The Graduation That Moved Me

The Graduation That Moved Me

The names are called one by one, with the traditional music playing broadly in the background. My mom came prepared with tissues for the inevitable, crying. I was 10 years old at the time of my second oldest brother’s, Matt’s, high school graduation.

As the Music played, I started to fall deep into my own thoughts. I began to think about how he would be leaving for college in less than a month. As a child, I thought him moving out would be a good experience. The thought of there being an extra room in the house, and me declaring it mine, would make me happy. I never thought that I would not want him to leave.

I began to think about all the rare times that me and my brother actually would get along with eachother.

My ninth birthday party was easily the best birthday party I have ever had. I had lots of friends that came over, more than I honestly expected. The thing that made that party unique from all the others was that my brother, Matt, and his friends made that party amazing.  It seems that if there are older people at a younger persons birthday party, it is automatically better. At that party, I remember they started a giant game of Ultimate Frisbee. None of the kids knew how to play, but that didn’t stop us. I was happy that he was able to make that party.

As the names at the graduation kept rolling along, and I saw my brother nearing the stage. I started to feel a strange, dry pain in the back of my throat. I refused to even let myself think I was about to start crying, I was to much of a “Man” for that. While I was telling myself that I was not bothered in any way, the memories kept on a coming.

I mentally rewinded 5 months to December 25, 2006. Everything at the Melton household is christmased up, its freezing cold outside, and best of all it was Christmas. So you could say that I was “feeling the Christmas spirit”. I remembered how Matt decided to open his presents later and retire to his room to finish an AP-Language essay. After the rush and excitement of opening all of my christmas presents, I started to try everything out. I started by playing the video game that I wanted oh so bad, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006. The game was more enjoyed more as a multiplayer game, so I bashed into my brothers room and rudely interrupted him and demanded that he played the game with me. He seemed irritated at first, but he got up off of his futon and down to my room. We ended up playing that wrestling game for 2 hours. I then realized that I would no longer have anyone to play video games with.

    The loud, abrupt sound of a name being called snapped me back into reality and I jumped. My mom could tell that I was troubled, but I denied everything she asked. She knew nonetheless that I was still troubled. As I saw my brother nearing the stage, I remembered that my brother was not always a person of fun and games, but as also a person that was at one point an authority figure.

   I remembered how he once volunteered to be a coach for an MYSA basketball team. His friend, Lance Coleman, volunteered as the assistant coach. I coincidentally was put on my brother’s team, which made me happy. Matt was a usually serious person when it came to sports and such, but Lance Coleman was not as much. Matt was more serious about coordination and teamwork. Lance was more worried about giving all of us nicknames and playing Horse. I thought since I was the coach’s brother, that I would be able to goof around and not listen, the average thoughts of a 4^th grader. He did not tolerate my behavior as much as Lance did. At least I had Lance to goof around with.

   When I came through and back to the graduation, the time had come. Matt was the next person that was going to be called. After a brief pause after they called the girl before him, they called his name. He walked out all high and mighty like he was a celebrity or something. All my family was clapping including me. I was clapping as hard as I could, the hardest I ever did.