And I love it. Allow me to explain:
My parents have been asking me, for a couple of weeks now, to fill out my FAFSA form, and I essentially keep telling them that I will get around to it, eventually. Most parents fill out this form themselves, but not my parents - no, it is my college education, so I must fill it out, even though it requires searching through their IRS tax forms for all of the neccessary information. Essentially, I told them that I'd have it done by last Wednesday, but I hadn't even started it.
Now, I'm 100% broke right now, since I quit my old job, in the middle of last November, due to an agreement reached with my parents (among other reasons), and there was a mutual understanding that they'd be the ones who would provide funding for my tickets to the Semi-formal, tickets which I was required to purchase from school on Friday.
So.
On Friday morning before I go to school, I'm expecting my parents to give me the $20 I need for the two tickets for Amanda, my "escort", and myself.
And then my dad, randomly, pops the question: "So, did you complete the FAFSA form?"
And I tell him, "No, of course not."
So, my parents proceed to give me a fa-lecture (for the unitiated, that means "fake lecture") on what an awful child I am (not that I'm not), and how I cut school last Monday, and on how I go out too often now, and how my grades are falling, et cetera, and so forth. My parents then go on, and tell me that I won't receive the $20, and that I am grounded.
"Grounded!" I say. "In all of my 17 years, you have never grounded me!" Which isn't entirely true, by the way, but still, it's done very, very rarely.
"Well," my father replies, "there's a first time for everything." And at this point, I am shooed out the door to catch my bus, with no money in hand.
So, I figure I can work my parents over sometime before Saturday by filling out my FAFSA form. However, in the meanwhile, I had to scrounge up $20 for tickets, as they had to be purchased before the Semi, on that Friday. So, I manage to scrape $10 each off of Eunice Wu and Jill. I buy the tickets, and return home, and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.
I wake up this morning, feeling like crap, but committed to follow through on my plan. So, I started the FAFSA form, fell asleep, and woke up again at 1:00, where I continued to do it - only to find out that my parents gave me their 2001 tax forms when the FAFSA asks for 2002, for which my parents haven't received information yet. Furthermore, I discover that UFL doesn't require the form until March 15th, while my parents thought it was due to them by the end of January. I then proceed to call my parents, who are at my father's office, and tell them that they are, quite simply, wrong. They acknowledge this, and I assume that I have the $20 in the bag. However, I decide not to ask until they get home.
So, they don't get home until 4:00, at which point I proceed to essentially beg them for the money. They are, surprisingly firm. After a while, my father is beginning to give in, but my mother, much to my surprise (as she tends to be the weaker one) does not budge.
I then proceed to pull the guilt card - I tell my parents that I am a Senior while Amanda is a Junior, and since this is the Senior-Semi, she won't be able to get in without me (which probably isn't true, since I had already paid, anyway, using borrowed money). My father grows even softer; my mother is hard as a rock. My mother states that she will not give me the money - I'll simply have to get it some other way.
So, I say fine, I probably have money in my room, at which point I go upstairs to conduct a fa-search, since I'm quite certain that I have nothing more than a few pennies caught between my chair cushions. While I'm fa-searching, I can hear my parents downstairs in the kitchen, debating whether or not I should go. After giving them what I felt was ample time, I return, and say that I was unable to find $20, and give my saddest, sorriest, puppy-dog eyes.
"Well," I say, "I don't care about this event too much. I was never really much for dances, anyway. I only feel sorry for Amanda," I wail, "whose evening will be entirely ruined..." Which is a blatent lie, since Amanda probably could care less. But my parents don't know that. :)
So, my mother is still firm, and my father's feeling pretty bad, now. I then say that I probably don't even need $20, and that I could probably get by with just $10, since Amanda was going to pay me back for her ticket, anyway.
At which point, my father decides to bypass my mother, and goes off to get the money. He returns with $10 - in change, of course.
"I can't pay someone back with this!" I cry. "What am I going to do with this?"
"What am I going to do with this?" he asks. "And besides, beggars can't be choosers."
I give up debate, because at this point (this is 6:00 now, an hour before I have to go) I know I have won. My mother is still annoyed, going on and on about how she has "principles", but she concedes defeat.
So, I take a shower, get ready, et cetera and so forth. My dad's getting ready to drive me. At which point, my mom comes out and asks me: "You're using that $10, and Amanda's $10 to pay people back, right?"
And I tell her, "Of course," as this is what I fully intended to do.
And then she says "Well, you won't have any extra money, in case you do something afterwards. Walter [my father], stop by the bank on the way and get him some money." My dad says no, so my mom says "Fine..." and she slips me a $20 bill.
"Principles" my ass. No authority whatsoever. I practically have my parents under my thumb. I'm so proud of myself. :)
So, anywho, with that over and done with (and $30, not the $20 I originally wanted, in my pocket) I go off to the Semi, which actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I met Kevin, Erik's boytoy. Kevin, unfortunately, was from another school, and didn't really know anyone. Furthermore, he hated football, and he hated dances - the driving points of this Semi - and subsequently, he looked rather forlorn the whole evening. Erik, to his credit, tried to make him feel better, but he eventually gave up. Amanda, the yaoi lover that she is, tried to keep his spirits up the whole evening, and I did my best to help her, but it was tough work. That aside, though, the evening was quite enjoyable - it even ended with a trip to Minella's with McWang and Jill, where Jill and I attempted to, and partially succeeded in, the sexual liberation of Mike Wang. No, don't get dirty thoughts in your head - we didn't do that, but anyone who knows Wanger knows he's extremely shy when it comes to the discussion of sexual topics, and in that I feel that Jill and I helped him out, while also discussing how much Love sucks, in general.
Ah, what a night.
Speaking of which, I think it's about time I ended it. So, good night, ya'all.
EDIT: First off, it's 2:27 AM. I've gotta lay off the late-night coffee and cheesecake runs at Minella's, as much as I love them :). And second of all... have you ever had the dawning realization that something wonderful has been hidden right under your nose for quite some time? Oh, the sentimental power of Philip Glass upon my weary mind... Hmmm....