The Emotional Evening of Graduation Unfolds
The school banquet hall was utterly transformed, bearing little resemblance to its usual appearance. Vibrant balloons dangled gently from the ceiling, swaying softly with the faint breeze. Along the walls, LED lights shimmered delicately as subtle festive tunes played softly from the stage, setting the scene for a memorable occasion. The atmosphere brimmed with a mixture of quiet excitement, joy, and a slight undercurrent of tension. Proud parents, adorned in their finest attire, eagerly snapped photos, capturing every precious moment of this milestone event. In the distance, bursts of laughter echoed; elsewhere, warm embraces and brief exchanges of words took place. The graduation night was gaining momentum, stretching out a bittersweet reminder of how swiftly the youthful school years had passed by.
Tamara stood apart from the bustling crowd, clutching a glass of mineral water, half-finished. Her pristine white blouse seemed to merge with the pale and drawn complexion of her face, suggesting a sleepless night behind her weary eyes. She was silent, seemingly detached, absorbed in her own thoughts until her friend Lena glanced around the room and asked,
“Where is he? I don’t see him anywhere. He was supposed to be here, wasn’t he?”
With a faint nod, Tamara pointed toward the window. Near the frame, a tall, slender young man stood slightly hunched over his phone, his gaze fixed intently on the screen as if the true essence of the evening was contained there.
“There he is,” Tamara murmured with an effort to maintain calm. “Alone, as usual. No friends nearby, no conversations—just him and that blasted phone.”
Lena exhaled softly, squinting her eyes toward the young man.
“Come on, he’s a decent guy. Intelligent and well-behaved after all.”
Tamara appeared not to hear or perhaps chose to ignore the remark. Her voice lacked its usual warmth, coming out cold and flat:
“I sacrificed for him… truly sacrificed. Saved money, denied myself countless pleasures. Hired the best tutors and enrolled him in pricey clubs—all to secure a solid education. And he tells me, ‘I don’t need that; I’ll find my own path.’”
“Well, let him find out,” Lena responded with a casual shrug. “These days, kids want to be independent. Maybe it’s for the best.”
“Independent?” Tamara’s tone suddenly rose, pain creeping through her words. “He graduated with a gold medal, Lena! Can you imagine? A gold medal! That’s not just handed out. It took years of relentless work, constant oversight, and my sacrifices. And now he declares, ‘I’m going to attend a mechanical engineering college.’ Not a university in Moscow, not a prestigious faculty—the local college! And for what? To become a mechanic later? What did all those years mean then?”
She fell silent, awaiting an answer that never came, as Lena only blinked in uncertainty.
“What’s wrong with college?” her friend finally said. “Skilled professions are in demand nowadays, even more than office jobs.”
“Skilled trades?” Tamara flared again. “He is exceptionally gifted! Math, physics—straight A’s. English fluent as a native speaker and victories in serious Olympiads! He could have entered any university of his choice! Yet, he opts to become a mechanic simply because ‘it interests him.’ My whole life revolved around him—every decision, every plan was solely for his future. And now this is my future?”
Her gaze dropped to her glass, then shifted toward her son. Suddenly feeling his mother’s stare, he met her eyes briefly before lowering his gaze to the floor. Without exchanging farewells, he quietly exited the hall.
At that moment, Raisa Petrovna—the school’s elderly mathematics teacher, dressed in a dignified suit and wearing a gentle smile—approached.
“Tamara Alekseevna, congratulations! Gleb is truly outstanding. Not everyone earns a gold medal. Where is he planning to study?”
Tamara remained silent while Lena awkwardly cleared her throat, searching for words.
“Why so quiet?” Raisa Petrovna asked. “With such talent and grades, he’ll easily enter Moscow State University.”
Yet Tamara didn’t respond. Her eyes revealed so much pain, it made the teacher falter.
“What happened?” Inquired another mother, a parent of one of Gleb’s classmates. “Why do you look so saddened, Tamara?”
Tamara set her glass down and, summoning strength, surprised those nearby by blurted out:
“I raised a fool. My entire life has gone to waste.”
A brief silence filled the space. Raisa Petrovna raised her eyebrows in astonishment. Lena attempted to speak, but Tamara persisted:
“It’s the truth! He refuses to pursue higher education! Despite his gold medal, he insists on attending a regular college. As if all my sacrifices and efforts were meaningless.”
“Tamara, what are you saying?” Lena tried to intervene gently.
“How I feel!” Tamara snapped. “Do you know how much I spent on him? Tutors, extra classes, special programs, English since he was little! No vacations, no trips—we sacrificed everything for one purpose: a good education so he could succeed. And he tells me, ‘Mom, I want to work with my hands, focus on technology.’”
Raisa Petrovna offered a cautious observation:
“But Tamara Alekseevna, if that’s truly his passion…”
“Passion?” Tamara interrupted vehemently. “No, it’s sheer laziness. He resists studying further, shirks responsibility. How can I explain this to my husband? I dread the argument. His father always dreamed our son would become an engineer, move to Moscow. Now, it’s just college.”
“Perhaps try speaking with him again?” suggested the classmate’s mother. “Calmly explain why higher education matters…”
“I have!” Tamara exclaimed. “Hundreds of times! But he insists, ‘I want practical technology.’ He won’t listen.”
Lena placed her hand gently on Tamara’s shoulder:
“Relax, Tamara. Others are watching.”
Looking around, Tamara noticed several parents observing them discreetly. She exhaled deeply, tears welling.
Key Insight: “What hurts most,” she whispered, “is that I saw his potential since childhood. A smart, gifted boy we could have been proud of. A son attending university and gaining a prestigious career. But now? At best, a factory mechanic.”
“Tamara Alekseevna,” Raisa Petrovna gently reminded, “trades have value too. Besides, university is still an option after college.”
“He won’t go,” Tamara stated sharply. “I know him. College will be an excuse to relax, forgetting university and career ambitions. Yet he earned a gold medal! Doesn’t that matter to anyone?”
She pulled a handkerchief from her purse, dabbing her eyes softly.
“Everything I worked for, everything I sacrificed—it was all for him,” she continued. “No rest, no indulgences. I thought he would appreciate it all when he grew up. Instead, he says, ‘Mom, those were your dreams, not mine.’”
“Where is he now?” Lena quietly asked.
“He left. The moment I said ‘college,’ he walked away, likely feeling ashamed. And he should.”
Meanwhile, cheerful laughter echoed from the hall where the first dance was underway and the music grew louder. Outside, life moved on normally, but inside, Tamara’s world was unraveling. She stood there, witnessing the collapse of her entire belief system about success, love, and life itself.
“Maybe I pushed him too hard?” she asked Lena suddenly.
“I’m not sure, Tamara,” her friend admitted. “But he’s not lost. He’ll complete college and find work. That’s not terrible.”
“Not terrible?” Tamara smiled bitterly. “Do you know what engineers earn nowadays? And mechanics? I wanted a better future for him—far from living paycheck to paycheck like us.”
Raisa Petrovna remained silent for a moment, then suggested softly:
“Perhaps visit him at home tomorrow? Have a calm, emotion-free talk. He might reconsider.”
“He won’t,” Tamara shook her head. “Stubborn as ever. He’s already preparing his application. What else can I do?”
“And if that doesn’t work?” the mother asked quietly.
Tamara was silent for a lengthy moment before sighing deeply:
“Then I accept it. What choice do I have? Maybe it’s my fault. Loved him too much. Wanted too much.”
“Don’t say that, Tamara,” Lena encouraged. “You’re a good mother. Kids these days are different, making their own decisions.”
“Different,” Tamara agreed sorrowfully. “And it scares me because they stop listening. They don’t hear us anymore.”
As the music faded, the awards ceremony began. From the speakers came the announcer’s voice:
“Gleb Sokolov — recipient of the gold medal!”
Tamara applauded while tears streamed down her cheeks. Her son stood proudly on stage, receiving his well-earned honor. And yet, without realizing it, he was shattering every dream she had held for his future.
Graduation night revealed not only the accomplishment of academic success but also a mother’s devastation as she faced the unexpected path her son chose. This poignant moment challenges the traditional expectations of success and highlights the complexities in understanding and embracing the dreams of the next generation.