It’s been an entire year, I can still remember trying to navigate the unnerving unknown that was my last 3 months of high school. It was the beginning of the end. It was supposed to be. It turned out to be the beginning of something much worse, and the end to life as we knew it. It’s bleak. Bleak and depressing and infuriating and frightening and nauseating and sad. It’s so sad. Graduation was stripped of its parts. Most of it was there, but the essentials were gone, and there was a shell left in its place. Buying a graduation outfit was an ironic and daunting task. But I met someone who made it much easier. First I met their dog. He walked into our front yard while my mom and I were outside. She apologized for his wandering and said he’s not dangerous (he’s an English bulldog). I couldn’t have been happier. His name is Milo. My mom mentioned we were about to leave to look for a graduation outfit. She said don’t bother, come raid my closet. And raid we did. I spent hours at her house trying on dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, belts, jewelry, and heels. This woman was willing to dress me for one of my biggest life events and I didn’t even know her first name. Her name is Thea. Her son graduated a year before me. After I picked my outfit we spent some time looking at shoes. Since this outfit was for a big day, she said, she pulled out a brown Christian Louboutin shoe box with white and red pumps. Up to that point, I had only seen shoes like that once in my life. Red bottoms. It was surreal. I spent days practicing to walk in those heels. And I made a new friend. My graduation was stripped of its parts. My graduation was fifteen minutes instead of four hours. I didn’t shake anyone’s hand or hug any of my friends. I have my diploma, but I didn’t have a graduation. But I did meet Thea. It’s completely possible that we could’ve met despite the pandemic. Even under the same circumstances. But meeting good people during bad times makes them that much better. And meeting good dogs makes any bad time a good time. The next few months would continue to be bleak and depressing and infuriating and frightening and nauseating, and sad. But I also got to know my neighbor more, and we’ve become quite good friends. I got to know Milo too (he loves a good snow day). So yes, it’s been bleak, but for me, I got the chance to meet good people, and that has made all of this a little less bleak.
Milo’s snow day pictures:
Be First to Comment