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Class Consciousness
We went to an open house today. These are some friends I met in college. Their son is just graduated from Grand Valley State University. This fall he will be studying to receive his doctorate at Gallaudet University down in DC.
Kris missed the kid's Bar Mitzvah due to a business trip. And when he graduated from high school, we were all in Chicago to celebrate a family graduation, that same weekend.
Sometimes it's hard for me to go to these get-togethers. Everyone always has nicer cars than we have. We parked around the corner so they wouldn't see our beater. They always seem to have Bachelor's and Masters degrees, and there I am with two Associates degrees from community college, and a few computer courses on the side. Even if I could get financial aid, I don't think I want to go back and earn another degree. I wouldn't be able to do my music groups and my volunteer work.
Not that I care about impressing a bunch of strangers. The only ones we knew there, besides the parents and the son, was the grandmother and her husband. I used to be not sure if the grandma liked me or not. Everyone tells me I'm just sensitive. Actually, she was very glad to see us. I think she and her hubby were the only retired people there among all the middle-aged professionals and college students. She might have felt just as lost as we did, at first. It must have been good for her to see a familiar face.
I must say, both parents have done right by that young man. They divorced when he was still little, but kept things as civil as possible. Of course it was tough when they found out their only child inherited his father's hearing impairment. But they saw to it that he got the best education possible. They raised him to be a fine citizen. He's a very nice human being, and sharp too!
It's funny, but I don't think this family ever cared where Kris and I went to school, how much money we make or what kind of car we drive. Their son certainly isn't class conscious. He's going to be a great psychologist. He'll make a wonderful husband and father someday.
Hey, weren't our kids in diapers just yesterday?!?
Kris missed the kid's Bar Mitzvah due to a business trip. And when he graduated from high school, we were all in Chicago to celebrate a family graduation, that same weekend.
Sometimes it's hard for me to go to these get-togethers. Everyone always has nicer cars than we have. We parked around the corner so they wouldn't see our beater. They always seem to have Bachelor's and Masters degrees, and there I am with two Associates degrees from community college, and a few computer courses on the side. Even if I could get financial aid, I don't think I want to go back and earn another degree. I wouldn't be able to do my music groups and my volunteer work.
Not that I care about impressing a bunch of strangers. The only ones we knew there, besides the parents and the son, was the grandmother and her husband. I used to be not sure if the grandma liked me or not. Everyone tells me I'm just sensitive. Actually, she was very glad to see us. I think she and her hubby were the only retired people there among all the middle-aged professionals and college students. She might have felt just as lost as we did, at first. It must have been good for her to see a familiar face.
I must say, both parents have done right by that young man. They divorced when he was still little, but kept things as civil as possible. Of course it was tough when they found out their only child inherited his father's hearing impairment. But they saw to it that he got the best education possible. They raised him to be a fine citizen. He's a very nice human being, and sharp too!
It's funny, but I don't think this family ever cared where Kris and I went to school, how much money we make or what kind of car we drive. Their son certainly isn't class conscious. He's going to be a great psychologist. He'll make a wonderful husband and father someday.
Hey, weren't our kids in diapers just yesterday?!?
Another feature of such gatherings that has arisen in recent years (now that our kids are in their mid-20s) is the my-kid-is-doing-better-than-your-kid game. Of course, the sorts of values that they use to demonstrate how well their kid is doing, are not my values, or my children's values, but nonetheless, the whole game is rather distasteful to me and I'd rather avoid that sort of gathering altogether.
I couldn't have handled this four years ago. I must be getting stronger.