the graduate

Before school ended last June the 5th graders put on an anti-bullying play for the school. The play is a comedy/musical which takes place in a school with two teachers talking to the kids about how to handle bullies. Many weeks earlier Erin told me she was going to try out for one of the two main parts, one of the two teachers.

I told her, "Great," but was thinking, "not again". She tried out for main speaking parts in the plays every year at her last school, but was never given one of those roles. She's not really the theatric type, the teachers told me, and I can see what they mean. But much to my surprise a few days later Erin learned that she was given the main female part in the play. I couldn't believe it.

Her role was actually pretty well suited for her. She was kind the of straight man to the other dufus goofball teacher, Mr. B, played by her classmate and our neighbor two doors over, Paul. He was absolutely perfect for that part. Together they had a whole Laurel and Hardy type routine going on.

 The songs were funny, the dialogue was clever and I don't know when Erin learned all those tons of lines, but she did and it came together well.

 A few days later was 5th grade graduation, with a graduating class of about 90.

 All but one of Erin's best friends are going to the same public middle school she'll attend, where the number of kids in each grade equals the number of kids in this entire elementary school. Yikes.