Will you go to our prom with us?

This isn’t your usual prom-posal.

We’re not going to show up at your door with a poster.

We’re not going to send you on a silly scavenger hunt.

We’re not going to set up an elaborate flash mob.

We’re simply going to ask you: Will you go to prom with us?

Not typically a question you’d expect to see asked on the Opinion page of the newspaper, right?

Well, these aren’t typical times.

Prom night — or, what would have been prom night — is two weeks away. Both Jay County and Fort Recovery high schools had prom scheduled for April 25.

As well all know, because of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders, those events won’t happen as planned.

But we’d still like to do what we can to make that day special. So, we’re asking you to prom.

Here’s the plan:

•You get dressed up in your prom outfits. Girls, most of you probably already had your dresses. Take this as an opportunity to wear them. Have your mom or sisters do your make-up and hair. Have fun! Guys, we understand you probably don’t have your tuxedos. That’s fine. Dress up in something else nice. It’s the spirit of the thing that matters.

•Take a picture of yourself all dressed up in your prom outfit. (Please don’t get together with your date for a couple’s photo. We still want to practice social distancing here.)

•Send your photos to us at [email protected]. Include your name, age, grade and school. The deadline is noon Thursday, April 23.

•We will run all of your photos — as many of them as possible in color — in a special section April 25.

Yes, it’s not a gathering in the gym with a promenade, crowning of royalty, music and dancing, but it’s something.

(Jay School Corporation superintendent Jeremy Gulley has committed to having a prom when social distancing restrictions are limited. This is in no way intended to replace that. But we also don’t know when a full-scale prom event will be possible. So, Patriots, consider this a dry run in advance of the real thing.)

These hallmark end-of-year events create memories that will last a lifetime.

Obviously, no one is ever going to forget the spring of 2020. Coronavirus has ensured that.

But we’re hoping this small gesture can make April 25, which was originally scheduled to be one of your milestones, just a little bit special.

So, we ask again, will you go to prom with us? — R.C.