The Water Hole !

It has been about a fortnight since the school opened. And things are well settled. The pupils are, slowly but surely getting into the routine of studies. The newness of the class, course-ware, class-teacher, seniority is wearing thin. However, the heat is not. The mercury is rising  day by day. Hot winds have started blowing across the face when we return home. But, this does not curtail the spirit of the young ones in the school. They still make the most of their games period. No matter how much the sun beats down on them, they hardly care and the scorching sun does not deter them from not playing. That is youth ! On the the face of it, they are always up to a trick or two to abstain from sitting in the classroom. 

To make matters worse, there are a lot of arrangements as a lot of the teaches have gone for the checking of the Secondary, Senior Secondary answer scripts. The truants continue. 

This time of the year, the excuse is either for `going to drink water' or `go to the toilet'. So much so, the kids arrive about ten minutes late to class "as they were drinking water". what can one say ! The teacher does all the talking and the minute the bell rings for the next lecture, it is the kids that go to quench their thirst. The water chilling  plant near the chemistry lab is a perpetual centre of activity. The taps there hold a certain fascination for the 'boys in white'. A mass of Gabrielites is always loitering at that particular spot. Some just crowd the place, others throw chill water at one another, whilst many drink water, wash their faces and practically drench their hair with cool water. Pleasantries are exchanged, plans are made, even some teasing is done at this new meting place in Gabriel's. The emo-wet-look I suppose ! Though, I am sure it not new for the kids here.........

Looking at this crowd from far away, reminds one of the water-holes in wild Africa. As soon as the sun sets, all kinds of animals make their way to these water-holes to quench their day's thirst and replenish themselves for the arid day ahead. But here in Gabriel's, it is the two legged creature called boys and girls, that make a bee line for the taps. The increasing heat is directly proportional to the crowd at these water taps...

During this new session, I was given this contribution by Anushree Rawat, a girl of the Tenth Class. I wonder where she was hiding her talent from her school mates and the rest of the world. Such art form ! Such shading and that too of an emo boy ! Do admire !