Fitting in to the new school was somewhat the hardest thing I had to do in my life till then three years ago when I first joined PS. You may have heard the usual new-girl-trying-to-fit-in stories and probably thought ‘What a cliché!’ Because I did. But you know when I was actually made to fit in God was I wrong! It's as hard as anything else, if not harder, on earth. A series of wrong-doings some hatred gaining and then finally I settled down to this new school near the end of my ninth grade. A long time you may say but I deserved so much time. I spent the time observing people and knowing how they were and stuff. No wonder I speak philosophies, eh? You got that right!
Now after my tenth grade (and, if I may add, a totally unexpected but seriously gratifying results in the board exam)I am meeting old pals from my old school after all this time. Among the few that I could contact- via the net (thank you technology now I can talk to old pals without fighting for their phone numbers) and by chance (calling another friend when she is with our mutual friend kind of stuff) - I got to know so many gossips about my old school (super time consuming and ultimate entertainment) and you know the usual ‘how are you doing?’ and the likes and their comments about me.
Everything went on well until she said ‘Your voice is a lot different now!’ Really I didn’t expect that statement from her. Well what is wrong you may ask. Feast on this: all old pals, I repeat all old pals, say the same thing to you. The first time you can say ‘oh really? I never thought so!’ what about the second? Or every single time you talk to someone after a long time? Every single person says the same thing. After a point it bores you and after yet another point it annoys you and then one fine day it becomes the hardest thing you ever had to do, at least sort of.
Actually this is harder. Talking to guy friends after a long time. Especially talking to them in the tenth grade after last talking to them when in seventh grade. Their voices are deeper than you last remember them and boy did that scare me! A guy friend was sweet enough to get my phone number from our mutual friend and called me in the morning of my birthday. And that scared the heck out of me! He called right after waking up (big mistake) and his already coarse voice sounded to me like a drunken man who just kidnapped me threatening me. Though my birthday wasn’t ruined because of that call it did scare me and that counts! That wasn’t it. Other guy friends I talked to over the phone scared me equally well, if not more. Sometimes their act of sweetness turns out to be an act of scariness to me.
But one thing is for sure. Just the mention of one of their names gives me a trip down the memory lane where I experienced some of the sweetest things of my life. Like every friend I meet in orkut, every friend I talk to over the phone, every friend who still messages me, every friend I exchange emails with just give me thoughts of old school and the good old times. I wish I were there right now but I wouldn’t trade the world for the rich experiences I learned here in PS. Two wonderful phases of my life spent in two wonderful places in the world. Each left in me a mark that is irreplaceable. I wouldn’t change anything in my life if I were given a chance. My life is not perfect but it is as close to perfect as it can be and this is all I want. A perfect life will mean there won’t be these interesting little downs that make the ups seem so beautiful!
Until next time,
Yours,
Arthi Appathurai.
