Once upon a time there was a more-or-less typical American family of four.
Every Halloween the boys would dress up
and every year they had the obligatory school photos taken.
And then... it was graduation day: May 10, 2007, New York University.
The commencement exercises were held in Washington Square Park in the center of campus. There were 15,000 graduates and 17,000 guests. The graduates processed in two groups, one entering from the north side of the park and the other from the south side. Even so, the procession took a full hour.
Luckily, there was lots to watch. Here's the NYU Bobcat helping some of the doctoral candidates.
Winton Marsalis was one of the dignitaries receiving an honorary degree. He was chosen to speak to represent all of them. He said, "This is how I speak best," and played for us.
Smokey and I had found a little set of bleachers and plonked ourselves on the top tier, where we could see -- sort of -- and lean back comfortably. See those little pointed-top tents in the far right distance? That's where the graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences were seated. At one point during the ceremony I used my cell phone to call #1 son. I waved and he could see me; he waved back and I could see him. Barely.
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Dad and grad:
I believe I have a similar photo when he graduated from high school; iirc, he wore his mortarboard crooked then, too.
The sock was well-behaved during the ceremony (long ceremony, lots of knitting) so it got to be held by The Graduate.
He graduated magna cum laude, with honors in his economics major, and was a College of Arts and Sciences honors grad (that's why he has the gold tassel).
* * * * *
And then it was graduation day, May 25, 2007. Unity High School, Balsam Lake, Wisconsin. Guess which one is ours?
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This graduation ceremony was shorter, only 80 grads. It was rather less formal, too.
The bright blue sunglasses in the upper right photo blinked on and off, on and off, through the whole program.
Remember my friend Jeff, whose mangled truck I showed you? This is the driver of the other car:
She got a standing ovation from the rest of the class when her wheelchair was pushed up the ramp onto the dais. She will still need some surgeries before she is done, but she will recover.
We had a much better view here of #2 getting his diploma:
and his reaction as he walked back to his seat.
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He held the sock -- unwillingly. ("Mom! I'm already late!" "Shaddup and hold the sock.")
But he was a lot happier later.
"I may have flunked calculus, but I had a good time in high school."
We are a couple of very proud parents.
