Bittersweet Acceptance

It’s February 25th, and other students have begun to receive acceptance letters from their schools of choice.  I’ve been hearing talk all day about who got into where, and I’m burning with anticipation.  I couldn’t take it anymore.  As the lunch bell sounds I grab my backpack and head for the parking lot, which as always is guarded by our campus cop Buck.

“Where you headed Gideon?”

In a flash, I have to decide my course of action.  Do I lie, make up some excuse and hope he buys it?  Or do I level with him?  I chose the latter.

“Sir, I’ve been hearing all day that colleges are mailing out acceptance letters, and I haven’t gotten one yet.  I’m anxious as hell and can’t stay here another minute.”

Buck looks past me for a moment as if to ensure that we weren’t under surveillance, and then smiles.  

“Let me know tomorrow what you find.”

As I pull into the driveway at my mom’s apartment, I slam the truck into park and sprint for the mailbox.  I stand there for a moment as if I might decide not to open it.  After a few seconds, I dig into my pocket for the key and jam it into the keyhole.  As I pry the door open, my eyes are immediately drawn to a large yellow package.  Pulling it out, I can’t help but notice “Pepperdine University” stamped on the side.  Sprinting up the stairs, and tearing wildly at the package, I have to catch myself from falling four times. 

The first word I see after opening the box is: CONGRATULATIONS!  A sigh of relief.  I’m in.  This is it.  This is what I have been waiting for.  For years, this is what I’ve been working for.  And it’s over.

I run through my phone list budgeting only 30 seconds for each call.  My friends are all excited.  My sister is proud.  My mother is in tears.  Just one last call to make.  Dad.  On one hand, it’s a call I don’t want to make.  I fear that my enthusiasm will be met with more doubts.  But on the other, maybe he’ll be proud of me?

“Dad?”

“Hey there Sport Fan.”

“Do you have a minute?”

“Sure, what’s the word?”

Here goes. 

“Well, I got my acceptance letter today from Pepperdine.”

Silence.

“Did you?”

And the let down.

“Um, yeah.  The whole package with my financial aid and scholarships and everything.”

“Well, how much is it going to cost?”

I knew it. 

“They estimate that it costs about thirty six thousand a year with tuition, books, room and board, and they’re offering me thirty thousand in scholarships.”

“Seems kinda silly to get thirty thousand and still have more to pay, doesn’t it?  I mean, if you were at the _________, you wouldn’t pay a dime.  In fact, they’d be paying you to go to school!  And who’s to say that that same money will be available all four years?”

I don’t care that he had a point.  I don’t care that he might be right.  For once, why won’t he just support my decision?  Forget it.