coco night

Last night we went to coco night.  I've been subbing a lot in St. Helens these past couple of weeks at the high school and have been drawn to the theatre kids.  I don't know what it is in particular, but they seem the most comfortable in their own skins, the most likely to reach out and introduce themselves and the easiest to carry a conversation with.  They have impressed me and I wanted to support them in some small way that indicated, "I appreciate you."

The opportunity of coco night came and I knew I would jump on that train and would need to make it a surprise date for Steve to be on board for the shindig.  He's not much into the arts.  Uncultured swine, I tell ya.  No, just kidding.  I just wanted to say it.

Basically, it's a small group of kids who do a little slam poetry, some improv, a lot of singing and a spackling of instrument playing.  It ran for 2 hours and there were a couple of good one-liners that I loved and lot of bewildered laughs as in, "I don't know why I am laughing, or why this is funny, but it feels good."  Shared with caught glances throughout the crowd as we turned to one another to see if others were as bewildered and enjoying it as much as we were.  They were.

Tears of laughter came from my eyes when some kid with a trumpet and a few other mouth pieces started a monologue of fart noises, punctuated by comments and I laughed and laughed because where else are you going to be sitting with highschoolers enjoying some authentic fart noises that for some reason become funnier and funnier the more they are heard.  Some good American culture, right there.

Steve and I came to the auditorium and began to sit in the theatre seats when we were urged to sit on the stage, which I was a little unsure of until I saw the chairs set up in a semi-circle two chairs thick and knew this was going to be a small knit of kids to show up for this.  And it was.  And they were all so pleasant.  A little odd, but pleasant.  I loved it.  And I admired their bravery in performing.

We met a few kids and supported others that I already knew.  Steve talked drums with a band geek and we settled in.  One of the young women from church read a couple of poems she had written and her last one choked me up.  She's new here and hasn't really found anyone to connect with.  She's going through the motions and doing what she can, but I understand her struggle.  A senior transplanted.  It's hard.  She nearly started crying at the end, too.  So many emotions.  I gave her a hug at the end but I didn't want to embarrass her too much.