June 3: Peace Corps, Daughter's Graduation, Joshua Mehigan, "On the Way to Church School"

For her part, in the spirit of the times and not wanting the life of her mother, Caroline [Ives' daughter] thought she should see some thing of the world and signed up for the Peace Corps, which sent her off to Nepal.  One of Ives' happier times took place during a four-month period before she left for the Peace Corps, when she came to work at the agency, in the "international" division (one executive and a clerk).  Regarding his smart daughter with great pride every time he ran into her, which was daily, he would eavesdrop on her speaking her Italian or French or Spanish on the phone. . . . And he loved the fact that Mannis had come into his office one day to say, "Nice job you did raising your daughter, Ives."  He'd gotten so used to riding the subway with her in the mornings and seeing her on a regular basis that when she gave notice he fell into a deep funk again.

Ives and Caroline have a few months of father-daughter bonding before she heads out into the world after her college graduation.  Ives loves his time with her, takes immense satisfaction in her accomplishments.  She's successful, smart, and pretty.  Everything that a father would wish for his little girl.

This evening, I went to my daughter's eighth grade graduation.  She looked beautiful in her dress, hair curled by her cousin.  She didn't want to go, complained about clothes shopping, and sulked a good deal about the whole event.  Once she got to the school, however, my daughter changed her demeanor.  She was smiling, waving at us from the gym floor. 

The chorus sang (my daughter's in the chorus).  The band played (my daughter's in the band).  There were speeches and a slide show (my daughter hated her slide).  And then the principal started announcing the awards.  History.  Science.  Language Arts.  Math.  Science.  Band.  Chorus.  My daughter was given the Art Award.  I was so proud of her.  When her name was announced, I looked over at her.  She gave us a big smile and then stood up to collect her certificate.

It was a really lovely evening.  I couldn't stop thinking to myself, "I can't believe this is my baby girl."  She's a gorgeous young lady.  Now she wants to be a gorgeous young lady with an iPhone.

Saint Marty got her earrings instead.  Nice ones.

On the Way to Church School

by:  Joshua Mehigan

The girls and boys
that stammer by
at one o'clock
stretch half a block.
Clouds follow them,
also, the steeple.

The tallest and others
waiting to see
what the tallest will do
tie parkas of blue,
yellow, or red
around their waists.

Already lost,
one boy had tied
a parka of red
around his head.
That boy now lies
shoved on the grass.

Ms. Bell, who ably
shepherds them
and Mrs. Stack,
in the way-back,
coolly chide
but do not holler.

The smallest pause
with giant eyes.
The sidewalk glints
at the innocents
so like people
only smaller.

So proud of my little girl