A High School Story

One of my favourite memories from my high school years was when a military man picked me up in the air and jumped up and down. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

As a teenager I would tell everyone I wanted to be an actor yet I’d never tried out for any play or musical. Not even in junior high school. Not elementary either. So, after getting an encouraging pep talk from a math teacher I decided to try out for one in my last year of school. I was excited that I’d gotten a part. And it was second from the top of the list posted on the hallway wall! Turned out though that it was a cast of about a dozen teens with me having the fewest lines and appearing in only one scene. Still, I was excited to be a part of it.

It was called “And Then There Were None,” which was based on an Agatha Christie mystery novel from 1939. I really looked up to my fellow actors. They all seemed so confident and fearless in both their acting and in their social interaction. At practices I would think about how I had the fewest lines and wondered at what that meant. It didn’t mean a thing, but I was young as well as both nervous and awkward about how I appeared to others.

Then at the final performance of the play, I walked out on stage with my fellow cast members and we all took a bow. When we walked back, it was Kevin who picked me up. He played the military man in the play; a very significant role with a ton of lines. He was celebrating. Whenever a cast has finished a play or musical there is a euphoria that comes over those involved much like a sports team that just won a tournament. He picked me up in a big bear hug, whooped and hollered, and the others crowded around us doing the same. I’d wondered if he chose me deliberately or if I just happened to be the nearest person who he felt he could lift up in the air. Was he pitying me for having such a minor role?

Though these thoughts swirled around my head, they were muted. A much stronger sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, joy, and a deep gratitude to Kevin and my fellow cast members for including me, even embracing me, in this venture. I will never forget that moment.

Thank you Kevin. Wish you were here.

Congratulations . This is your week.

Best Actress:

Rachel McAdams as Regina George in .Best Actor: Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson in .Best Quote:“Well, you have a sweet bike. And you’re really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you’re like the only guy at school who has a mustache.” — Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite (telling Pedro what his skills are for being school president.)

And here are some other great quotes from these unforgettable movies:

“You can’t sit with us!” —

“I caught you a delicious bass.” —

“Nobody talks to children.” “No, they just tell them.” —

“What do you need a fake ID for?” “So I can vote.” —

“Grandma took a little spill at the sand dunes today. Broke her coccyx.” —

“Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen. It’s not going to happen!”

“When you grow up, your heart dies.” —

“One time she punched me in the face… It was awesome.” —

“Hey, is that a new kid or something?” —

“You can wake up now. The universe has ended.” —

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