I’d Rather Be Wet By Rain Than Perspiration

               My Baby graduated high school last night. There were ten students representing the honors list.  If they had picked twelve – Jai would have been up front with them wearing golden sash.  Yet just having four year cords was pretty cool – again because she did not attend the school during 2020-2021.  But it sounded like a wasted year for all of them.

       Without meaning to, I had compared her graduation to my own and the HUGE differences between them.  The only similarity I saw was with the weather.  Both were overcast – though I don’t recall as much rain at my graduation as with hers. 

       She had called to ask if we would like to be seated in the very back so that I could lean against the wall or if we wanted to be the second row in front.  I was visualizing the bleachers and not three rows of chairs added to the front – which is still fine.  I would have rather been where I was than in the back which I would have had to climb – not only getting up but coming down.  I would have taken the coat I didn’t think I’d need in the bleachers but wished I had from where I was at.

 

June - a sign of umbrellas and parkas, right?

       So the differences – besides her graduating class being a sixth of the size – were in how the students were seated and returned to their seats.  Except for the honor students seated on the front row, they were seated alphabetically.  We had been seated according to height – except for the students in the very front row.  Shortest kids sat in front and crossed the stage last.  My graduating class started with the back row for students to walk across the stage. 

The staff passed out rolled up “diplomas” which were meant to appear like diplomas but were only paper saying congratulations blah, blah, blah . . . We did not return to our seats but continued walking passed those seated in the bleachers, up the stairs that led to the school.  Once inside we exchanged our robes for the real diploma  - or at least the case that held it.  I think our diplomas were mailed to us at a later date.  But that was a long time ago.

Last night there was a long lasting speech – too long.  I kept thinking “Don’t you remember what happened to William Henry Harris after he gave his long-winded speech? It cost him his life.”  Evidently Jai had been thinking the same thing.  I think that first speaker spoke longer than everyone else put together. 

The students that graduated last night would go behind the stage, walk across and then return to their seats.  But I suppose that’s easier to do with only 96 students as opposed to over 600.  They graduated June 3 while my graduation was at the end of May – I think a week before I turned 18. 

I wore a dress underneath my robe – though I didn’t see the point.  The robe was hot.  Shorts would have been more comfortable.  The students who graduated last night wore whatever.  Some were dressed nice with heels.  Others wore comfortable comfortable .  I saw one with exposed legs and sandals.  Awesome!  It sounded as if our diplomas would have been withheld from us if anyone in my graduating class dare think about wearing anything casual – let alone follow through.

Unlike the boring class of 1980, the students at Jaime’s school are encouraged to be silly and decorate their hats.  Jaime said she wasn’t planning on decorating (which surprised me – why would she not make her uniqueness shine through?) but ended up decorating after the button fell off her cap and she needed something to hold her tassel in place. Before I graduated one of the instructors was adamant about how the cap was to be worn.  It needs to be upright as though you are holding a glass of water on top.  DO NOT use bobby pins!  (And yet the staff – she included – were passing out bobby pins that night.  And yes they did look tacky.  At my high school, we just rented our robes.  They came in the school colors.  Green for boys, white for girls  (or whatever the school colors happened to be).  SUHS colors are black and gold, but all of the students wore black gowns which they purchased as renting wasn’t an option (perhaps it had been prior to covid?)

She has a busy day ahead of her today.  Attending various celebrations that others have planned. I am so happy that school was a positive experience for her unlike me.  I HATED school.  Wasn’t comfortable around the majority of my peers or had the circle of friends that she has been blessed with.

Crosswalk Workout

                It was quite dark yesterday morning even between 7:00 and 7:30.  I was able to drive myself to work yesterday as my shift didn’t start until 8:30 and the elements had lightened by then.  I thought that Roland might have to drive me today as my shift started an hour earlier, and probably would have had him take me in if I hadn’t gone with him at 6:00 this morning when he dropped Jenna off at the church.  The darkest part of the commute was getting out of my neighborhood onto the main drag. 

            I had given myself 20 minutes for a 6 minute drive and so I had plenty of time.  Yesterday I was in the detention room (or in-school-suspension as it is called at that particular school) but today I had crosswalk duty which I have only done at that school one time before.

            Crossing guard duty does not seem that big of a deal as those who use the road are familiar with the crossing and will slow down or stop four lengths back even if I am just standing on the sidelines.

            I remember one time Vanna White had been given the opportunity to ask questions about others’ research about her job.  One of the questions she asked was “How Many Miles Do I walk in a given week” or something like that.  The panel did not have an answer for that one.  But I did think about her position of turning letters (back when she turned the letter and not just touch it to reveal the letter).  I don’t know how long the walk is from the first letter to the last as opposed to the crosswalk. 

            There seemed to be more traffic the first time I subbed for this particular shift than there was today.  Today had almost a ghost town feel to it – and unlike last time when the air became warmer throughout the day, today seemed to get colder.

            I cross the students three times during the day.  First thing in the morning when they walk up from the cafeteria (or bus stop) up to the school.  Second: during lunch to the cafeteria and back  Third: after school lets out and students are walking home or to the bus stop.  Students are allotted so many minutes before the bell rings or before the bus leaves.  It’s important to keep them crossing.

            The busiest part of my day is walking students back and forth during lunch.  The first time I subbed, the gym was closed and all of the students remained on the playground.  Today the gym was opened and there were more that crossed than remained on the playground.  I learned some students crossed who weren’t supposed to.  Somehow there had been some who had sneaked into the main building.  I did not get in trouble, though.  The staff is always so happy to see me.

            I am pleased with the amount of students who take the time to say “Thank you” as I walk them across.  How great those two little words can sound.  I’m grateful for their kindness. 

            Other than doing crosswalk duty, I haven’t felt very useful.  One instructor is showing a video.  The other has chrome books which are basically small laptops.  I am a foreigner to having students sign on anything electronic.  I feel as useful as a tampon dispenser in a men’s restroom.

            I will be at the school next Friday but not in the room where they are trying to sign in.  I will be back in detention or ISS.  It hasn’t been a very tough job thus far.  The first time I did it, the most “problematic” student was really quite helpful in guiding me through what was unfamiliar territory. 

            I enjoy the variety I’ve been able to experience through subbing.