A couple of years ago, it happened on a weekend and I was still working in the same office as my husband back then.
That weekend was one of the memorable ones. It was a community out reach weekend at work and I went along with my colleagues to visit the kids,be there and have fun with them. My husband and I reached the convent much before the scheduled time and waited for the rest of them to join us. While we were waiting for them my husband got busy with his photography and I got lost in thoughts.
Kids were grouped according to the standard they were in and they started with their drawings. They were given drawing papers. I was visiting each group to get to know them.I met some kids who were very talented,their drawings were very mature and colorful. When I came across a group of 10th standard teen-girls,I found some of them were very shy and were hiding themselves behind their drawings.I was trying my best to comfort them. I'm not in my teens now but I could certainly understand how a teenager felt. I know they needed more attention and a lot of comfort. Most of them began to respond slowly to the attention they were receiving and started sharing their opinion about each other's drawing.
Among them was this girl who looked like,for some reason, had decided to stay in her nut shell. Some of them asked me what could they call me? Some asked if 'Akka' is appropriate?, some asked if they could call me by my name. I slowly moved closer to her while I was getting bombarded with questions. Once I sat next to her,she suddenly looked up and asked me ' Akka, what do you speak? ' and I said " Anything ". She looked confused and then she asked me " No,what I meant was language". I answered with a smile " I can manage to speak anything as long as you understand what I meant." She laughed and the ice broke that's when she said her name was Catherine.
It was nice fun. They all stood up with their drawings but it took a great deal for us to make them pose for the photographs. Catherine was so shy,hesitant and adamant that she didnt' want to be photographed, so she never did. She handed over her drawing to me and said " are you happy with my drawing? I'm not that good at it?." I said " It's nice dear. I like it." I guess she didn't believe what I said or atleast that's what I gathered from her response next. She said " you are lying,you must be better than me. Anyway,it's just for you." When she said the latter she looked at me and I knew she meant it. I was touched. I told her that I really liked her drawing and I could never do anything even closer to what she had drawn. Once again, she looked on in disbelief before she said " You are joking " and galloped.
We played musical chair with the kids and they all seemed to enjoy the game. They shouted,screamed,cried, clapped and they were engrossed.I didn't find Catherine anywhere close the play area.Shortly,it was our turn to play the same game. When we were about to start running around the chairs Catherine shouted my name from nowhere to say " Akka,you must win" and within a few minutes I disappointed her. I didn't find a chance to talk to her after that.
After the event, we all moved into a hall for Kids' talent show. Those who were already seated at the back wanted me to join them while my team organised the talent show. It looked like I was part of the convent and not the organizing team. Never mind, I was enjoying thoroughly and who wouldn't with the kids? I joined them at the back bench and realized Catherine was right there acting as a commander-in-chief. I sat next to her listening to her comments about each of the girls around. She told me about half the school and we giggled so much over her teen talks. I enjoyed watching the talent show with her. Catherine was surprised or shocked (I couldn't make out) to know that my hubby and I belonged to different religions and our mother tongues were different. She was lovely hysterical,hilarious,hyperactive yet shy in her own ways.
Finally they bid farewell to us,I joined my office team,waved at all the kids. They were all so happy and I liked being one among them very much. Couple of them hugged me,some pulled my hair when I held them in my arms,some kissed me. Could I have asked for anything better than that? I followed my team on the way out. While I was about to step out someone held my finger and I stopped.I knew who it was ! I turned back ,yes it was her and she asked me" Akka, will you come again? " and I asked " You want me to?" . Something flashed and this time it wasn't my husband's camera but Catherin's eyes. She said " Yes, I would love that." I hugged her before I bade farewell.
That's how I met Catherine !
That weekend was one of the memorable ones. It was a community out reach weekend at work and I went along with my colleagues to visit the kids,be there and have fun with them. My husband and I reached the convent much before the scheduled time and waited for the rest of them to join us. While we were waiting for them my husband got busy with his photography and I got lost in thoughts.
It reminded me of my school days. As a child I was a student a convent and would always wait for Saturday afternoon for I knew there would be no class after that till Monday morning. Our school premises was big enough for us to stay back and play pranks under the hot Sun. Once tired,we would get inside the church and offer prayers so that our parents back home shouldn't punish us for reaching home late ! I remembered we had a pet,an ANT !!!!!He he he,when it died of stampede, we all cried and buried it under a tree and also prayed for it! I smiled as the thought crossed my mind and just then something flashed.That was my hubby with his camera. By then the rest of them joined us and it was time for us to start our day with the kids.
Kids were grouped according to the standard they were in and they started with their drawings. They were given drawing papers. I was visiting each group to get to know them.I met some kids who were very talented,their drawings were very mature and colorful. When I came across a group of 10th standard teen-girls,I found some of them were very shy and were hiding themselves behind their drawings.I was trying my best to comfort them. I'm not in my teens now but I could certainly understand how a teenager felt. I know they needed more attention and a lot of comfort. Most of them began to respond slowly to the attention they were receiving and started sharing their opinion about each other's drawing.
Among them was this girl who looked like,for some reason, had decided to stay in her nut shell. Some of them asked me what could they call me? Some asked if 'Akka' is appropriate?, some asked if they could call me by my name. I slowly moved closer to her while I was getting bombarded with questions. Once I sat next to her,she suddenly looked up and asked me ' Akka, what do you speak? ' and I said " Anything ". She looked confused and then she asked me " No,what I meant was language". I answered with a smile " I can manage to speak anything as long as you understand what I meant." She laughed and the ice broke that's when she said her name was Catherine.
It was nice fun. They all stood up with their drawings but it took a great deal for us to make them pose for the photographs. Catherine was so shy,hesitant and adamant that she didnt' want to be photographed, so she never did. She handed over her drawing to me and said " are you happy with my drawing? I'm not that good at it?." I said " It's nice dear. I like it." I guess she didn't believe what I said or atleast that's what I gathered from her response next. She said " you are lying,you must be better than me. Anyway,it's just for you." When she said the latter she looked at me and I knew she meant it. I was touched. I told her that I really liked her drawing and I could never do anything even closer to what she had drawn. Once again, she looked on in disbelief before she said " You are joking " and galloped.
We played musical chair with the kids and they all seemed to enjoy the game. They shouted,screamed,cried, clapped and they were engrossed.I didn't find Catherine anywhere close the play area.Shortly,it was our turn to play the same game. When we were about to start running around the chairs Catherine shouted my name from nowhere to say " Akka,you must win" and within a few minutes I disappointed her. I didn't find a chance to talk to her after that.
After the event, we all moved into a hall for Kids' talent show. Those who were already seated at the back wanted me to join them while my team organised the talent show. It looked like I was part of the convent and not the organizing team. Never mind, I was enjoying thoroughly and who wouldn't with the kids? I joined them at the back bench and realized Catherine was right there acting as a commander-in-chief. I sat next to her listening to her comments about each of the girls around. She told me about half the school and we giggled so much over her teen talks. I enjoyed watching the talent show with her. Catherine was surprised or shocked (I couldn't make out) to know that my hubby and I belonged to different religions and our mother tongues were different. She was lovely hysterical,hilarious,hyperactive yet shy in her own ways.
Finally they bid farewell to us,I joined my office team,waved at all the kids. They were all so happy and I liked being one among them very much. Couple of them hugged me,some pulled my hair when I held them in my arms,some kissed me. Could I have asked for anything better than that? I followed my team on the way out. While I was about to step out someone held my finger and I stopped.I knew who it was ! I turned back ,yes it was her and she asked me" Akka, will you come again? " and I asked " You want me to?" . Something flashed and this time it wasn't my husband's camera but Catherin's eyes. She said " Yes, I would love that." I hugged her before I bade farewell.
That's how I met Catherine !
No comments:
Post a Comment