So Oliver comes home from High School a few weeks ago, and informed us that ‘there is a dance at school, and everyone is going’. Keith and I think ‘dance = disco (for those from the 80’s) = rave (for the young ones) = very dangerous there will be guns. Bad call Oli’.
Then Oliver comes home a few days later ‘would like to go to the dance and we have to wear a suit, invite a girl and pay for her ticket and buy her dinner before the dance’. Keith and I think, ‘rats its going to cost us money – very bad call Oliver’!
After Oliver asking everyone on Face Book (that’s how the world of today knows what is happening in your life 24 hours a day – no Grandma Midge you cant join your grand children wouldn’t want you to know!)We find out that the dance is called Home Coming – when all the past years graduates go back to their old High School and watch one of the last American Football games of the season. Personally I don’t think my Secondary School in Wales would allow me to go back – and I’m not sure if Keith knows where his is!
Next day Oli tells us that he had to vote for 2 boys and 2 girls from his year (he’s a Freshman – that’s 1st year of High School – am I teaching you to suck eggs?) To be part of the Home Coming Court, then there are 2 members of the Court in the Sophomore year (next year up), and in Juniors (lower 6th form for you oldies) and lastly Home Coming King and Queen in Senior year. Now those songs by Billy Joel and Beach Boys about Homecoming King and Queen make sense!
Following day Oliver comes home from school and tells us he does need to buy a suit as he has been voted by his year onto the Court, but he will get free tickets, and he has to be in a parade, and we have to go onto the pitch at half time as his parents and carry roses and this really is rather a bigger deal than we realised. Keith thought ‘way to go Oli!’ I thought ‘what shall I wear’!
Then Fizzy chips in and says she knows all about the parade, as she is in it with her cheer team and she needs ‘candy’ to throw to the crowd.
SO…….. are you still awake!? Keith and I get to the parade, there is Oli sitting on the back of a Mustang – car not horse – with the other members of the Court, throwing candy with all the Troy District dignitaries; there is Felicity throwing candy and cheering. And watching, proud as punch, taking photos, picking up all the best candy that the kids are throwing at us are Keith and I.
The match was good, don’t understand what happened but I believe we lost and we walked onto the pitch at half time to lots of cheers. Well Oli did.
The day after, the Saturday, Oli had a mate over – they got all dressed up with button holes etc and went over to another friend’s house, where about 15 kids gathered for photos and then onto dinner followed by the ‘dance’. He’s only 14…. Oli’s final comment of the night, ‘DJ wasn’t very good’. Keith and I thought ‘that was such fun, boy these guys never do anything small’.