Official Photographer for the Wooster Middle School 8th Grade Formal (Well, Not Really)

Yesterday morning I was recruited to take photos for the Sealy and Wooleys, which worked out perfectly, because I was paid in steak and potato salad. The original plan was to meet them on the Stratford Green, but they renovated their plans by having me eat dinner with them before the 8th grade boys dappered-up for their dance. I obliged.

That 8th-grade frantic nervousness of dressing up for the first time, meeting up with friends, and going to a chaperoned gymnasium brought back a zillion and one memories of my own at NSJH. Can't remember the girl's name, but I remember I drove my mother bonkers knowing she was going to wear a peach dress, and I needed to find a tie, jacket and slacks to match. We did well in the end, and for some reason I remembered most of us ended up in the cafeteria drinking sodas and eating brownies instead of dancing in the gym.

Funny, too, because I don't think my generation was as innocent in 8th grade as the kids seem to be today. Perhaps it's technology, more involvement for young people in a plethora of programs, or changing morality that makes it seem that the kids are more kid-like than we were. It seems my generation was trying to do adult things a lot younger (escaping to other neighborhoods on our bikes, staying out late, and viewing ourselves as parent-less - they were the rule makers and our job was as rule-breakers).

Either way, the 8th grade formal ritual is a wonderful tradition...a step in the right direction towards days after the wonder years. The photographs came out great and there were few infractions as everyone got ready and I did the dishes to stay out of the way.

Then, I was able to get great photos of all before the parents were kicked to the side, and I went home to walk the dog and read.