Harry’s 8th grade graduation

I was in New York for both of his graduations. I don’t know why they have two, but it was fun. The picture above is of Harry, the blond, and his friend, Jason. I took many, many pictures during the second event, but they were all from across the room and it was crowded. So those pictures no one will ever see. While I was there I realized how Harry is not the little kid I used to push on the street in a stroller. He’s not quite 15 yet, but so much more sophisticated than I was at that age – even at my age now! I remember him hailing a cab when Teri was holding him on the sidewalk in New York when he was about 2 years old! Now he just takes off and jumps on the subway and goes wherever and comes home whenever. He has a cell, of course, but sometimes it’s not charged so no one can reach him. Could that be intentional? I am amazed at his confidence and the way he seems to be interested in so many different topics. Needless to say, he isn’t what I was at that age which is good.

I remember some things about my days in grade school at the country school I attended. Not many kids, but I knew them all and liked them. My brother and I walked to school – about a mile – and no one worried about kids getting snatched and disappearing. I think the most exciting thing that happened to me was when Kumeo Iwakari spit chocolate all over my face as I was swinging below him on the monkey bars. Also when Jimmy Hasegawa kissed me in first grade. I cried and had to go in the coat room until I recovered. Another time I was on the playground and noticed some writing on a big tree. It said, “Fuck the Finns!” I was Finnish and there were a lot of Finns in that area. Some people thought we were all rich! We were all farmers – has anyone ever heard of a rich farmer? I don’t think so. Anyway, I went home and told my dad what I read on the tree, and he rushed over to the school. I don’t know if he cut the tree down, but I think he made himself heard. We never heard anymore about it, and he never told me what that word meant. I still don’t know! Maybe some day someone will tell me. You can see how different growing up in those years was than it is now, especially in a big city like New York. Everything moves so fast – you have to jump in the car really quickly and jump out of it even quicker. If you don’t, someone honks. I don’t do anything really quickly. The traffic is horrendous and cars move in and out and honk if you don’t move. I couldn’t live in a place like that. But my family seems to thrive. I can’t believe how Harry is so at ease there. I wish I were younger and could do more things there, but I was happy today walking to my pet store on the quiet street to get peanuts for the squirrel that has adopted me in my absence.

So, Harry, I’m really proud of how you’ve turned out. Your parents have done a good job with you and will continue to do so in the years to come. So be good to them as they love you more than anything in the world. And I feel the same about you. Congratulations on your graduation and may there be more in the future.