The new school term started on 2nd January after a nice long holiday that lasted almost two months, from early November till 1st January. It was a real holiday – no remedial classes, no two dozen assignments and no enrichment classes.
Mother too did not believe in hot housing us with piano, ballet, violin and swimming lessons – not that we had the money for it, but that was supposed to be a dig at the rich kids, you know the high class people who spent their holidays in Cameron Highlands and Penang.
We did not know who Patricia Chan and Ang Peng Siong were and her future parents had not even met, let alone thought of Abigail Sin – we did not have peers to show us up.
FREE Preview > Click on Image
*** Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2011 ***
Going to the second grade was marred for me by going to a completely different school. I was always the newbie. The worst part of feeling so much older and superior to the younger kids, when I finally did get the chance to, was that my sister was two years younger. Before we went to school, we were friends. After we went to school she was just a little kid. I think I was robbed, but if so I let them rob me. Maybe the right word is conned rather than robbed. I was the mark, as the con artists say.
Oh dear, youngsters make friends quickly and when they have to part – it can be painful.
You’ve also touched on something else – where people are physically present but their relationships change > not many notice this. Though they do feel the loss, many don’t recognise the source and make false attributions, I reckon.
Busiest time is before school reopens when I have to make sure all books, stationery and school bag are in order.
Don’t forget, with the booklist in hand, we went on frenzied searches for hand-me-down books. Everyone pitched in – family, friends, neighbours.
First day in school alright. Will be great to hear a bit about your holidays…
Yes, plan do write on holidays…in the pipeline
I always look forward to beginning of the year when school re-open after a loooong year end school holiday.
I remember, we used paper to clean all the chair and table legs which had turned heavy with rust – first day’s routine.
Dear Jasey – glad that you like this series of micro fictions. Please do tune in. You can contribute stories too and we’ll edit/review and post it.
This is fun. The author has so much to share of his school days. Well he promised “that’s another story”. Shall wait.