, executive director
of Covenant Place, said the young professionals have cohosted the prom each year.
Sometimes at dances, it can take a while for partygoers to muster their courage and move to the floor. But at
Covenant, they wasted no time.
Compared to years past, DJ Big Papa G compiled a
modern playlist. He included songs such as “Blurred
Lines” by Robin Thicke, “Happy” by Pharrell and “Sexy
and I Know It” by LMFAO.
One woman, a stroke survivor, touched her walker for
balance in between dance moves. Bernice Weisman, 90,
remained in her chair but tapped her feet.
Eric watched from his seat while his wife commanded
the attention of the floor. She shimmied. She wiggled her
hips. She bent backward. She jumped to the center of a
dance circle.
Then she did the grind on other dancers. And she gave
an air-spanking to a man who didn’t seem to notice.
Competition appeared in Zeev Waks, 86, with wavy,
white hair that touched his shoulders. He had countless
dance partners he wooed on the floor.
In a room with more women than men, he seemed the
man to catch.
“Well,” he said. He paused. He turned his chin down
and blushed. “I like to dance.”
Zeev said he was raised in Portugal and won ribbons as
a young man for Latin dancing.
Anita and Eric finally caught each other for a dance to
“Celebration” by Kool & the Gang. They faced each other
while Anita demonstrated simple rhythmic arm swings.
Eric, who has trouble now with faster songs, was able to
rock slightly and spit out a clap every few seconds.
Across the room at a photo booth with props, cousins
Ruth Mariam, 89, and Evelyn Kleiman, 86, chose oversize
hats and sunglasses for their pictures.
Evelyn was prom queen last year.
“Well, talk about a surprise!” she said of her crowning.
“I was in shock. One of my nieces said, ‘Oh they voted for
you. You’re so popular.’ I said ‘No!’”
This time Ruth was on the court, and Evelyn said she
liked the idea of keeping the crown in the family.
At 7:45, the music stopped, and the candidates lined up
before the room.
Sara Levin, program director at Covenant, asked for a
drumroll as Evelyn drew the winners’ names from a basket.
She unfolded a piece of paper. “Eric Stevens,” she said
into the microphone.
He pointed to his wife and grinned.
Anita smiled proudly. “My own man.”
And in true winner style, Isabel Pollack, 72, received
cheers and threw her hands up in surprise when Evelyn
announced her name.
As the king and queen shared a dance to Frank Sinatra’s
“Summer Wind,” they didn’t seem to notice photographers
surrounding them, looking to catch the perfect frame. But
when the cameras moved on to other subjects, and the
crowd got back to table talk, the audience missed the real
Kodak moment. While still holding each other, the queen
leaned in and gave her king a tender kiss on the cheek.
The evening was coming to an end, and the DJ played
“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton.
The king approached Anita, who was consumed in
conversation.
“I’m trying to grab her for a dance.”
He tapped on his wife’s shoulder until she turned
around.
“Slow dance,” he said, and the two took to the floor one
last time. They embraced.
After the song, Anita joined the women again to talk.
Eric wandered nearby, yet remained in her aura. She
grabbed her husband’s arm and pulled him close. Satisfied to be by her side, he patiently sat through her lengthy
goodbyes.
As they grabbed their things to leave, the king’s crown
lay neglected.
“It fell off, and I didn’t put it back,” Eric said.
Anita picked it up and put it on, along with the sash.
Eric, preparing to take his wife home, dipped his finger
in the whipped cream of a dessert she handed him.
He licked his finger. Slowly ... finally ... he smiled.
“That’s the best.”
Cristina Fletes-Boutte • [email protected]
Cousins Ruth Mariam (left), 89, and Evelyn Kleiman, 86, pose in the photo booth.
Carl and Gloria Sussman (far right) dance to the last song at the prom at Covenant Place.
77
4
Contact us
Fred Ehrlich
Assistant Metro Editor
[email protected]
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