When Little Billy goes to school, he and Alexis always ride the bus.
There is entirely too much that goes on around the On The Upside household for Little Billy's mother to take the time to perform parent pick-up or parent-drop off, everyday!
NOPE! All the kids take the bus.
Little Billy's mom loves the public school bus system!!
She started sending Little Billy to school on the school bus, when he was 5 years old - Kindergarten.
She made sure he attended school everyday for 6 years - all the way through 5th grade. This is a total of approximately 190 or so days a year; 1140 days over the course of 6 years - that she has been putting him on the bus and sending him off to elementary school.
That is, with the exception of one day.
His LAST DAY of school.
The LAST DAY of elementary school.
The LAST DAY of 5th grade.
On this day, he asked to be driven to school by his dad - in the Corvette - and be dropped at the front door of the school (parent drop-off) - to mark the occasion.
His dad happily obliged.
Little Billy's mother was up early, getting herself ready to go to the ceremony at the school that morning. She was locked away in her bathroom - when her son was chauffeured away to school by his father.
Little Billy's mom managed to make it to the school just in time for the start of the ceremony.
She found a seat.
She prepared her camera.
And ... settled in with all the other anxious parents ... for the commencement to begin.
As the children began to file in - to take their seats at the front of the auditorium - IT WAS THEN THAT ... Little Billy's mother REALIZED that ... she had....... FORGOTTEN SOMETHING!
She'd had 6 years ...
1140 days ...
Many, many mornings and many, many bus rides ...
Leading up to this day.
This LAST DAY of school.
This LAST DAY of elementary.
This LAST DAY of 5th grade.
This DAY OF GRADUATION!
Why then?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why had she not prepared more properly?
Planned more thoroughly?
Why would she have ALLOWED her 11 years old son - the GRADUATE - the namesake of the On The Upside family - to step up on that stage ...
To accept his certificate and recognitions for "A Honor Roll", The Presidents Award For Educational Excellence (90 GPA or above all year long) and the Citizenship Award ...
WEARING ...
CAMO?
Not a suit and tie - like most of the other 5th grade boys.
Not nice attire like all the 5th grade girls.
Nooooooo ...
Little Billy ...
The family's namesake ...
The pride and joy boy-child of the On The Upside family ....
was ...
WEARING ...
CAMO!
CRAP!
CRAP!
CRAP!
This was all Little Billy's mom could think as she focused on her son through the viewfinder of her camera - CRAP!!
On The Upside ... Hey - Billy's Mom!! What are you going to let the boy wear when he walks across the stage for his high school GRADUATION - Surfer shorts, a muscle shirt and FLIP FLOPS? (*Little Billy's mother hangs her head in shame*)