There were hundreds of us, but it seemed like thousands. We were packed in what could’ve been an auditorium but seemed more like an atrium area of the school. It was high school, classes were over and us seniors were about to graduate. This wasn’t the official ceremony. It was just us; there were probably some staff on the sidelines but no parents or anything; and everyone was dressed in their regular clothes.

It was either the end of the last day of school or just after; a special day to take pictures, sign each other’s yearbooks and say our goodbyes before graduation day. Whatever the case, there we were; together in celebration. I think it all started with Nazmul; we called him Naz pronounced “Noz”; taking his shirt off on stage to challenge some other guy in a battle of physiques, which put the girls in a frenzy.

It seems I had a hand in organizing the event as I walked about, listening as everyone, or whoever wanted to, said whatever they wanted to say on the mic. It was mostly anecdotes, words of encouragement, shoutouts and goodbyes. When one student was done, they’d usually receive some level of applause and pass the mic to the next. There were two levels in the atrium and the speakers were on the upper level.

I’d been on the lower level until a student who seemed to be the head organizer; I think he had his own mic; signaled for me to make a speech. He must’ve forgotten I’d told him I wasn’t going to speak, but I was caught up in the moment; the energy of the room; so I climbed up to the upper level to give my speech. I didn’t have anything prepared but it seemed neither did anyone else. The spontaneity is what made it fun.

I don’t think I would’ve done it in real life, especially unprepared. I would’ve been concerned about making a fool of myself, or simply not getting an applause, and going on to regret it. I probably wouldn’t have even been there in the first place. I usually avoided, and still tend to avoid, such social gatherings. I did it though. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I remember started it by saying I think I’m the last one.

I kept it short and sweet; it was of the well-wishing variety; and I did receive an applause. It was perhaps the biggest applause of them all; not because of my speech or because it was me, though I was fairly popular among the students, but because I was the last one. Everyone was so happy to be graduating high school and going on with their lives. Be it college or whatever our plans were, we were finally moving on.

2023 July 05