Wednesday.
It’s always better
than Monday and Tuesday.
We have Art
and Art is a cool class
where I play music
and draw my heart out.
But ever since Wednesday,
16th February,
2022,
I think
art class
in offline school
opens new possibilities
both artistic
and hopeful.
This Wednesday,
23rd February, 2022,
I had
a sneaking sense
of deep anticipation.
Perhaps
we get another
adventure
of pleading
for a good period
we never had since online class started.
I remember
hearing about
7A and 7B
getting PE class
in offline school.
My classmates
yearn for a PE period too.
Big Daddy J (he wants to be called that) and his friends
want to play football.
Pradhi probably wants
a good basketball session.
I would choose
a great
badminton game.
Plans are in motion.
Big Daddy J
scripts a letter.
Geetha Ma’am
plans to talk to Aparna Ma’am
and Jyotsna Ma’am
and Carol Ma’am.
And we cross our fingers
and hope
and I tell my classmates,
“If we are lucky,
this will be
a new post for sure.
One in verse.”
We read the letter by Big Daddy J.
Manit,
Aadita,
Shivansh,
and I
all get credits.
Some dumb ones,
and some good ones.
The letter is hilarious to me,
but I colour the flower drawn on the paper
on Manit’s suggestion.
I colour it in a rainbow
and it looks bright and inviting.
Carol Ma’am cannot refuse this letter.
And just as art class starts,
just as I finish
word doodles of 4 The Moment,
we give the letter
and Carol Ma’am seems to like it.
She says that Geetha Ma’am
was speaking to the teachers.
Just then,
Geetha Ma’am pokes her head inside,
and smiles.
“You got PE.
Line up!”
We all jump in joy,
line up silently (there are exams)
and then
we are out the door
heading to the ground.
Carol Ma’am and Jothi Ma’am
have a small talk.
My heart beats wildly
in my chest
as I wait for
some freedom in fresh air
that I never have very much
because I study all the time
for the exams.
When we get the all clear
we run ahead
whooping with happiness.
Aadita, Pradhi, and Aanchal
go for basketball.
Big Daddy J and his friends
pull out a football.
Then
it leaves
me, Oditi, Seema and Manit.
We choose throwball
and I grin
with a nostalgic feeling in my heart
about the days
I used to play throwball
in my old school.
After a quick game,
we decide to play
dodgeball.
Manit is in the circle.
We let Rahul join us
and we shout and cheer
trying to sink the shot
and hit the dodger.
Manit gets hit badly sometimes
and we laugh
because dodgeball
is like that.
Seema also does well as a dodger,
but Oditi gets hit very quickly.
When I go,
I dodge a couple times,
then end up catching the ball
much to everyone’s surprise.
The third time I go
I make a decision
to curl my hands into tight fists
so that they don’t open
to grab the ball
I’m supposed to dodge.
And it works.
I move like an airbender
evading the ball
sometimes too easily,
sometimes at close calls.
I go good for a while,
until Manit sinks a shot
and I get hit.
I giggle,
then we get to a few hits at him
before Big Daddy J calls us.
“Would you be willing to play
some football?
Shivansh is very bad at it.”
After a hushed discussion
we form teams
and to some surprise
I end up on J’s team
as a goalie.
Goalie is the only role
I can do best
in football.
Manit yells across the field,
“Maisha, we’re on your side.”
Big Daddy J tell me
he’s joking.
I don’t know what’s funny
the fact that I should believe both of them
or not.
Hysterical with laughter,
I take my place
behind two cones
that serve as the ‘net’.
But before we could have a good game,
Carol Ma’am calls us
and we diligently line up
and walk back to class.
We turn the fans on
at full speed
and drink water standing under them.
I take a few walks around the room
thinking about the whole period.
Maybe the sweltering sun
and the relentless dust on our shoes
that arrive when we run
is sometimes a pain.
But
I hope
we have this
every week
until the finals.
I need it
as I played sports the FIS way once.
Now,
I wanna play
the PPS way
and keep both heritages
a part of my life.
I wanna
get hit by a dodgeball numerous time,
stop enough goals
and throw and catch balls as much as I can.
And maybe
I might get
to play table tennis
and badminton
when things get better.
I hope
that maybe from 8th grade
we get to have hybrid classes
and have more fun.
I hope.
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