04/13/01 08:45 PM: There was a talent show

There was a talent show at my school yesterday. It was the last day before spring break. Lots of people had already gone on vacation. More stayed home. Still more went home early. The talent show took place during the last two periods of the day, you see. It was hardly a primetime event. Not that I would have left anyway, but I had to stay because I had play practice after school.

There was only one act that was not someone playing an instrument, someone singing, or someone playing an instrument while singing. It was a play called “The Creation of Japan.” The Japanese garments were actually pretty impressive. It was basically a comedy. No one else seemed to appreciate the humor in signaling scene changes by having someone run across the stage holding a sign reading “Act 1,” “Act 2,” etc. It was bad, but intentionally so. That’s why it was funny. . . . Oh, nevermind.

I never cease to be amazed by the rudeness of my peers. Do I have the misfortune of always sitting behind or in front of the most ignorant person in the room, or is it just that everyone is that way? The whole thing was basically a test of one’s popularity. Everyone who got up on stage and performed was booed, hissed, and heckled by everyone except their friends. So if the cheers of your friends drowned out the boos of everyone else, then I guess that meant you were cool.

Be not confused. The end is nigh. I have proof: the act that received the most applause (and hooting. . .) was four freshmen girls, not to be rude, but they honestly looked like they were eight years old, doing a Britney Spears-style provocative dance, complete with chairs and everything. Watch out for the downward spiral.

Kevin Peliusczak