Picture Day

Picture day went off without any significant problems. I signed up to monitor the picture line for both morning sessions, fulfilling my two extracurricular activities for the year. Our job was to check that students were in appropriate dress code for their ID photo, which is also their yearbook picture. Both boys and girls are required to wear a collared shirt; what they wear below the waist is not an issue. The boys are required to be clean shaven and have a proper hair cut--we are a private school. We sent one girl home that had died her hair pink--no outrageous hair colors allowed, 6-8 boys who had not gotten their hair cut short enough, and several young men who did not shave.

One of the boys approached for not shaving was accompanied by his father who objected, asking the teacher, who has a mustache, why his son had to shave when he did not. The teacher did not want to make a scene, so he got another teacher, who was clean shaven, to take over. At this point the father became angry and left with the son. Later they returned and he tried to sneak onto the line again. Those of us who were there noticed and I suggested that we back off and report the incident to the assistant principal in charge. The assistant principal pulled the boy and his father out of the line and sent them home. While most parents are respectful and cooperative, this is an example of the other kind we sometimes have to deal with.

My bike riding this summer has been relaxing and has improved my average blood sugar levels. The cell phone I found earlier this summer was returned to its owner. The next few weeks turned up some found change and a few tennis balls in the street across from a local court. Yesterday I found a credit card at the curb in front of an apartment complex along my regular route. I took it home and called the bank on the card to report I had found it. They took the information and asked me to destroy the card.

On my father’s side of the family I am the 5th of 12 grandchildren. Two of my older cousins have passed away, and another is gravely ill; having contracted a malignant form of brain cancer. She is on her 70’s and has been given only a couple of months to live. Tomorrow I will take my only surviving aunt--my father’s sister--to see my cousin (her niece) in the nursing home where she is living. I promised my aunt I would take her to see my cousin several weeks ago, as much for myself and for her. My cousin’s sister-in-law will also be coming. I don’t know what to expect when I see her. We hope that she will be feeling well enough to go to lunch with us, having been told by her children that she is able to make short trips if she is strong enough that day. At any rate, I am fairly certain that it will be the last time I see her alive.