Let Them Eat Cake!

Tonight we attended my son's first high school choir concert. He has always been a little hesitant to join choir since his dad is such a choir nerd, but this year he decided (much to our delight and ultimately his own) to give it a try. Last week his group won an excellent rating at a local festival, so we knew we were in for a treat when we attended the performance. The centerpiece of his choir's performance was a medley from Les Miserables, which he had been talking about for weeks. Since we knew he was the most proud of this number, when it came time to plan a post-concert dessert, cake seemed the most fitting. After all, Les Mis is set in the milieu of the French Revolution when Marie Antoinette uttered her infamous line, "Let them eat cake!" in response to the news that millions of peasants were starving. (Though, for clarity sake, this quote actually predates the revolutionary period by twenty years, and may be completedly contrived by a biographer of the time.)

Thus, after his choir received a standing ovation for their performance, we whisked him home to enjoy a large slice of freshly baked red velvet cake (his favorite). Now, I'd like to take credit for a masterpiece of baking, but I cannot. The cake came from a mix before being enfolded in a package-and-a-half of Betty Crocker cream cheese icing. Yes, it was all store bought; but it's the thought that counts, right? Of course, the main idea was to have something to celebrate his hard work throughout the quarter. Luckily, Jeff's parents were able to attend the concert and join us for cake and coffee afterwards, where we showered praises upon our rising star, who (in turn) treated us to several songs on his guitar after shedding the tux shirt, bow tie, and cummerbund almost the moment he walked through the door.

Filled with applause ringing in his ears and delicious cake in his stomach, our son hit the hay early to dream of stardom. All in all, it was a night to remember.

Like father, like son