I should've known by the outfits...

***

...but they failed to immediately tip me off. I must be losing it. It seems like I was a part of this unique culture not too long ago. Only those of us who lived it can truly know why the outfits and lack of social skills are truly necessary. I will reveal the truth now:

The outfits and overly hyper behavior would make us easily identifiable to each other when... Parents and children were captured and taken into custody for homeschooling. This detention could only happen if the children somehow were spotted playing in the outdoors before the 4 PM mark. (No matter that we never showed up to the local elementary school. No worries there. Just, whatever you do, don't get spotted in your yard before four!)

***

As Ang and I wandered about the grounds of Maranatha waiting for Bill as he dialogued (thank you Dave Livermore) with an admirer, we met up with Gloria. All around us were kids running about like they were hopped up on something. I asked Gloria if it was homeschool week. Ang answered for her by pointing to a family that was standing nearby. It was all I needed.

As we approached the snack shop it became very apparent that this was no ordinary night at Maranatha. There were groups of children in the lawn polishing up some moves for an upcoming performance. As we neared the building the lights went out and a spot went on and one of the little ones screamed, "The talent show is starting!"

While we waited in line for our ice cream, we took in the talent show. It seems things have changed since I was in the ranks of home school "look-what-I-can-do" crap-that-really-isn't-that-impressive-to anyone-but-your-parents. Back in the day we would have pulled out a choreographed 'dance' to the latest dc talk single or possibly a Petra classic. But these new home scoolers are really trying to pull on the parent's heartstrings to win their contests. The entries that were really in the running featured sign language to music. I think it came down to the costumes worn while performing - I'm pretty sure the purple sequin jumpsuit girl took the grand prize.

The jumpsuit was a risky move. Had the secret agents swept in and taken them all away she would have never been identifiable as one of the pack.