Guitar Strings

Trip Down memory lane

About 11 months ago...

I was the new girl. My first view of the college as I got off the movers' truck with my cat, Jimmy in one hand, my schoolbag in the other, was the tall palm trees swaying in the breeze (Pretty poetic and picturesque, right?). The dean, his wife and a guy (I guessed probably their son) were there to welcome us to our new temporary home. I gazed at the slightly faded cream-coloured walls, large fruit trees around the house, sunflowers in the front garden and stairway that led to it. I was immediately happy. It looked like the nicest house yet. My 5th residence... I didn't know for how long, but fingers crossed it'll be at least beyond a year! When I finally brought my gaze back down to the people around me, I caught the guy looking at me. He instantly looked away which made it easier for me to take a better look at him. I clearly remember his short dark curls messily hanging over his eyes. And those eyes. Those deep dark eyes. Man, I could have stared at them for hours. But I was too shy to look at him properly. Call it what you may, it might even have been love at first sight!

He was definitely cute and I felt my cheeks warming up a little. The dean then introduced themselves -Mr and Mrs Dean and Wife (that's how I remembered them; clearly, I wasn't paying attention) and Dylan -Mr. Cute guy- as his nephew, (not son) who was here with him to do his degree at a close-by university because it was easy for him to travel. Then Mr. Dean invited us for dinner that night. Dylan smiled shyly and I smiled back, trying ever so hard to keep it cool.

I also remembered that first dinner which wasn't so interesting. In fact, it was kind-of disappointing. Dylan seemed distracted and not very talkative. I instantly re-labelled him 'Mr. Cute-snob' and let my own pride take over. I was careful to be nice enough to the Mr. dean and his wife and answered their questions politely. But I reciprocated Mr Cute-snob's coldness with as much effort as I could.

I wasn't in a completely new school at that point (though it was school #3 all together) so at least I had made some friends there. My closest school-friend, Jamie got constant updates about Mr Cute-snob and I couldn't help but give him unnecessary attention, especially because Jamie was always curious to know the next detail. The other lecturers at the college premises had older kids who weren't really interested in teenagers. Some of the students at campus had kids but they were all too small for me to associate. I constantly felt out of place at college gatherings until the first monthly fellowship dinner; the Christmas fellowship.

Here at the college, they have a monthly fellowship night, literally every single month. This mostly consisted of singing, skits, some games and a nice, special dinner; basically, to encourage fellowship among the people at the premises. The students themselves make this dinner and the lecturers and their families joined in with the proceedings. I really enjoyed that sense of community and family feeling at this place. (More tears)

I was only thirteen at the time but I was quite good in most house-hold chores, mostly because I was literally the 'woman of the house' in my own home and had learnt to manage a lot of things at a very small age. We did have some support from Aunt Jenna who'd occasionally help us out. Aunt Jenna was my dad's sister. Her husband and married daughter lived abroad and she lived here with their son. She would come over to help with her son, cousin Andrew whom I've known only for about forever. No matter where we lived, aunt Jenna always had the time and energy to help out. And Andrew would always have to join her.

Andy (as we called him) was a year younger than me and we've had our share of fights. He was (of course) stronger than me but I did once kick him in the nuts after he made fun of my brand-new glasses. In my defence, he called me a 'specko-ed gecko' AND I did not know how hard it hurt a boy at the innocent age of 7 but, well... him rolling on the floor screaming "AAAAGH! Evy kicked my peeny, Evy kicked my peeny!!" in sheer agony, was a considerable eye-opener. Even now, he unknowingly covers his 'peeny' when he pisses me off beyond my limit. I may have just traumatized him for life.