ABSTRACT
After our visit to the university, Jay and I meet again the following Monday, the first day of his last week of fifth grade. I’m there, at his invitation, to watch him “graduate” from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, run by the local police department in cooperation with the school system. The students in Laura’s class stand together at the edge of the left side of the stage, and as each one walks forward Laura announces their name. As they exit the stage, each student receives a DARE shirt and diploma. Jay wears his new university T-shirt, hanging nearly to his knees, and hangs back in the wings of the stage, waiting until last to march across the stage. He then walks to the center and waves and bows as the audience, having been asked to hold their applause, claps for all of Laura’s students. Jay accepts their applause with a second bow and then gives a final wave and grin before leaving the stage.
