gumption

Saturday was the fist of the Fourth of July festivities in Rutland. I love the fourth of July in Rutland. I actually am sure not to schedule vacation plans or anything else around it. I am really a transplant when it comes to this tradition. Jenny's family has lived in Rutland forever. They have a certain place they always sit in the center to watch the fireworks, a place to watch the parade, a place to avoid the horrendous parking and traffic... not really, I think that last one might be kind of unavoidable. I know a lot of people scoot off to boston to watch the fireworks. I've even seen them in DC. But there is something truly pleasing about knowing where I will be and even to a degree, who will be around me every year. Honestly, and this sounds about as old man as it gets but, if someone were sitting in my spot, I would be mad.

This Saturday held a few events, the junior olympics, the road race, and the lip-sync contest. I didn't make it for the first two, but I did go to the last this year. Jenny actually volunteered at the burger trailer for the boy scouts. She really is a trooper about this whole cub scout thing. She is a den leader and supports their effort when many, many, many other parents see it as an hour of babysitting time once a week. Trust me, as a teacher, I know how that whole thing goes. Parents really need to be more involved in what their kids are doing and less about seeking "self-time." Jenny is pretty cute as a burger slinger. Although greasy, she has admitted that she kind of likes it.

The lip-sync is truly something to behold. There were, of course, thousands of my students strewn about the place. I enjoy that. I really do. I know many teachers that would run the other way screaming, but I really like to be around my students and their families. So, I sat watching overly energetic preteens, and a few overly ambitious teen-agers lip-sinc their hearts out to a narrow variety of similar sounding songs. The first few acts were tentative... they got up there, moved their arms, shrugged their shoulders around and nearly moved their mouths to their sugary pop music of choice. Then, when the thing really got rolling, thats when the whole thing took on a life of its own. Kids started showing up in full regalia. Shining yellow tutus, flashing blue sequined leotards, full blown costumes. And the kids themselves seemed to be loving it. There were five-year-olds breakdancing, this girl that had to be younger then four, flailing her arms and body in energetic attempts at choreographed dance moves, groups....battalions... of pre-teens that one could tell had practiced for hours in front of their bedroom mirrors. They were dying for the opportunity to be up there. Even Henry got caught up in the spirit of the whole thing and asked if he could perform Queen's anthem, "Another One Bites the Dust" next year. Go ahead Henry... honestly, if you can work up the gumption, have at it.

I am the antithesis of all of this angst. I have not a single bone in my body that craves that stage. I never have... never. I don't even understand the notion of wanting it. I can't imagine the thoughts that prompted that yellow and black polka dotted girl to get up there and shake herself around. I loved watching it. Well, in complete honesty, at times I couldn't. I just couldn't take the empathetic pressure of watching these kids flap around for the greater good. Other times though, it was a lot of fun to watch. I don't know what on earth I will do if Henry actually carries through on his "Biting the Dust" plans. I think I would grind my teeth to dust. My Henry, dancing to Queen's death anthem, on stage, trying to convey the violence in the song to the audience. I know that's why he loves it too. "another one's gone and another one's gone." Would he throw punches in some air-karate fight? Yes, he would probably throw punches in some air-karate fight. I would let him do it though. Because he wanted to. And I would watch in terror at the entire time he nervously flailed himself around. Gah.... the things we do as parents.

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