An Ode To Thee...

An Ode To Thee...

3 mins
826


This was it then, it might be the last time that I would see her. I mean who could have ever thought that she would leave us! "Which one do you want?" asked the florist. "Uh...? The white one," I answered quickly. It was her final day at school, my thoughts were all occupied by her, she was the inspiration for my career. She was more than a teacher to me, she helped me when I needed her the most. Over the years I had developed a strong bond with her, she was like a mother figure to me. I remember earlier when she used to talk about her life, sharing her moments and experiences. Over the time she and I got emotionally attached...

Thoughts pondered my head as my steps were getting heavy. I waved out my hand to stop a rickshaw, got on to it as my classmate came running behind me, calling me by my name. I stopped the rickshaw and he boarded it. I came out of my thoughts as I heard him ask non-stop questions, I was unable to answer those. He quickly judged the situation and turned the topic around.

She started almost 2 years ago, I didn’t know her well back then. There was this one time that she shared her stories with us, how she was with her studies and how lively she was ... she mentioned about the time she was so drawn into her academics, school to class, class to classwork’s and then to her favourite T.V show. Sacrificing an early morning sleep to get her portion completed and what not. I could as well relate that to my newly appointed class, the portion was super hectic and the load was overwhelming, the class: super boring, the only thing that I liked about school, was about to leave us. So I was heavyhearted, getting nostalgic as this was also my last year of school.

The rickshaw stopped, he paid already and rushed through the gateway as I followed him blindly crossing the gate, rushing through the corridors to finally reach the auditorium where the ceremony was to be held. We were late hence we created a confusion amongst the students as we shuffled to get ahead. The program began, the students started talking about her one by one. Some even dedicated a poem, some tried to make her laugh, and the mood in the auditorium lit up with wit and humour... Finally, she was up for her farewell speech, the crowd cheered for her as she left her seat for the stage. I could relate now, how it must have been for her... Leaving her home-town to complete her education, she was mere 13 years old when she left to pursue her career and higher studies. Her friends, her hobbies, her house she sacrificed it all to get a deeper understanding of the subject. She got placed this time in the city, she was finally relieved that she might never have to leave her loved ones again! Marriage broke the pact as she had to move in with her husband, leaving a life behind to lit another.

She stood on the stage as her steps froze, she began to speak with a heavy voice, “I am really honoured and proud to be a part of this esteemed institute... I never imagined that I could get so attached, with the students, it is very ... ... special to me... I... I...", she stated as her voice began to break and she completely surrendered herself to tears. She stood sobbing, the crowd went quiet and her friend rushed to console her. She hugged her friend as a child letting her emotions through. The auditorium turned emotional, the surrounding went quiet. I was up next to offer her a bouquet of flowers as a token of appreciation, an ode to her...


Rate this content
Log in

More english story from Rahul Bagdi