Back to School!
As I write this, my heart goes out to all the kids who were forced down from the branches of their mango trees; kids who were torn away from the ponds and corner streets; kids who had to leave behind the aromas and tantalizing tastes of their grandma's cooking. Really, my heart bleeds for you. I remember it like it was yesterday - I would spend those summer days in a frenzy of activity, never stopping to rest until sheer exhaustion just eventually caught up. Those summer nights were even better. We would spend the nights on my grandmother's terrace counting the stars and listening to the melody of various creatures chirping in the still darkness.Those were the days! We hoped and prayed they would never end.
Then suddenly, like a rude awakening, we would be yanked back to reality. Nothing signaled the end of summer frolic as effectively as the arrival of new uniforms from the tailor's shop. Then the dismal countdown began - " 4 more days of freedom", "3 more days of fun" and things began to look progressively worse. I knew that I would love seeing my friends again but the teachers and homework, I had no trouble missing! Just when my young life would begin to resemble a melodramatic tragic film, my parents would always find a way to turn the whole thing around! You see, a new year at school meant new books and new books needed to be neatly covered in brown paper, labels attached and names neatly printed. My parents, my brother and I would gather in the living room and together as a family we turned this ritual of covering books into a full blown family party! My brother and I would compete for the prestigious role of writing the respective name and subject on the labels. By the end of the night, when all books lay neatly in a pile ready to be packed away into our new school bags, my brother and I would be filled with excitement to get to school! We couldn't wait to show off our cool new bags and pencil boxes! I still remember the smell of newly sharpened pencils and unused erasers!
Yesterday as I watched my young niece mourn the impending return to school after a fun-filled summer, I avoided her confused look as I sniffed her pencils and smiled!
Then suddenly, like a rude awakening, we would be yanked back to reality. Nothing signaled the end of summer frolic as effectively as the arrival of new uniforms from the tailor's shop. Then the dismal countdown began - " 4 more days of freedom", "3 more days of fun" and things began to look progressively worse. I knew that I would love seeing my friends again but the teachers and homework, I had no trouble missing! Just when my young life would begin to resemble a melodramatic tragic film, my parents would always find a way to turn the whole thing around! You see, a new year at school meant new books and new books needed to be neatly covered in brown paper, labels attached and names neatly printed. My parents, my brother and I would gather in the living room and together as a family we turned this ritual of covering books into a full blown family party! My brother and I would compete for the prestigious role of writing the respective name and subject on the labels. By the end of the night, when all books lay neatly in a pile ready to be packed away into our new school bags, my brother and I would be filled with excitement to get to school! We couldn't wait to show off our cool new bags and pencil boxes! I still remember the smell of newly sharpened pencils and unused erasers!
Yesterday as I watched my young niece mourn the impending return to school after a fun-filled summer, I avoided her confused look as I sniffed her pencils and smiled!
posted by Empty Space at 4:07 AM
5 Comments:
Hehe! I wish work had a summer vacation :)
you know what i rememeber best about going back to school?...we had to wear white uniform on thursdays for PT...we used to have the games period just after the PT period....and it was during the rainy season and we all loved to play football.......well picture a bunch of rowdy kids in all whites heading straight for the ground...the football was as usually forgotten in the games room.....laaarge pools of rainwater....end result...the perfect ad for surf!!!!
i did not like school as much but there were a few exceptions...like my english teacher,flora miss...my god she was beautiful...in a truly classic sense,yup we all drooled and none of us paid much attention to what she taught.punishment from her was like heaven sent!and then of course,hockey.where we became warriors,well almost till some of us got it in the,er..um...family jewels...funny then you hated school and now you just wish you could do it all over again....minus the girls thats is...uuuuuuuuuuugh.hehehehehe
Perfect reconstruction of the past, I'd say. You seem to remember minute details very well. Reading this reminded me of exactly the same things that I used to do, but I never would have been able to remember on my own. Thanks for that.
And yes, vacations usually used to be booring till a fortnight before school, when we used to work extra hard to make the vacation count for the last few days. :)
I loved being a child.
Arvind - he he!!! dont we all!!! sigh!! good old days huh?!
Unicorn - I never understood why they made us wear white for PT! I'd come home filthy as hell n my mom would grimace in pain! Makes no sense!
Atul - I know what you mean! I loved being a child too! Every now n then I sulk n pout n say growing up is over-rated!! :)
You write very well.
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