Graduation Day June 17, 1965

   Graduation day should be special -- but today was ordinary and boring. Well, that's not entirely true. I got a chance to see what my future could be if I don't make things happen for me.
   I worked with Mr. Charles from about 9 to 3. Haven't heard from Farber yet. I went up to his house early. When you work for him, you get involved in all kinds of things. First he sent me to Lincoln's for cigarettes. Then, he was anxious to get going, so we left in his old blue truck.
   I discovered why he was so anxious to get going when we stopped at The Derby Lounge. Yesterday he'd done a small patch job for a jockey. Mr. Charles had a hot tip and he didn't want to miss the placing the bet. Of course he had to drink a beer, just to be sociable. I read the morning paper while waiting in the truck.
   So many of the men in Patapsco drink that it amazes me. Mr. Charles holds it well, but I agree with my father. That's no way for a grown man to make something of himself. It's only a way to pass the time and time's too important just to

pass it.
   Sheez, it's easy to see what to do when it doesn't really concern me.
   After an early dinner on this graduation day, I went over to the Big Lot where I've played ball with Scooter, the Haskell, Richard, and others as long as I can remember.
   Lately some of the parents have been coming over and joining the game. Today everybody was there. Betsy, Luke, Mandy, the Haskell and lots of parents. Even Josh wandered by. He stood near Betsy, watching the game. Scooter was home on a pass from the base. He played too.
   The weather, clear and mild, had drawn everybody outdoors. All the older folks didn't play, but Scooter's mother played first base on the other team and my father, the old coot, bashed a single to left field.
   I quit at six o'clock to go to graduation ceremonies. A black guy about sixteen was walking by, towards the A&P. He heard that a spot in the game was open and asked to play. He took my place at shortstop.
   In fifteen minutes, I washed and dressed for the formal graduation. Mom wouldn't be ready for another few