Pomp and Circumstances beyond our control
OK not really beyond our control, because with a little thinking ahead, all the tears could have been avoided. A lesson to all of you: BE PREPARED and ASK.
Our little story starts out with Hayley, a girl who is getting ready to graduate high school. I sent her off to the commencement practice Friday morning with her main objective to find out what time she had to be at school for the real commencement that night. One thing to remember to find out. ONE THING.
When it was over, I asked her what time she had to be at the school and she mumbled "Oh, quarter to 7 I think." I scowled inwardly, but thought if she is wrong, then on her head be it. She was supposed to find out, and if she didn't, it wasn't my fault.
So 6:15 rolls around, Jim had already taken Matt to school since he was in the band playing for the ceremony. I had sent Hayley off for a shower at 5:45 and I was ironing her gown, because she didn't do it earlier. It was a bear to iron too. I had to spray it with lots of water.
At 6:20, Hayley came barreling up the stairs in a panic and near tears. "I have to be at the school now!" I scowled inwardly again. I knew this was going to happen. But yelling wouldn't make it any better. "All right," I said, "Let's go then."
"But I wanted to take pictures!"
"If you have to be at the school now, then there is no time for pictures. This is why I asked you to find out what time you were supposed to be at the school. There will be time for pictures afterwards."
And off we went. She was in a funk in the back seat. When we got to the road that leads to the school parking lot, I saw a kid in front of us in a car. He was wearing his cap with the tassel dangling off to the side. I said to Hayley, "Do you have a tassel?" (I didn't remember seeing one in the cap and gown packaging) And there were fresh tears from the back seat of the van.
"Well, you'll just have to walk the ceremony without a tassel." Worse things HAVE happened, but apparently not to Hayley.
I dropped her off and she ran into the school. She wasn't late at all, there were gobs of seniors streaming into the school even after she went in. They all had tassels though.
Later, I met up with my family in the stands and told them all about the last few minutes. My sister, a former teacher and adult participant in the ceremony of graduation, said, "Have her ask someone for a tassel. Teachers have extras. I promise you someone has a tassel."
So I called Hayley and told her to ask someone, but she would have none of it, and after some discussion and encouragement by me to ASK, JUST ASK, she hung up on me. Fine, I scowled, be that way.
Ten minutes later, I got a text from Hayley: I got one.
I texted back: Did you ask?
She replied: Yes.
SEE???
And then she graduated and she was smiling. And we took pictures:
Our little story starts out with Hayley, a girl who is getting ready to graduate high school. I sent her off to the commencement practice Friday morning with her main objective to find out what time she had to be at school for the real commencement that night. One thing to remember to find out. ONE THING.
When it was over, I asked her what time she had to be at the school and she mumbled "Oh, quarter to 7 I think." I scowled inwardly, but thought if she is wrong, then on her head be it. She was supposed to find out, and if she didn't, it wasn't my fault.
So 6:15 rolls around, Jim had already taken Matt to school since he was in the band playing for the ceremony. I had sent Hayley off for a shower at 5:45 and I was ironing her gown, because she didn't do it earlier. It was a bear to iron too. I had to spray it with lots of water.
At 6:20, Hayley came barreling up the stairs in a panic and near tears. "I have to be at the school now!" I scowled inwardly again. I knew this was going to happen. But yelling wouldn't make it any better. "All right," I said, "Let's go then."
"But I wanted to take pictures!"
"If you have to be at the school now, then there is no time for pictures. This is why I asked you to find out what time you were supposed to be at the school. There will be time for pictures afterwards."
And off we went. She was in a funk in the back seat. When we got to the road that leads to the school parking lot, I saw a kid in front of us in a car. He was wearing his cap with the tassel dangling off to the side. I said to Hayley, "Do you have a tassel?" (I didn't remember seeing one in the cap and gown packaging) And there were fresh tears from the back seat of the van.
"Well, you'll just have to walk the ceremony without a tassel." Worse things HAVE happened, but apparently not to Hayley.
I dropped her off and she ran into the school. She wasn't late at all, there were gobs of seniors streaming into the school even after she went in. They all had tassels though.
Later, I met up with my family in the stands and told them all about the last few minutes. My sister, a former teacher and adult participant in the ceremony of graduation, said, "Have her ask someone for a tassel. Teachers have extras. I promise you someone has a tassel."
So I called Hayley and told her to ask someone, but she would have none of it, and after some discussion and encouragement by me to ASK, JUST ASK, she hung up on me. Fine, I scowled, be that way.
Ten minutes later, I got a text from Hayley: I got one.
I texted back: Did you ask?
She replied: Yes.
SEE???
And then she graduated and she was smiling. And we took pictures:
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| Look for blue hair and black-rimmed glasses |
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| Blue hair |
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| Wearing blue boots and walking down the ramp to shake hands with people |
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| Grandparents |
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| Cousin |
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| family and a trombone and a ridiculously fabulous sunset |
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| with proud parents and more of the colorful sky |
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| Grandma |
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