My last blog was on June 1st. On the 3rd I flew to San Jose to see my two grandsons graduate from the 5th and 8th grades respectively in Los Gatos, CA. Los Gatos is one of the most desirable areas in Silicon valley, with a small town atmosphere that deceives all the competition that's really underneath everything. In Los Gatos you can't be too smart, too internet, or too wealthy. In the heart of Silicon Valley, everything is done to the max.
So, to the audience when the "class president" thanked his parents, his teachers, and "everyone who helped make this experience at Blossom Hill Elementary School so incredible, one he will never forget," it seemed normal. I thought I was at a corporate pep rally and expected him to come around with a handshake any minute. Never in my 60 something years had I ever a speech like that from a 5th grader. My grandson, Jeremy, whose mom is a bit of a rebel, and my son was too before he died, was cool with his black short shirt, his striped pants, and his hair slicked up in a curl; was antsy, distracted, and ready to rumble. Who cares about speeches and corporate rallies, Jeremy wanted to move!
When my grand daughter, Sienna, was in the 4th grade she did the school play, the Seusical musical. The "corporate mom" who was running this show did it like a Broadway opening. There was a full band back up and professional singers, and Helga, my daughter in law, had to have Sienna's dress professionally made, special shoes, etc. It cost something like 120 dollars 16 years ago for her costume! Yep, in Los Gatos high 96% of the kids go on to college and their parents wear their accomplishments like war banners.
But back to our household. Helga was doing fifty things, arranging the house, getting ready for a party, making food, and my other son, Patrick, the youngest of the three, was supposed to get Bradley, 14, ready for the night time graduation in his black pants and white shirt. Patrick was lending Bradley his pants, and Helga was yelling for them to get ready because they had to leave in 10 minutes! Bradley is super tall and skinny. He'd been playing on the computer, Helga has no internet, so the boys have figured out to go in the bushes in the back yard and log on to a neighbors. She stopped the internet to keep the boys from being on it all the time.
"Hurry up, we're going to be late" she yelled, and as we were heading to the car, Bradley hopped out of the house with Patrick's black pants hanging off of him and a crumpled white shirt. His hair was all over the place and for every bit Jeremy looked "cool," Bradley was geeky, trying to smooth out his shirt, buckle his belt, and put his shoes on.
"You could have done a better job Patrick," Helga admonished as we headed to the cars. We would not all fit in one car, and we had to keep up the American way!
Bradley's graduation was at the same place as Sienna six years ago. Edward, my eldest, had not showed up for her graduation. He said he was searching for a parrot that had flown away from his mountain top house, but in reality he was contemplating suicide. A month later he did it.
Going to the same church where my son's funeral was brought up a lot of memories before I went to Los Gatos. But as usually happens, by the time I went to Los Gatos and the graduation I had processed a lot of feelings.
This was an in-door more sophisticated gathering than the 5th grade graduation. A number of the "in" girls were in short, tight, stretch dresses and heels. A lot of the girls looked more like seniors in high school than 8th grade graduates. Speeches were made by a lot more people, teachers, the class president, outstanding student in the sciences, creative writing, etc. The usual graduation speeches. I noticed when one of the students, Chad Reese's name was callled out, a ton of people clapped. I looked through the pamphlet and Chad was on no honor roll, etc. But he did play sports, and that I figured was the applause.
When Bradley's name was called out and he walked up to receive his diploma, he looked brainy, distracted, and bored! I agreed. A few minutes later, we were all outside and we saw Gretta, one of Helga's old friends from Los Gatos, her husband and three children. Bradley had been friends with their 14 year old daughter, Madge, since they were two. A tomboy who played drums, Madge wore a simple summer dress and flats. Helga curled her nose at how some of the girls were dressed. "It's ridiculous" she said.
Madge had two older siblings, John, 15 and George, 17, were playing water polo and their shoulders and chest had developed and filled out. You could see how playing a sport like that had helped them look like athletic young men.
Gretta said they were coming over for the party Helga was having and we waved goodbye. Helga and Sienna had baked a ton of cakes and made a beautiful setting of food. Helga is a natural at making beautiful parties, decorating the house in creative ways, and finding a place for everything. A number of old friends and neighbors came, but Gretta and her family didn't make it, Helga was about 20 minutes out of town on a dark winding road at night time. They probably went to another party. But we all had a great time and went to bed that night seeing bright stars in the sky. As a child I used to lay outside and see the stars in the sky and realize that other people had the same stars in other parts of the world. All in all, a great visit.
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