An Art Class… Or Not: Pt 2

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.