The tubes are connected, the machines are beeping, the families are outside waiting. This year was the most dangerous yet.
There were more residents than ever before. They legalized smoking in all the cafes. Homelessness was a growing problem. And it rained more than it has in over six years.
There were three CW1 classes for the first time ever during first semester. It was too much. There were too many blogs. 100 blogs. 100 voices. 100 hearts. So many fell to the ground without being caught. Without being heard.
Second semester brought two more CW1 classes and we tried CW2. The Parisian streets were on fire. They called in the National Guard, the SWAT team, the riot police. Paris was burning.
There were more hearts touched. More minds opened. More lives changed. But there were also more crackheads between the buildings.
Today is Memorial Day. Which means tourist season is over. The passports are expiring and the airports are open.
I just want to say goodbye.
I hope you felt inspired. I hope you felt enlightened. I hope you enjoyed the sights.
Paris was always only a dream. I've never even been there. We may as well call it Paris, Idaho or Parris. We're all stuck here in Utah County and that's the way it's always been. That plane we tried to fly was made out of paper and I don't even have my pilot's license. Thanks for going along with it as long as you did, though.
I'll miss you. I'll be at my desk if you need me. Maybe one day you'll come back with a wedding invitation. Or a book I let you borrow. Or just to visit.
I'll be in room 221.
I'll keep trying to write. I'll keep trying to inspire young people. I'll keep overreacting. I'll keep being bi-polar, ADHD, schizophrenic. I'll keep making videos. I'll keep trying to rap. I'll keep going bald.
Now's the part where you figure out what you're going to do.
Good luck.
You'll know where to find me.
p.s. All these pictures were taken today. We went to Mimi's Cafe in Murray, a cemetery in Taylorsville, and the Salt Lake Cemetery.
ReplyDeleteIt was a long freaking day.
I can't express how lovely this class was. Nelson, it was truly the only reason I survived my senior year. And the only reason I am sad to leave high school is because of your class. Paris isn't dead. Not yet. Not for me. Thank you for showing me the roadsigns and ripping up the map. It is what I needed to stay alive.
ReplyDelete^^^ same! Thank you for the journy so far I'll find my way from here
ReplyDelete(I kind of feel like you flew me to Paris so thank you for the ride I won't be headed back but I might visit you in the airport)
"I hope you felt inspired" Check. "I hope you felt enlightened" Check. "I hope you enjoyed the sights" Check. If Paris was only a dream, it was a really good one--and I'm not ready to wake up yet. This is my favorite class...ever. Thank you for making this class what it is. I didn't just learn how to write. I learned how to live. I learned a lot about myself. I learned why art is so important to humanity. (That all sounds wayyy cheesy but, what the hell) You keep doing you, Nelson--even if that means you keep overreacting, and being bipolar, and ADHD, and schizophrenic, and trying to rap, and going bald--keep doing it. Because it's working.
ReplyDelete"I just want to say goodbye."
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot i could say and i wish none if it was goodbye but today was graduation and tonight is the all night party and tomorrow we cant just walk into your class and be taught.
So i really hope this isn't goodbye
THE KNIGHT GRAVE IS MY RELATIVE IM NOT EVEN KIDDING AHAHHAAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA MY MOM"S SIDE HAS KNIGHTS HAAHAHAHAHHAHA omg.
ReplyDeletealso mimi's cafe is my favorite restaurant.
this post made me really sad. i hope i can come in maybe next year and read or something. maybe ill still have skyscraper memorized. but i kind of hope not.
im gonna miss this.
I miss Paris already.
ReplyDeleteI was looking through my journal last week and I realized you put more sticky notes in. I didn't realize you had read my page about hipster day when i was super pissed off at you and I wanted to say I'm sorry even if it's just through a comment on your blog.
Your class helped me through the hell of senior year and I hope you know I appreciate every minute of it
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ReplyDelete