Graduation Day...Or Not

I call my mom on my cell phone but there is no answer, then I try to call my dad, still no answer. Wait. They must be flying to Ohio, not driving from Wyoming. I get out of bed and brush my teeth, then take a shower. As I put my watch on I remember that I am suppose to pick my parents up from the Port Columbus International Airport at 11:15 AM. I grab my keys and head towards the door, then I remember that I told my friend Sam Lowe that I wanted to study with him for our finance exam at 5:00 PM. I don’t know if I should go study with Sam or if I should go pick up my parents from the airport.  

Before I do anything, I have to get something to eat. I walk to the dining hall. Should I grab a breakfast sandwich or should I just get a donut? I’ll get the donut. I pay for the donut at the cash register and walk out of the dining hall. I walk back to my dorm room and sit down on my bed and look at the ceiling. Then I said to myself, “you just need to tell your parents what’s really going on and see what they think you should do.” At 12:15 pm I hear a knock at my dorm room door and when I opened the door, my parents were standing on the other side of the door and my mom says to me, “hello Brad White.” I invite my parents inside my dorm room and ask them how their flight was from Wyoming. They both said fine, and they asked me how school was going. I said, “hey where is my friend Sam?” They said he went to go park his car and said he would be right up. I stare at my parents knowing what they are waiting for me to say and then Sam walks in. 

Sam looks at me and says, “what’s up dude”. I look back at him and say, “what are you doing in my dorm room and why are you here?” Sam said, “I’m not going to miss the biggest day of your life.” I stare at Sam and think to myself, does he not know that I am not graduating today? I look down at the ground and think about how I can say this in a way that my parents will understand that I am trying to get a college degree. My mom says to me, “what is it?” I tell her that I am thinking about how long it has taken me to get this degree and all of the memories I have at this college throughout all of these years. My dad says to me do you just want us to meet you at the graduation and we can talk there?

“No!” I scream. I have to tell you all something. I’m not graduating today and my dad says, “what do you mean?” I said,  “I mean I am not going to graduate today.” My mom sits down on the couch and just takes a deep breath. I tell my friend Sam to give me a moment with my parents and I’ll talk to him later. My dad asks me, “how long have you known that you were not going to graduate today?” I say to him, “I have known since the beginning of the semester and I wanted to tell you sooner dad but I needed to tell you in person face to face.” I look my mom and dad in the eye, and say that I am going to transfer to Western Wyoming Community College and leave Ohio State University. My dad looks at me and says, “are you sure” and I look at him and say, “yes I’m sure dad.” I tell my dad, “that I will come back home to Wyoming in the next week and that I will move back home with him and my mom.” My dad gives me a handshake and my mom gives me a hug and they walk out of dorm my room.