Grad Nite

The Year:

     1977

The Event:

     High School Graduation

and the story goes like this:

In a time before cell phones and text messages, you made arrangements before you left home if you needed to meet up with someone somewhere -- you set a time, a place ....

High school graduation is  a monumental event in most teenagers lives.  And I was no different.  After the commencement ceremony on the football field, us grads had to go to the cafeteria to turn in our robes, and collect our diplomas.  Being that there was much confusion (as there always is when there are lots of students, and even more family members crowded into one place), my parents assumed I would ride home with my boyfriend.  My boyfriend assumed I would ride home with my parents.

As I stood outside the cafeteria, watching the parade of cars pass me by -- with no one I knew in them -- soon the parking lot was nearly empty.   And I'm still standing, and waiting.  After a bit, I decided I better start walking home -- after all, I'd walked home from the high school for four years, what's one last time?  (Of course, most days for school I didn't wear a dress and platform shoes!)  I had rounded the corner of the football field, was just in front of the tennis courts when my neighbor, Mrs Martin, pulled up and asked if I wanted a ride.  I hopped right in that car, and she dropped me off at home.

Needless to say, there were a lot of laughs at home about being left behind!