The first post

Finally, I enter the domain of blogs.I want to keep it as a record of my reflections and introspections rather than a dairy of events.Only time will tell how far I prove succesful in this regard.I will of course begin with my school,St Lawrence, in part because I went back there yesterday.
Whenever I enter ballygunje circular road,the thought of going back in never fails to fill me with anticipation and joy,even today,five years after passing out.It was no different yesterday going in with my freind and classmate.The years melted away as I saw hopeful madhaymik students begging Father for a seat in the HS,young monitors bringing in the attendance registers,and boys playing in the green fields.Ah!Those fields!when I lie on them and look up at the sky,I feel like I am in some alpine grassland.A walk around the grounds always settles my mind,it has that soothing quality.
Looking at the giant Tamarind tree,and the basketball court brought on a pang of nostalgia as it always does.There were two saplings which used to serve as stumps when I played,now they are full grown trees and sights of long forgotten cricket matches,hotly contested and bitterly fought, came back to me.It also made me wake up to the fact that I was so irritable and short tempered then.Time has certainly changed that.I met the teachers next.
Many have aged dramatically these years and it reinforced what I always thought-that the age scale is logarithmic.Being recognised and loved is such a nice feeling.After this I had samosas in the canteen and they still tasted the same,though they cost more:)Something unique to our school ,I always thought, was the respect accorded to everyone and our uniform.In no other school have I heard of a farewell for the gatekeeper or janitor on his retirement.Our uniform previously was steel grey shirt and navy blue trousers,and tucking in not allowed.This was bizarre but meant to drive the point home that clothes dont make a man.It also gave us a distinct identity and I never felt strange wearing that uniform or daring to be different.The school has degraded a lot these few years ever since they changed that uniform for a more conventional one worn by many run of the mill schools. But it still has the quality that makes us want to come back.The relations with teachers do not end on receiving the marksheet.I have never understood the attitude of some students who just wont accept that they have gained a lot from the school.But my school means so much to me,that is beyond words of expression.

Ending on a sad note I mention a friend of mine from NITT, Ishan Bajpai, who expired in such tragic circumstances last week.The notorious loud mouth of our batch, he brought us so much joy and it is cruel life that has cut him short.There was so much that he could have done in life and brought so much happiness to those around.Its a week now but I can still feel my eyes clouding and the salt in my mouth as I write this.Farewell, my friend, wherever you are,all I can say is my final YEH YEH YEH to you.People close to him will know what this means.....