This story has gotten me thinking about unintended consequences. The story, briefly, is that a high school student, walking across stage for graduation, blows a kiss to his family and his principal denies him his diploma. Suddenly, what was supposed to be a great event turns out to be a big let down. The kid was apparently having too much fun celebrating his high school graduation and some uppity administrator with a bug up his tailpipe decided it was not appropriate.
It reminded me of a story from my freshman year in college for two reasons–one I was just talking about it via e-mail with my college roommate and two, the unintended consequences of this decision ruined what could have been. You see, off on our own, getting ready for the first summer of college, we decided to put a whacky message on our college answering machine. (This was back in the days before voicemail and neither one of us had a cell phone at the time. The horror, I know.) After several attempts, we finally decided that the song “Uncle Fucker” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut should simply grace the message with no real indication of who lived there, and what type of message to leave.
If you’re unfamiliar with the song, let me clue you in:
We didn’t think twice about the decision. Then I decided to apply for this job doing dinner theatre (I know) for a production that we did in high school where I lost what I felt was the part of a life time. I then get a call from the director…while I wasn’t home…and he had to leave a message to the tune of “Uncle Fucker.” His shaky voice was an indication that I couldn’t dare show my voice or face around him again. And there went my desire to participate in theatre activities along with the Terrance and Phillip song.
When I heard about this kid I thought, “Gee, that sounds familiar.” Granted I wasn’t asked to sit down at my high school graduation (though as hot as it was, I would have gladly accepted the rest), but I did do something I thought was cute and it ended up biting me in the ass. I’d like to say this is the only time I’ve made this particular genre of mistake, but the fact is that I keep doing it time and time again.
The moral of the story is to watch what you say and what you put out there. The world is always looking to cut you down–don’t give them the tools to do it and a helping hand.
I’d love to hear your stories like this. We all have them. When have you handed someone the ax to chop you down?
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Would you really want to be in a production with a director who can't appreciate "Uncle Fucker"? I know I wouldn't.
That graduation story reminds me of the "when in doubt, punish" attitude of the administrators at my high school. I remember in particular one incident in which a kid knocked on a glass wall to get the attention of a friend in the outdoor smoking lounge on the other side of it. Apparently he knocked a little hard, because the glass shattered, and he had to go to the hospital to get stitches. Can you believe the school suspended him for that? He should have sued this district's ass off…
Man, I remember the days of answering machines. I used to spend hours picking a song for my outgoing message. Usually, it was Sarah McLachlan (I know, totally depressing).
I can't believe that kid was punished at his graduation for something so harmless. What about the kid who was naked under his gown? I went to an all girls school so I didn't experience this first hand, but since everything I know about high school graduations comes from watching Can't Hardly Wait I'm pretty sure there was one.
I'm trying to think of something like this that happened to me, but I was (and still am) always the safe one. Although the longer I teach, the more outspoken I get with higher-ups. I really should watch my mouth because if I keep going the way I'm going, I'm going to get fired for speaking my mind a little too bluntly to the wrong crowd…
Anyway, about the graduation story. I kind of understand where the administrator was coming from. When you deal with kids all day and work so hard to plan this special event for them and then some kid (who most-likely pulled annoying crap like that for 4 long years of high school) acts like an ass to get attention, sometimes it's hard not to overreact. BUT (and this is a big but) kids are kids and you have to pick your battles. Graduation is not the time to punish. It's the time to laugh about it and tell the kid that you hope the door doesn't hit him in the ass on the way out. All I can say is KARMA. It will get them all someday. It's not worth stressing over and ruining a perfectly good ceremony.
Oh man, I remember at our high school graduation, no one was allowed to do ANYTHING besides walk across the stage and get the folder for the diploma. I think one person might have done something, and he was a class clown and constantly in trouble anyway…
I agree with Katie–you have to pick your battles. The administrator at graduation should have just had enough of a sense of humor to be able to let it go rather than to end the graduate's high school experience on such a petty and negative note.
As for the Uncle Fucker thing, that is pretty hilarious. A friend of mine's cell phone outgoing message was something like, "I'm probably out getting hammered now, so leave a message and I'll get back to it when I'm sober". She forgot to change it and gave her cell number out when she began interviewing for post-college jobs. This message was not very well-received, as I'm sure you can imagine, haha. I don't know if it measures up to Uncle Fucker, but it's close!
I hated high school my last two years and even though I should've listened to my mom and graduated early I didn't and made myself miserable. Anyways… I didn't wanna walk BUT after being forced literally and threatened by my mama I did. We had the same or similar code as this school… which BTW takes ALL the fun from celebrating an accomplishment like that out… in any event they called my name as soon as I hit the stage and I did what I now call my patented 'yay me' clap. My principal threw a fit BUT because she knew me and knew we all meant well she didn't bug out like this principal. If he had ran across the stage with a shirt that says "whatever high school can suck balls I'm out" that's one thing but let the kid get his diploma damn. Especially if he earned it.
Anyways, nice read AND… the Uncle Fucker thing is hilarious.
I'm still stuck on the kiss. What rule does *blowing a kiss* break? And if such a rule exists, why the hell does it exist? Someone thought "You know what would really ruin this graduation and totally devalue the last four years of hard work? A blown kiss to a mother."
It reminds me of bad commercials. Some jackass having one bad idea is one thing. But how does an entire ad council approve it? In this case, how does an entire board play along with outlawing a kiss to his mother? Someone, at some point, should've said, "Hey. I think banning air-kisses might be egregious."
Love the "Uncle Fucker" story. Yes, there's an example of handing someone an ax to cut you down. But unless that hapless high school kid gave someone the finger after blowing his family that kiss, I don't see how his behavior was anything but sweet and spontaneous. As F.B. said, he wasn't breaking any rules–just being the kind of kid we'd all like to celebrate on graduation day. As a mother, I'd be proud. As someone who cares about the future of today's graduates, I'd like to give that principal the finger.
haha! great post… wise advice
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