Wheelchair, Pomp And Circumstance

My fiancé and I taking a stroll. 

  I graduated from University of Houston in 2013. It was pouring down rain and because I had to bring my manual wheelchair, I needed help getting across the commons to the arena where the ceremony was to take place. There was supposed to be an escort, but oversight had not provided one.

"Is there anyone you can call?" the director asked as I waited. My class had already made their way to the arena and were getting lined up.

"I could call my fiancé I suppose, but he's not dressed up," I told her.

"That's okay, it's just to get you situated," she said.

  So I called him.

"Honey, I'm going to need your help getting to the arena. They didn't have an escort ready for me and can't get one now."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

  A few moments later he arrived and rushed me through the rain, to the arena. We made it in time for the line up.

"Okay, I'm gonna go," my fiancé said.

"You can't," I told him, "I need you to help me inside. Since I don't have my power chair, I'm going to need help up the ramp."

"I can't go in there like this," He gestured to his jeans and t-shirt.

"I don't think it's going to matter," I said.

  Personally, I don't care for all of the pomp and circumstance. The only reason I was going through with the ceremony was so he and my family could watch me graduate. Most of my family couldn't make it because of the weather, and now he would have to be in it (something neither of us expected).

"Please?" I asked.

"You know I love you, right?" he responded and kissed me.

  We followed my class into the auditorium as the music heralded our entrance. We took our seats and as we listened to the speeches of the valedictorian and salutatorian, I leaned over and whispered,

"When you graduate I'll enter with you and I won't dress up," I promised.

"Nuh-uh. My graduation, my spotlight," he responded with a big grin.

  The names were called and when it was my turn, he pushed me up the ramp and I rolled the rest of the way to receive my degree alone. When I came down the ramp, he was there to hug me.

"I'm sorry you felt so uncomfortable," I said, once we'd taken our seats again.

"It's really not that, it's just I came to watch you graduate. See you in your spotlight."

"But you did -- you just got a closer view," I smiled. "Plus you were there to hug me after. No one else gets that."

"One of the perks of being in a wheelchair?" He asked.

"The biggest." I beamed.