Mike tossed his mortarboard into the air along with the other graduates from JFK High's class of 2020, both glad that one chapter in his life was over and yet sad knowing he would never step inside its hallowed halls again as king of the mountain. His entire being, it seemed, had been geared for years to this single event, but now what? How had it prepared him for the real world? Now that he and fifty-two other former seniors finally had unmitigated freedom, what would they do with it?
The immediate answer was nothing much, as it turned out. His girlfriend, Jessica, a shy wallflower he'd been dating the past two years, was uncharacteristically loud as she hollered across the gymnasium through the celebration and hoopla to get his attention. "Mike, let's get some pictures while there's still time!" she said, familiar crown of red hair fanning about as she waved to get his attention.
He waded amongst a sea of cell phones and relatives snapping photos of their graduates to where Jessica stood off on one side with six or seven similarly robed classmates.
"Yo, Montgomery, get your ugly mug over here and pose for posterity!" Adam Diggs, a tall lanky receiver that Mike had been playing pitch and catch with since going varsity sophomore year, said.
They exchanged tooth barring grins as both wrapped brotherly arms around each other's shoulders. People held up portable devices. Flashes popped briefly, but not enough to blind Mike. "I'm going to miss you most out of anyone, buddy. Good luck at Oregon!" he said to his teammate.
Adam, who was getting a four-year ride from a football scholarship, enveloped Mike into a full-on bearhug. "Same to you, bro. Give them hell at Minnesota!" he said, sincerely. "Just remember, when we both turn pro in four years, I want to be catching my touchdown passes from you. We'll take the league by storm!"
"First things first; he's got to get an education," Jessica said, interrupting the male bonding.
It was true. Mike may have been accepted at the biggest university across the state line, but unlike Adam, would be forced to nickel and dime his way with a part-time job and the partial grant he'd received. The only saving grace was that his girlfriend would be joining him there. "Hush, babe. Don't remind me about that just yet!" The quarterback kissed the side of Jessica's head.
"Yeah, first we need to have the party to end all parties!" That was big offensive lineman Matt Crockett, who crashed the gathering by nearly crushing everyone within his muscular wingspan. "Business before pleasure, after all!"
"Well, I can see that you've definitely got your priorities in order," Jessica said, laughing.
Matt, who would probably go on to work for his father at the local used car dealership, pointed at her in acknowledgement. "Seldom wrong and right again, sweet thing!" he said, winking.
Mike groaned, but then couldn't help smiling afterwards. The lineman's unrequited crush on Jessica had been the worst kept secret for the duration of high school. Nothing had ever come of it, of course, but that didn't stop Matt's flirtation. "Better watch the way you talk to me, buster, otherwise I'll have you brought up on sexual harassment charges," she said, tongue sticking out.
Despite the fact that Jessica was only kidding, Mike found such concept utterly ridiculous. He certainly believed women should be treated as equals, but his stream of consciousness trended more old school when it came to the sexes: real men cared for their ladies and took control when the situation required it. If a female was so independent that the mere presence of a man offended her, that was a major turn-off to him.
"What are they going to do, kick me out of school? Too little, too late!" Matt said, chest sticking out as he strode away to hobnob with other jocks nearby.
It was Charles and Caroline Montgomery's turn at face time with their son. "We're so proud of you!" the latter said as she fought back obvious tears of joy. She moved closer and hugged Mike in motherly fashion, kissing him on the cheek.
"Aw, mom, you're embarrassing me," he said, protesting mildly.
"Oh, I know a Kodak moment when I see one," his dad said, whipping out an I-phone. Soon, Charles Montgomery's device was pointed straight and true, snapping away.
" 'Kodak moment?'" asked Adam, who overheard the conversation. "What's that?"
Mike chuckled as his seemingly out of date sensibilities kicked in again.
How can you not know what a Kodak moment is,
was his first thought. It seemed like everybody his age was clueless when it came to how the world used to turn. The quarterback had been immersed into the mindset of his parents' generation from an early age, and so sometimes almost identified more as a baby boomer than millennial. Whether it be media or culture, he typically looked and acted a little different than his peers. That was okay, though. Judging by his popularity and social standing, Mike was still considered one of their own.
"It's over your head," he ended up saying.
Jessica mockingly gasped at Adam. "And you call yourself a graduate!" she said, hands to her cheeks.
"Hey, I never claimed to be a rocket scientist," the receiver said.
"With the way electronics are nowadays, you don't need to be," Mike said. "Computers have everything almost automated enough anyway when the average person doesn't have to lift a finger or think too much. Robots will be taking over before too much longer."
"I sense a hint of contempt in your voice," Jessica said. "Does that mean you're not get that Smart car for our summer road trip like we talked about?"
Jessica was aware of Mike's affinity for the past and its slower pace, so he knew she was just giving him a hard time. Still, the quarterback couldn't help but scoff. "They're bubbles, not real cars," he said. "Real cars have genuine internal combustion engines and run on gasoline. They don't have fancy shmancy bells and whistles like GPS or back-up cameras. Sorry, but I'd rather actually drive a vehicle than just ride in it."
"Well, excuse me. When did my boyfriend die and leave a curmudgeon in his place?" she asked, the corner of her lip curling upward.
"You'll have to excuse Montgomery here," Adam said, patting Mike on the back. "Old school will always be cool when it comes to the man's wheels."
Plus when it comes to TV shows, movies, music, among other things,
Mike thought. When it came to 2020 and the modern world in general, he had always felt like a stranger in a strange land. "Speaking of which, Diggs, how about we attend this party that Crockett was talking about and pound one down once more for old time's sake?" he asked.
Right on cue, the receiver batted his eyelashes and did a woeful version of a femme fatale. "You want to go with little old me? Whatever shall I wear?"
"Hands off. He's taken already." Jessica and her smaller frame moved in between the two, grinning for all she was worth.
