Mike Parker: ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ takes off again
I had a break from high school graduations after my oldest four grandchildren earned diplomas. Courtney was first, followed by Haley, Taylor, and Jaxen. Jaxen’s graduation coincided with COVID, so he had no real commencement ceremony until he finished his degree at Johnston Community College. As you may recall, I call my first four grandchildren “The Old Guard.”
By the time you read this column, Isaiah – the oldest of the “Young Guns,” the second group of grands – will have received his diploma from Jones Senior High School. His graduation begins the second wave of Parker grandkids walking across a stage to receive a high school diploma.
In two years, Abby and Alex will graduate. The next year, Hannah and Ben will finish high school. Two years after that, Laney and Allison will march to “Pomp and Circumstance.” Two years after that, Luke will graduate, the last of 12.
Isaiah is now 17. On Aug. 27, 2007, he made his first appearance in this world. One of my fondest memories of his antics took place at his birthday party when he turned two. My mother, Great Grandma Irene, had sent Isaiah a card with two crisp $5 bills enclosed. We gave Isaiah the card. He glanced at the card and then snatched a bill in each hand.
“You’d better let Daddy hang on to that money for you, son,” my son Michael said.
If a fool and his money are soon parted, then Isaiah is no fool. He thrust the two fivers behind his back and took off at a gallop. Daddy would not be getting Isaiah’s twin sawbucks.
Isaiah no longer relies on birthday money. He has learned that if he wants to have money for gas and other wants and needs, he must work and earn it. Isaiah has never had the mentality that his parents – or grandparents – “owe” him anything. He is not a member of the “Entitlement” generation. In addition to working for a caterer, he also babysits and deals blackjack for charity events.
He considered going to school to equip himself to work at a zoo. For years, we have watched Isaiah bond with animals. In addition to his close connections with the family’s pets, we began to call him the “Chicken Whisperer.” Michael had six chickens. If Isaiah sat on the steps of the deck, a chicken was sure to come up to him and sit in his lap.
But Isaiah did a cost-benefit analysis of paying for the schooling required for such a zoo position opposed to what he could earn in that career. He concluded that the zoo path would not give him the return on investment he wants.
When Isaiah began driving, he developed a new interest – automotive maintenance and repair. Isaiah has enrolled in an Automotive Technology program at Craven Community College. His goal is to gain enough experience to open his own shop and offer quality service at an affordable price.
His venture into the future begins shortly after his graduation on June 7. I wish him all the best. In the words of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”:
“May you grow up to be righteous, / May you grow up to be true. / May you always know the truth / And see the light surrounding you. / May you always be courageous, / Stand upright and be strong / And may you stay forever young.”
May the Lord bless you, Isaiah.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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