Fifth Grade Graduation
Ok, so my son, Christopher, 'graduated' from the 5th grade a couple of weeks ago. He wore his "Vote for Pedro" shirt that I got him for his birthday. Too cute. Anywho... maybe it's me, but when I was in school, (yes, I know, it's been a millenia since then), we went from grade to grade without a big fuss, up until the very end. You graduated from high school, and there was little, if any hoopla about going from elementary to junior high to high school. Anyone else remember it that way? Not to diminish the fact that this is a milestone in my son's life. I'm very proud of him. He won the Science award for his class. Such a smart boy. I just think a two hour assembly on a Thursday is completely unnecessary.
I attended the assembly with his dad. We've been divorced now for over 2 years, and we've become really good friends, which is nice. We arrived and got into the line to file into the gym for the 'commencement'. The fifth graders were following the Kindergarten graduation - can you say overkill - so the place was obviously packed with parents, grandparents and siblings. I spotted two seats next to each other and started walking towards them. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this woman wooshes past me and slams her purse down on the seats. I stopped and looked at her, and said, "Um, excuse me, I was about to sit there." She turned to me with this big-toothed smirk and said, "Oh well."
Oh well?
Oh, HELL no.
So I said, "Excuse me. You just took my seats!" She turned her back and ignored me. So I started getting a little loud. I turned to my ex and proclaimed loudly, "DID YOU SEE THAT? CAN YOU BELEIVE SHE JUST DID THAT?" He looked a little embarrassed and tried to shoo me away from the row. I'm still complaining loudly. He's getting more embarrassed. Finally these two ladies in a row further back waved to me and said they would re-arrange so we could sit there. I'm not sure if they were just being nice, or if they were afraid I was gonna go postal, but I gladly accepted the seats. I sat down and could still see the lady who stole my seat, and I was still complaining, loudly, now to the ladies who let us sit down. My ex just shook his head and said, "I can't take you anywhere." To which I responded, "You don't miss me at all, do you?" We had a good laugh.
I still wanted to throw my gum in her hair. He wouldn't let me.
I attended the assembly with his dad. We've been divorced now for over 2 years, and we've become really good friends, which is nice. We arrived and got into the line to file into the gym for the 'commencement'. The fifth graders were following the Kindergarten graduation - can you say overkill - so the place was obviously packed with parents, grandparents and siblings. I spotted two seats next to each other and started walking towards them. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this woman wooshes past me and slams her purse down on the seats. I stopped and looked at her, and said, "Um, excuse me, I was about to sit there." She turned to me with this big-toothed smirk and said, "Oh well."
Oh well?
Oh, HELL no.
So I said, "Excuse me. You just took my seats!" She turned her back and ignored me. So I started getting a little loud. I turned to my ex and proclaimed loudly, "DID YOU SEE THAT? CAN YOU BELEIVE SHE JUST DID THAT?" He looked a little embarrassed and tried to shoo me away from the row. I'm still complaining loudly. He's getting more embarrassed. Finally these two ladies in a row further back waved to me and said they would re-arrange so we could sit there. I'm not sure if they were just being nice, or if they were afraid I was gonna go postal, but I gladly accepted the seats. I sat down and could still see the lady who stole my seat, and I was still complaining, loudly, now to the ladies who let us sit down. My ex just shook his head and said, "I can't take you anywhere." To which I responded, "You don't miss me at all, do you?" We had a good laugh.
I still wanted to throw my gum in her hair. He wouldn't let me.
posted by Jenn at
3:14 PM
5 Comments:
I remember exactly that we didn't make a big fuss upon grade changes, but I also think it is the School District you are in also because I have 2 children as you know and I have only attended 1 graduation, and that was high school, so not everybody these days makes a big broo-ha-ha over going from elementary to junior high to high school, you just gotta know how to pick them. I however do attend an awards ceremony yearly in the elementary school, but it is not a graduation. Love ya and thanks for the update.
I think that was pretty funny! You are very funny! I wish youd put more of me in there! That would be wicked awsome!
Where ever would I begin with you, dear? :) Worry not, there will be something about you soon.
I had junior high graduation, and I remember thinking at the time, "Nine years down, eight to go. Too young to drive, not old enough to say 'Would you like fries with that.' This is pointless." I did get some money, however.
Now it's worse. I agree that kindgergarten graduation is sily, but at least it's cute. But fifth grade? Gee, Jenn, I'm glad your kid is talented, but I agree that the ceremony seems overkill.
Regarding the brouhaha at the ceremony, I'm glad you stood up for yourself! I think you went a bit far, but (wait -- the good, life-affirming part is coming) a friend of mine one said, "Anything worth doing well is worth doing poorly." In other words, if you're practicing your assertiveness skills, you practice them. You overdo it. Next time, you claim your rightful seats with 5% less anger. Eventually: you're a confident non-doormat that others admire for your bold but graceful manner, and you inspire them to go home and tell the spouses and kids that are treating them like trash exactly what they think of them, and it's all due to you, who began the fortuitous chain of events at un unnecessary ceremony, leading you to become the 9,420,791st person to employ the time-proven strategy of turning a negative into a positive. Good for you.
Thanks, Doug! We miss you at open mike! Glad you could appreciate me asserting my authority. Like I have so much. :)
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