Graduation Party

My dress and tights were blue. My
shoes were black and flat. My hair had
been straightened.
We stood on the stage in the auditorium.
The curtain behind us was red. I was through
with elementary school.

We only had to stay until graduation was over. Afterwards, 
I went home with my best friend. The boy who lived 
around the corner from her was there too.
He was a nice boy, rather short in 6th grade. I
don’t remember his name or ever seeing him after that. Probably
because I was double promoted right past all
of my classmates and friends and into the confusion of
kids who’d been in Junior high six months already. And then
we moved to another district.

But that day 
after graduation, was perfect. Detroit 
winter cold, snow piled on both sides of the 
shoveled sidewalks and smooth
all over Deidre’s unshoveled backyard. We threw 
snow balls and laughed all afternoon. One
hit me in the face, the boy I can’t 
remember wiped it gently off.