Today was a pretty good day. I played with my girl on a beautiful 69 degrees winter day. It was so warm and my girl go to run around in shorts and a t-shirt. She was thrilled, we had a few friends come over and I got to visit with my friend Ashly for a couple of hours.
Later this evening Gabby and I made a quick trip to United grocery to pick up a few items and dinner. We made it through the store and she was doing really well. I decided to let her have a pack of half a dozen cupcakes - you know the really sugar sweet ones with the red and blue icing. So we are pulling up to the line and a sweet girl checks me out. A tall guy named Matt packed my groceries and we had polite banter while he bagged my groceries and we were off. At United the baggers always walk you to your car, they load your groceries in and bring the cart back to the store. It's their thing and I have gotten used to it.
So on our way out I asked Matt what year in school, and he was and he told me he was a junior. This was his first job and he had to work till 10 tonight. I asked him what he wanted for Christmas and he told me some in-fashion clothing and new shoes. I took a look at long tall Matt and realized he was probably feeling pretty awkward at this age. He was tall and had broad shoulders with big feet and hands. His body had not filled out yet like a man and his face still bore a bit of teenage acne.
I could tell by his attitude he probably wasn't the coolest guy in school, but I doubted if he was completely unpopular.
He said "I just want my mom to stop shopping a JC Penny's and buy me some cool shirts like some of the guys at my school."
I said "Yeah, high school's tough. Their is always a few kids that get the in-fashion clothing and new cars when the hit 16. Then the rest of us are in a 10 year old hatchback trying to make it work with JC Penny's clothing, while they have Abercrombie & Fitch."
He turned his head sharp and gave me a crooked smile and said, "Exactly, I am stuck in a 12 year old pick up and my mom keeps on buying me clothing that is on sale and just not what I want."
At this point I had Gabby loaded in the car and I reached over to start my car up so the TV would pop on for her. I looked back at Matt who was leaning his tall frame over the front of the cart and I said what I wished I knew in high school, "Matt I am going to tell you honestly, high school is going to be such a small blurp on your radar. All you need to worry about is getting good grades, because trust me the GPA matters now probably more than the one you will graduate college with. Stay friends with the boys your grew up with that don't care about the labels you wear, and don't try to gain new ones that you have to stretch or bend yourself to be their friend."
He kind of smirks and says, "You think?"
I said, "Trust me; and above all else remember this...You never want to be the guy that peaks in high school."
He laughed and said, "You know, I have never really thought about it like that. I just want to be popular and get a girlfriend. I guess in the big picture it is just a short time."
No comments:
Post a Comment