Your Senior Photo

Today at Sussex Hamilton
a senior girl,
(who I took as being pretty popular)
came in with a baggy purple tee shirt,
messed up hair, and sweatpants.

She asked if she could take a photo
with both her thumbs up.

No, I said.

She asked if she could make a grumpy funny face.

No, I said.

Why? She demanded.


In my head I thought...

"Let's say you go missing, unintentionally, you're abducted.

Is that the photo you want up on the 10 o clock news?

Let's say, they don't find you for a while, so there's a massive, prolonged search.

Is that the photo you want printed thousands of times on leaflets, Sunday paper inserts, or next to John Walsh on America's Most Wanted?

Let's say they do find you, but it ain't good. You're dead.

Is that the photo you want at your memorial service, in front of your entire school. Even the kids who...let's face it, you treated like garbage. The photo printed on hundreds of buttons that your family and friends sell to establish a memorial scholarship in your honor? ...



"It goes on your college transcripts".



She immediately went home to go put something nice on and fix up for the photo.