Limos and Homecoming

After driving 500 miles yesterday, I'm still exhausted. I had loads of things to write about as I drove through South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Now, I can't recall anything.
When I got home last night, I got a phone call from one of the Singer's friend's mother. (The friend is one of about 8 kids who do a lot together, but the friend is not that close to the Singer). As she introduced herself as friend's mother, I'm trying to figure out why she's calling me. Well, she was calling because a few of the group want to rent a limo for the Homecoming Dance. Hubby and I told the Singer she wasn't going. The general understanding amongst her friends was that we said no because of the price ($50 a person....the Singer has a date that makes $100!). That definitely was part of our decision, but not the only reason. So this mother was trying to talk me into letting the Singer go in the limo because they'd found a better price. I was so tired, I tried to be polite. I thanked her for thinking of us, but Hubby and I were driving the Singer. She went on. I said again that the Singer was going with her dad and me. She went on. [I wondered if I were speaking in a different language. What part of "she's not going in a limo," don't you understand?] This was at 8:30 or so. Shortly afterwards, the phone begins ringing for the Singer. All her friends are now calling her, telling her how to get me to say yes to the limo. I was really taken aback. I could see calling my high school child's friends' mothers if there were a serious issue on the table, or if one of the friends were having a party, etc. But about a limo?!? I don't get it. If the Singer's friends' parents said they couldn't go to Homecoming, I wouldn't get involved. These parents are too involved in their children's lives. What do these parents care if my daughter goes in the limo? Hubby's theory is that they need the extra couple to keep their costs down. And that the parents want the limo for their kids for their own status and standings. (They can tell everyone how Suzie Jane went to the dance in a limo.) I don't know. It just seems so odd to me. Hubby and I told the Singer, a limo is 'over the top' and unnecessary at this point in her life. I always felt that the Singer's friends were down-to-earth and not overly materialistic. After the last few weeks, I'm not so sure. The Singer has a gorgeous dress she got for Homecoming last year. Her friends have told her she simply CAN'T wear it this year, too. The Singer has saved her money and is going to go spend it on a dress she'll wear once. That her friends tell her she has to maintain a certain status bothers me. I thought friends were the people who liked you even if you didn't have new clothes.