Ripples

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 9, 1999

ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / June 9, 1999

The “goingest” events these days, before the weddings really get started in June, are, of course, graduations. It seems it would have to be one ofthe most emotional lifetime events because very recently, it certainly affected me.

When nephew Matthew Monica stepped up for his high school diploma, straight, strong and tall, something tugged at my heartstrings because his dad, my brother, Anthony “Sugar Boy” Monica, wasn’t there to see it. Wewould no longer be cheering on his cousin, Wayne Stein Jr. in his St.Charles High School football and baseball uniforms. They were no longerboys, but 18-year-olds now registered for selective service. Where hadthe years gone? When Matthew was a baby I kept him one night while his parents went out.

He screamed for hours while I stoically insisted I could handle it. Whenhis parents returned we were both exhausted, but he was still screaming and they couldn’t believe I hadn’t sent for them. Wayne Jr. had this speciallittle way of competing with his sister for attention by “accidentally” backing up to your chair so that he would fall into your lap. And, you had tocontinually prove you didn’t love Sunny more than you loved him. The yearscouldn’t have gone that fast! Casey Duhe, Gene and Tammy’s oldest boy, graduated from Riverside. Thedays when Wayne Jr. walked through his own house, dropped his books andproceeded to Casey’s, and Maria had to learn to cook red beans the same way Tammy did, are coming to an end. They will be going off to differentcolleges.

Sommer Falgoust, Donna and Armant’s firstborn, a cousin and now a lovely young woman, graduated from Riverside but wore large glasses in her first dance reviews years ago when she danced with another graduate, Stephanie Castro, Claire and Oscar’s daughter. Stephanie was a little girlwho sat by the window in Maria’s house after school each day waiting for her mom to pick her up, but she’s has now finished at Dominican. SamsonMonica, an athletic standout at East St. John, is finished, too. Have theyears gotten faster? At the graduation party I went to, grads danced with the moms and dads.

Athletic standout John Price went by with mom, Marian, Matt Weber was with Jo Ann, and Mary Beth Melancon and son Jaret Maurin were enjoying themselves, to name just a few.

But, I have to tell you about my jitterbug (I believe they call it “swing” today) marathon with Wayne Jr. You know how “In the Mood” becomes amedley of tortuous and endless songs. Well, since jitterbug was alwaysmy favorite dance, I really thought I could teach my nephew a thing or two.

However, as the music went on my breathing became labored, and he was oblivious to anything but the music and going strong. Struggling to keepmy feet moving as well as to breathe, and even though I was throwing in some steps that were new to him, his feet had him bouncing up and down without a care in the world.

Later, thinking “surely, he must be wearing down by now,” to my dismay he had this determined look on his face and like the “energizer bunny,” just kept going. The music finally ended and I hoped Wayne Jr. had notseen me grab a chair to hold on to. After all, he is only 18 and I, well,never mind.

Nephew Michael danced with me even though Linda had told him not to because I was better. He giggled all through our dance, and before youknow it, he, too, will be a graduate. He said I was a “cool aunt.” It mademe want to jitterbug again. Give me back those years; they were too fast.

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