Graduation from Hell

[Hekate]

9. I don't know the young people (or you) but I remember being about 15 & getting a nudge to speak up

Not from my parents, God knows, but from a friend of theirs who listened to my anger about the school bus situation and said, “This is what you should do and what public entity you should contact, if you want things to change.”

It was a life-changing event for me, now that I come to think of it after so many years. I didn’t ask anybody if I could or should after that initial and enlightening conversation, I just wrote up a petition and got as many students as I could to sign it, wrote a cover letter, and sent it off to the Public Utilities Commission. I got a pissed-off phone call from the bus company wanting to know what adult had put me up to this and had written everything for me, and I truthfully said I did it myself.

And things changed, ultimately.

My parents were fairly unsettled, because frankly I think they were raising me to be an intelligent well-read mouse. I was still their well-behaved girl at home, but shortly after the bus-petition episode I started writing letters to the editor on whatever interested me. I never mentioned my age — the letters got published like any adult’s would.

The point of this ancient history is that these young graduates are old enough — and angry and passionate enough — to have a role in trying to remedy this injustice to themselves. They may need a nudge and suggestion, or not. But I do think they will be happy to participate with you adults.