Ellyn Loves You All!
A high school classmate of my husband submitted a sketch rather than the standard senior portrait. A sunset with the caption "Ralph Loves You All." (This was in 1971 - makes sense, right?) My years as a yearbook photographer and Rick's appearance on many athletic teams pale in the family's eyes when compared to Ralph's bit of acting out. Though the kids and I (and probably Rick, too, after nearly forty years) wouldn't know Ralph if we passed him on the street, we know of him.

I've been thinking about this fellow I don't know. I am tempted, in regards to our parish pictorial directory, to commit a "ralph." As happens so often, I meant well. I've known about the pictorial directory since...since before it was public knowledge. I also stood at a recruitment table after Mass on four Sundays in July. But the time to register for the portrait itself got away from me.

Quite honestly, we're not a family portrait type of family. And the bigger the family has become, the more odious the task of assembling the troops. Just because I stood at the recruitment table (next to the poster that I had made) doesn't mean that I initially had any intention of participating. We're not really a participating type of family. And when the subject came up around the dinner table, I announced that either we all sit for the portrait or none of us appear.

So it became a matter of scheduling the portrait when everyone was available. Not easy but doable. Or it would have been doable if I hadn't waited until the last waive of the conductor's hand on the last train out of town. We received a notice at work about the last dates available and I tried - I really tried - to schedule our portrait. Didn't make it. Ooops. But that's OK - I do have this lovely sketch I could submit...


Which leads my to my next pickle. When we were given the final dates I also received a special card that I was supposed to give to the photographer so that I could have an individual photo of myself for the 'staff' section. Double oops on that, folks.

It doesn't matter to me. Some people are quite eager to have their pictures taken to commemorate various events - I am not one of those people. If they really want me in the directory, could I just submit a sketch? A doodle? A happy face? (Or maybe my MadMen avatar, which bears a striking resemblance, down to my June Cleaver pearls and ubiquitous $5 WalMart red dress.)

Ellyn Loves You All!