Fast forward to 2050, where Anna has an 8-year-old child and is expecting a second one. She became a well-respected youth therapist drawing in clients from all over southwest Louisiana as well as from elsewhere in Acadiana parishes, mostly from Evangeline and Acadia Parishes. She receives an email from Kinder's principal a few days before the homecoming game is held on a Friday night in September, along with a ticket for that game.
"I've been nominated for the award of the Transfer Student of the Half-Century at Kinder?" a surprised Anna gasps upon reading the content of the email. "And all nominees will be present at the homecoming game"
"You always seemed to have a soft spot for VA and not just because you live here. While we talked about our time at VA on a few occasions, I was doing FFA and you left as I started out there" the father of Charlotte, the child for whom Anna moved back to Jefferson Davis Parish, points out.
Kinder doesn't often have transfer students, so I wonder who else the homecoming committee could have nominated as the so-called Transfer Student of the Half-Century. I wonder what the other nominees achieved once at Kinder, and beyond... that being said, I tried not to be pushy with Charlotte. Just nurture her talents to the best of our ability, Anna tries to think of what the other nominees could have achieved, knowing that Anna's achievements weigh more heavily towards the academic and the professional.
"Mom, what's homecoming?" Charlotte asks Anna, curious about what homecoming is.
"Homecoming, in the context of high school and of college, is a tradition where an institution invites back its alumni on campus" Anna explains to her daughter.
When that homecoming game comes, with Kinder playing against Oakdale in an intra-parish game, Kinder's principal announces the main honors of this homecoming at the town's stadium during half-time. Kinder holds a 30-0 lead at this point of the game.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in this special occasion, we announce the winners of the Half-Century Awards. And the winner of the Transfer Student of the Half-Century is..." Kinder's principal announces while the marching band rolls the drums. "Anna TESSIER! Please come collect the award at center field!"
Anna comes at center field, with the principal of Kinder holding a plaque in recognition of the award. As the principal hands the plaque over to her, the principal holds the mic for Anna to address the crowd...
"Thank you, Kinder community. Even though I only lasted a year as a transfer student here at Kinder, that year was a year where the short-lived debate team at Kinder had its time under the national spotlight. However, my life after high school was lived with one singular purpose: paying it forward for future generations, and I saw fit to help the youth of southwest Louisiana with their mental health! So please, I beg you, parents in the crowd, not to treat your children as extensions of yourselves!"
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Cliche Manifest
HumorAnna, a psychologist working with gifted youth and other high achievers, takes to writing indie literature since she was disillusioned with what she managed to read. She decides to enter NaNoWriMo for the first time in her life. But little did she k...
