Monday, July 24, 2006

Memories (No....not the one from Cats)

Crying right through the first month of kindergarden. The single bathroom behind the library with bloodstains on the wall, where a girl was reported to have been eaten alive by ghosts. Trying to dig a tunnel directly to hell in the corner of the sandpit. Falling off the jungle gym and hurting my lip badly. Killing a bird by trying to feed it noodles with absolutely honourable intentions. Queueing up for coupons on tuck shop day. Playing hopscotch in the sand. Watching “Orphan Annie” every children’s day. Singing in the choir. Walking in one neat line in the rain with classmates, it never occurred to anyone to break the goddamned line and run. Elocution competitions. Reading Archie comics through every Sports day for ten years straight. Christmas plays. Learning to recite “The Charge of the Light Brigade” from Bhargavi Pawar, and winning the choral speaking competition. Winning it again. And again. Crying because we were too old to take part in the competition any more. Coaching our juniors, and turning cartwheels when they won too. Cursing the other team when they got fed up with us winning and registered the poem as their choice before we did. Cheering loudly when they lost. Bashing Baldwin boys. David and Goliath. Bunking drum practice to play basketball. Bunking basketball practice to play the drums. Sundry plays that were always a fiasco, but were highly praised. Chemistry experiments where one person would get the compound and six people would show it as their result. Farewell parties. Physics experiments gone awry. Debates that were always so complex. Skirts that were sparkling white always, until that very last day when they had everything in the world written on them in all hues and colours. A graduation so beautiful, it hasn't been replicated since.

Ah.....school. My school. That wonderful place. How I miss you.....