Registration that Afternoon

Friday
Late August 1981

That afternoon I was assigned to help with registration of students.  

That consisted of handing out classroom schedules to students who were pre-registered and enrolling new students to the school.   Tables were set up in the courtyard of the school with signs designating where the students to go in alphabetical order. My section was the M,N,O,P section so students would go to the table with the beginning letter of their last name. 

Easy enough.

I would look up their name, check in their name, hand out their schedule…

Exchange a few pleasantries like “hello”, or “yes your hand should feel funny cause you haven’t used a pencil all summer” .

But what got me number of kids that showed up to my line and said this…

”Hello sir” I would state “what’s your name?”

“Mike Suniga” the kid would reply profusely sweating.  

(side note the courtyard was in the sun, the registrations tables were the only part in the shade and kids had to stand in the line in the sun….we couldn’t use the gyms because the floors were new were made with a strange rubber material….and the coaches didn’t want to mark the floor with shoe scuffs)  alas I digress.

“Mike you’re in the wrong line we go by last names.”

Mike just dripped sweat and looked at the other line where the Q,R,S,T sign was hanging, and it was at least 20 deep in kids and parents who were also sweating….

Texas in August has an unforgiving Summer sun.