Parents Weekend

There are these scripts that I carry about in my mind, scenes of some dozen or sixteen lines which have been inserted and which I could speak. And those scripts are rarely serviceable in my real life. They don’t work. I could speak the part, but the lines aren’t mine, and truthfully, I can’t get anybody else to inhabit the roles and speak the speech I pray them speak.

Here we are at parents weekend, and I didn’t see any parents. I didn’t see anything. I spent the time with my family, Family Weekend an alternative title for these three days. Did go to the movies several times: Martian Child and Dan in Real Life, the first somewhat interesting and the second not at all. Our dinners were pleasant and delicious, and conversation was active and engaging.

I am reminded that Parents Weekend is designed by the college to make parent visits possible, especially for parents whose children are first year students and who have been away from home for the first time and for a long time now. Thus, colleges have to design activities to keep the parents busy, and so there are concerts, plays, lectures and talks, but really, why would I want to sit quietly when I could be actively participating with my daughter. I didn’t come for enlightenment; I came to see my child.

So we are at the airport too early on Monday morning, heading back to our real lives. Of concerts, lectures and plays. And, of course, movies.