So I found myself at a high school pep rally assembly. When I was in high school, I did my best to avoid these events. But today I welcomed the opportunity to observe the phenomenon without being obliged to demonstrate spirit, sartorially or otherwise. I made notes about a few things (five, to be exact) that struck me:
— T-shirt styling: holes cut artfully in the chest to form a smiley face. (Yes, the wearer had another layer underneath.)
— Girl with bright headscarf next to guy with school-colors face paint.
— Pair of decorated Chuck Taylor low-tops: AC/DC on one toe, EPIC FAIL on the other.
— The guy in the long black trenchcoat who eventually removed it so as to more effectively lead class cheers.
— Another guy, with an I Read Banned Books button on his bag, was intently reading manga (alas, I didn’t see the cover). He put the book down only when he went to the stage, to join his fellow members of the varsity football team.