HSWD - The Assembly

Every student who passed out from my school, would for sure not forget the 'Assembly' (huh? Yeah right - that was our Prayer sessions every morning - what did you think?). Haha truly, these Assemblies used to be a blessing at times, especially when you have a History or Physics (or oh, a Maths test - how did I even forget!) test on the first period. What connection does this have to...uhmm? You'll know too.. go on.
Ok, so I used to go by an autorickshaw (reminds me of my childhood friend who had a crush on a guy whose auto number was 1717: huh, I used to be the informer to her, if he's come or not to school! - lol) most of my schooling, except for my highshool days (yeah, I finally shifted to scooty pep). The Principal of our School, Madam as we call her, began the schools back in 1983. It was one of the earliest opened Montessori schools (and it was an Inter- religious one) and both of my aunts were working as teachers there. Haha know what? All the staff used to get rose milk in packets during the recess hours: As I run around the corridor in my 2std, I remember being pulled over by my aunts just because I love rose milk! Well, I still do - hehe. Hmmm, so yeah, beginning from Kindergardens, we used to have every morning at 8:00 - the daily Assembly. From hymns to motivational speeches to pledges to wishing Birthday babys - the base was all the same until High school. Just that we grew up. 

The Assembly was usually in a huge stage in our playground - with all of the students standing in lines. 'Please sit down' was possibly every students' favorite line - why? comeon, read without asking questions and don't have this duh! look on your face) You can see kids chatting to the friend in the next line, leaning onto the one behind you, digging mud with sticks and shifting places as the Sun scotches you from behind - all because the next period was cut). Fridays had these extra activities: skits, quiz, club activities we generally say (there was science club, arts club,social club etc: each making the theme for that day) and sometimes extended prayer hymns. 
We wore pink and white shades: plaited or short hair, white shocks and black shoes, while the boys were in blue and white shaded Uniforms: neatly cut hair and ...I seriously dont remember the shoes or socks they wore o.O). But then, the XII students always seems to look the proudest - Partly maybe because they were the eldest of the lot and also the teen age spree, you see! Atleast we had public Exams in X which..probably gained us some importance I guess. Blah blah blah .. Hmm, so S did his midschool somewhere else itseems - And It was only from X that S was officially in my class.. nah, I never knew him until then. Never.

The First Time: The Assembly had this funny thing (Never realised it when I was young, but now it sounds all funny: And I am not even 30!) of inviting the Birthday Babies as they call - onto stage. And then we all sing the 'Happy birthday' song - In English and Hindi (on Wednesdays a Ji used to sing in her keech voice - Janmadhin shubh kaam nayeeeeee) It was S's birthday that day - 2000 (type, backspace, type, backspace - seri vei: Year likkus!). He was in a cream kurta and top. That was when I saw him straight on face - standing on stage. I still remember the image as fresh as if it were yesterday! Haha, I tease him even now at times singing the Janmadhin Shuba.. :D 

Hmm, and oh the girls were in a separate line and the boys in another - in height order. Everyday, well I'll rephrase it as.. Most of the days, from the corner of my eye, I could see S sitting adjacent to me, yet always engrossed in chit chat with his close friends (they still are!) - stupid me, I thought he used to sit so as we both were of the same height! He was spontaneous, humorous, wide-eyed and with a strikingly sharp jaw. Hehe I used to find striking similarities of  him to Salman in Hum Aapke <blush blush> - not just the looks, but the character too. Most of the mornings happen to passby just standing in parallel lines, though not talking at all - Some days, well most of the times I would be the late comer, and then I would stand as the last in the line. Haha, my other tall classmates would then yell out, 'Hey, S.. Come back da!' Lols. And he used to so seriously not chuckle. Sometimes with all the Sun burning your scalp, we spread out and sit under the trees in groups of friends. So me and my other friend, used to go walking around - excusing to pick up water bottles or move to the other tree - Somehow he always found a spot where I can find him - coincidence I thought. Obviously the classmates yelled out hints, like 'Hey, Are you searching S'?, 'Here he is, hey.hey...raise your hand!' It was only after wedding, that he told me it was not all coincidence - And that he did it on purpose so they knew I'd go looking out (My God -  worse thing ever a girl could hear: covers hand in face.. hehe).
Little did I know that by the next Birthday, the flutter would still be the same. I was super tensed as I knew he would have to come up to me with the chocolate box! So was he too I guess. Nooo we were not in love or anything.. but you know, the highschool butterflies!! By then, most of our classmates had started shouting our names together, and probably some teachers knew too. I remember me going on and out of the classroom to the corridors just so the chocolate-distribution would finish off. One particular Botany sir also told me 'Enough get inside the class, poor birthday boy is waiting for you, Look' and I could see S and all his friends howling and laughing looking at the fatso sir. Gaining all the courage, I crossed their tables upto my desk. Phew. And the laughs began to subside only until I found a Dairy Milk over my desk. My God - the guys adjacent to me got crazy yet again, shouting and announcing of the it lying there. Some were surprised, some were hitting S, some were teasing and I, ofcourse flashed him a look of Thanksss <blush blush>! Haha.. that was one chocolate wrapper I had with me for a very long time.

To be continued..

Comments

  1. A good flash back on the good old days :-)
    Its nice to reminiscence on those golden days - yes school days are golden days.

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