April O’Donnell
Essay for not showing up for Concessions

Dear Mrs. Stasiak,

I thought my mother had emailed you and told you or called you or something of that nature. But you know what? It doesn’t matter what she says to try and shield me or protect me, it’s too late.  Excuses won’t help me. The truth of the matter is my grandmother was in the hospital and I was left to watch my baby brother even though I was assigned to concessions first. Working concessions was a primary responsibility as it was given to me before I was aware of my grandmother’s health. And, no matter how many times I’ve told my mother how important it is for me to attend and be a part of concessions, she told me and told me that I couldn’t go. But I don’t want to emphasize her reaction nor blame her for that is merely another excuse in itself. Being present for concessions was MY responsibility, and being on strike crew was MY responsibility. My mother’s responsibility was to ask what time I needed to be picked up and to be there promptly at 10:30pm at St. Elizabeth’s College. So, I may have gotten a little emotional when you first told me I had to type this assignment, I even cried a few tears. But I’m not going to bring all of those bratty emotions into this paper, it’s my own fault.                                        


      Responsibility; what does it mean? Rising to the occasion and taking fault for your actions. I may have failed my responsibility as the only freshman on concessions, but in return I am completing this assignment apologizing for my actions, or lack thereof. I am fulfilling one responsibility in place of another lost. Responsibility is necessary everywhere. Nothing would ever be completed without it. Our school wouldn't exist, nor any other business or group or even AVPA. Simply because nothing would be completed and there would be no sense of leadership. Everything would lead to complete anarchy. Realizing the idea of responsibility, I now see more lucidly how I must give a great deal of time into my career and also my primary concern, school. I fully and thoroughly understand this is a vocational and career oriented institute and I plan to devote more time to it.

Why was I supposed to be at AVPA’s “Backstage is on Stage” at St. Elizabeth’s? Well, besides the fact I am in VPA, I was meant to represent AVPA by attending. My presence of standing before a table and handing people snacks and giving change and being a part of strike crew was way more dutiful than staying home and babysitting my 8 year old brother and my black standard poodle. Concessions duty was more important than babysitting because concessions and working backstage hold a future for me. And, the only future babysitting could ever hold is being an underpaid nanny. Working backstage, as Mrs. Fitz has told me, will make me the “go to” type person. This basically means people will know where to go if they need quick expertise. Can’t coil/uncoil the wires? Ask April. Need to know where we’re unloading the refreshments for the production? Ask April. And so on. I already know how to be useful at home, now I need to learn how to be more practical here.

Another very important reason, at least in my opinion, on why I also could have been present to this performance is to support my fellow students, the dance majors. We are all family in this academy and I’m like that one kid that happened to stray away. I should have been there for my childhood friend and once fellow ballet buddy, Talia and for Josie, who has quickly become a close friend of mine and makes B days a lot more fun for me and all the other dancers who did their absolute best from what I heard. I feel deeply regretful for not seeing the dancers and how this performance was like a candle for their burning passion and love for dance. I apologize to them as much as I do to you.

To wrap up, my duty to this off campus performance was my responsibility and mine alone. Responsibility is necessary to a society as water is to life. I was supposed to be there to bring pride and professionalism to St. E’s by being a smart and organized VPA student. I let down a few of close friends and fellow classmates by not supporting them by not being there in their time of need. And, most importantly I let the director of this performance down; you. I know “I’m sorry”s won’t cut it and the only other way I could ever repay for you being shorthanded on help is showing up whenever needed. Besides finishing and handing this paper in to you on your desk on Monday morning, the only other thing I can do is wait until I’m needed for help again and swiftly respond and follow up by finishing a job in an efficient manner. In conclusion, I promise that you will see only the best and professional quality of work from me. (P.S. I can’t make any promises on doing multiple choice questions though. )

Sincerely,
April O’Donnell