Aaron’s Graduation

Tonight we attended my nephew, Aaron’s graduation from High School at the Coliseum.  It was the one thing in the last letter I received from his mother before she passed away that she had wanted to live to see, so I felt it was all the more important that we be there and the night be all about him.

With Marv’s health issues, we took his wheelchair and when I went to get it out of the back the vehicle pulled in too close behind me to get it out, so I had to ask if they could back up for a minute so I could get it out, which thankfully, they readily did.  The entrance was on a incline, but thankfully not too steep or the entrance to far away.  It was hot out and I felt like I had bathed in sweat by the time we got in there, but had loaded up on deodorant and perfume before leaving the house and hoped that would help.

We were seated in front of the bleachers in the Conference Center arena, which seemed smaller but not the mile long walk it took to get to Kyle’s ceremony when he graduated. The bad part though we were seated in front of a group of obnoxiously loud family.  The only saving grace that part of the family was seated in another section (as we heard them complain about) as they were advised other seats in that area were reserved.

The Valedictorian and Salutatorian gave speeches with reflecting on the past and the other reflecting on the future.  The one reflecting on the past focused on problems with the remodel on their school while in school and the other focusing on the future and while reflecting on the past, a new beginning was starting as they graduates were going off to a new chapter in their life.  From my own experience, I don’t think most high school graduates really grasp how different the next few years of their lives will be.

Once speeches were completed, the commencement began and although the attendees were asked to only clap when the graduate they were there to support was on stage, which was more than what we were allowed at my son’s graduation where we were told in advance to only clap at the end and violators would be expelled from the ceremony, many people whooped and hollered, the worst being when not one, but two graduates the people behind where we were sitting were so loud it probably broke the sound barrier and it hurt my ears even after I stuck my fingers in my ears.  Being happy for someone should not damage another’s eardrums.

We went to eat at Ruby Tuesday’s after graduation.  Above Aaron is with his long time girlfriend, Lauren. She graduated last year and had gone to IU, but had a horrible roommate and moved home and began attending the college locally to study dentistry.  As I had told her before, I totally understand because it is hard living with a stranger.

I told Marv ahead of time not to bring up any of the above as it was Aaron’s special day and we didn’t want to detract from that, but after I had made his salad then gotten my own from the salad bar from the other side of the Ruby Tuesday, I found the whooping and hollering was being discussed as it also irritated Aaron’s Grandmother and disrespectful to the graduates as you could not  even hear some of the names being announced.

It looked like it was getting to pour down rain so they left. I went out and gave Aaron his graduation present and congratulated him.  I know his Mom. Kim, is looking down from Heaven and very proud of him.