A Hundred Quills
"Words.Words.I play with words, hoping that some combination, even a chance combination will say what I want" -Doris Lessing
WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL (MY FRIEND ALEXA)
Hi friends. This is the second post in the ‘Little Girl Series’ for children which is being written for My Friend Alexa.
The illustration is by my nine year old daughter, Sarah.
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It was a large playground. Rows of girls stood in pigtails and blue ribbons, knee length pleated skirts and blue blazers. The little girl watched them from a distance, marching to the beat of a huge drum. She stood there wearing an oversized brown coat. She liked the idea of a school uniform. They didn’t have one in kindergarten. So, in winters her mother made her wear the brown overcoat every day. It concealed her colourful pullovers. Moreover, she didn’t like being so repetitive. But she wasn’t given a choice.
She tried looking for her friend from kindergarten who had joined the big school almost a year ago. But all girls looked the same from a distance. However, she was able to recognize the woman at the podium- the one in a white dress and a blue veil. Oh, she too was wearing the same set of clothes!
‘I am not the only one,’ the little girl thought.
She looked at her father. He seemed worried. Over the past one year, her parents had visited the big school several times. But they had never taken her along. Yesterday, mother made her sit down and told her that she might have to appear for a test again. Did she remember her tables?
Mother didn’t know she had revised them every night in bed. Mother also didn’t know they were little interested in tables. They were only interested in greetings… probably.
The playground echoed with prayers and songs, as the little girl attempted to make sense of all that was happening. Once or twice she tried asking her father a few questions, but he seemed preoccupied with something else. As the drums began to beat again, the little girl saw the woman in white dress walking towards them. Her blue veil flowing behind her. There was an addition to her accessories, which were limited to a wrist watch last time. A pair of glasses now sat on her nose.
“Good morning!” the little girl shouted.
“Good morning!” came the prompt reply. The little girl smiled with her chin up.
“You can come along. We will put her in one of the classes,” the woman said to the father.
She then led them to the centre of the playground where some girls still stood in long rows, waiting for their turn to go back to class. The little girl took small, quick steps to keep pace with the grown ups. A box of pencils and erasers rattled in her bag. Her cheeks felt warm. So did the rest of her body. The overcoat was not such a good idea for today.
“Ma’am,” the woman in the blue veil addressed another lady in a white salwar kameez. “This little girl is going to join us. I think we can give her a place in your class.”
“My class!” The teacher raised her eyebrows. Immediately, several horizontal lines filled her white forehead.
“There’s no place, sister. I already have forty girls. We could check in section C.”
‘Sister! Did she say sister?’ wondered the little girl.
The two women then walked up to a lady wearing a beautiful floral sari and a crisp black waistcoat. Her curly, black hair fell on her shoulders. She looked at the little girl through the corner of her eye as the ‘sister’ spoke to her.
“I do have place in my class but I would like to conduct a little test. Will that be fine?” she asked looking down at the little girl.
Before she could give her consent, the little girl’s father said, “Yes! Of course!”
The little girl spent the next half-an-hour in a classroom full of other girls and while they listened to their beautiful teacher in a floral sari, she sat in a corner writing some papers. She also wrote tables of two, five and ten. Sometimes she could feel the other girls secretly looking at her. Who would she be asked to sit with? She looked around and thought.
At the end of half-an-hour, the little girl handed over her paper to the teacher.
“She has done very well,” said the teacher to her father.
Her father wanted to take the little girl home but the teacher insisted she start school that very day. So, the little girl stayed back.
It had all been quicker than she had imagined. She thought of the kindergarten. Would they miss her now?
The teacher held her little hand and introduced her to the class. She was given a seat in the front row, beside a lanky girl with brown eyes and long fingers whose hair reminded her of a poodle. The little girl looked around to see if there was anyone else with curly hair.
‘Only two,’ she counted ‘including the teacher.’
It was an exciting evening. The little girl’s family went out to shop for her new school. She needed new books, tiffin-box and colours. She was also required to get her uniform stitched.
‘Finally,’ she thought.
She wanted to go and meet her friends at the kindergarten once and tell them about her new school, but she didn’t know if she could. She would have to ask mother.
They entered a rather big tailoring shop. J-A-N-A-K-I-D-A-S, she read.
The man at the counter took the measurements. Did she want the skirt a little low so that it could be used the next year as well? Mother thought it was a good idea.
As they walked out of the shop, the little girl asked her father, “When will they give the uniform?”
“In a week’s time,” he replied.
“Oh! What will I wear to school until then?” she wanted to know.
“The brown coat. It will keep you warm,” her mother replied.
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I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa Campaign.
This is the second post in the series. Read the first post here.
Read the theme reveal here.
lovely illustration with the multiplication table. Finally, the little one is trying to settle down. Hope her new uniform fits her properly.
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Such beautiful illustrations & cute narrations, Sonia. How do you do this?
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Oh! That is a lovely illustration.. I wonder how it will turn out for her in the new school.
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loved reading it! well penned!
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Beautiful sketch by your daughter Sonia, I can feel this little girl Sarah, her hesitation, innocence, and gazed look in a new school, everything reminded me my days when my dad took me to the new school. loving your series!
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Beautifully written, anyone who has changed a lot of schools can relate to this one. And loved the illustration, your daughter sure is an artist!
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I believe school days memories are most beautiful memories of our life and with this series you are giving us a chance to relive those moments once again sonia. Loved the write up and beautiful sketch made by your daughter. Loved it so much.
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Thank you Surbhi. So glad.
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How I loved this piece, I am happy that she finally got the admission, also I could personally relate to the post because my girls are in the same phase right now. They would be going to a different school once the pandemic ends and I’m sure this is exactly how they will feel…missing their kg friends teachers and ofcourse that cozy kindergarten which was their second home. Beautifully narrated Sonia.
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Awww… Love to your girls Vartika. Thank you!💐💐
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Oops! I read this one out of order.
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Very well penned down, took me to some of my school memories and I liked your daughter’s illustration.
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Thank you!
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Such a cute sketch.. really looking forward to the next post
#tmmreads
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Glad you enjoyed.
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Loved the sketch and the post.
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Thank you.
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I am going back to school days with you beautiful story 🙂
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Thank you so much. I’m so happy you are having fun reading.
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Your post took me back to the days when we were looking for schools for my elder one. Loved the sketch. Beautiful sketching by your daughter.
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Yes, these situations are so universal. Thank you.
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This reminds me of the days when my parents were struggling with my admission. They tried in so many schools but none was ready to admit me for some inexplicable reasons…finally one did where I completed my 10th grade… But always hated the school uniform and would complain to put me in another school. 😅
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Did you? That’s a rarity. Usually children are so sentimental about their uniform.
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Amazing post. Enjoyed reading this. Looking forward to more from you.
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Thank you so much. I’m glad.
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This reminds me of so many things from the new uniforms to the new books smell… SO well written, and I must say beautiful Illustration by your daughter!!
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.
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This is such an adorable series, Sonia. And I am in love with your daughter’s sketches. A new school uniform, that used to be so much fun.
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Always. The new session was always fun. Thank you Ritu.
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It’s such a pleasant read, Sonia. I love the voice. And the sketch is lovely! Looking forward to the next part.
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Glad Tarang. Thanks a ton!
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I’m so loving the sketches your daughter is making for your stories. This creative mommy-daughter duo is doing a great theme with lovely stories and sketches too.
The long skirt and oversized over coat.. typical moms and their next year aim…hahaha nice one.
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Yessss…Isn’t that so mom like. Thanks Pragun!
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getting a new pair of uniforms and the fresh pages smell from Lepakshi book and the happiness in going back to school to spend time with friends… memories that you made me recollect.. 🙂
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Glad Srikanth. Thank you for stopping by.
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getting a new pair of uniforms and the fresh pages smell from Lepakshi book and the happiness in going back to school to spend time with friends… memories that you made me recollect.. Nice story 🙂
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All of the sudden this year all the parents have become creative about school. Kidding, I loved your viewpoint of the new school. Little girl’s innocense and illustration touched my heart.
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So glad. Thank you!
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it’s the same excitement of uniforms everywhere. can’t wait to get into it to get to school can’t wait to get out of it to reach college. lol
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You’re so right!
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Reminded me of the day we took our elder one to the big school. Very well written, Sonia. Children love their uniforms. I also liked how nostalgic she already is about her classmates.
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Thank you Varsha. I’m glad you enjoyed reading.
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The more I read this series, the more I remember my primary school days. I often regret that we will never find that essence of innocence and purity of friendship in life again. Absolutely loved your storytelling style Sonia. Waiting for the next one.
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Thank you Swarnali. 💐💐
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Loved the sketch Sonia…do give your daughter a hug from me. And the tale of course. Hope she gets a smart school uniform with a short skirt 🙂
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Haha. Hope so too. Thank you!
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Loved the evocative sketches and the narration
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Lovely read like the previous one, I’m intrigued
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Thank you once again Arti.
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Thank you Pooja.
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First of all big hug to her for this sketch. My apologies for not being aware that you had a daughter. Secondly, loved your way of storytelling. Forever fan. Keep enthralling us with your magic.
#MyFriendAlexa #ContemplationOfaJoker #Jokerophilia
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Thank you Manas. Don’t be apologetic.
So glad you enjoyed the post.
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Awww the sketches are adding so much to the posts…this one made me nostalgic, my first school (I have been to some half a dozen schools because my parent kept shifting so much) had brown uniform so this post brought back those memories!
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Thank you. Glad it brought back some nice memories.
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This is so beautiful Sonia, from that sketch to this story. loved it
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Thank you Gunjan.
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Enjoyable light reading, I had a smile on my face throughout. And the illustration by Sarah is really cute, especially those expressive eyes.
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So glad you had fun. Thank you.
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I still remember my admission at KG.. though I didn’t even know that I went for an admission till my father said a week after that I was selected by the school!!
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Beautiful very creative description of the little girl and yes this happens to kids when they join a new school. 😇
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Yes. Glad you enjoyed.
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Oh, wow… Even I remember it vividly.
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I couldrelate to this story so well as I have seen this with my two gals who have gone through the same experience. Loved reading it.
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Thank you. I’m glad.
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Such a sweet read. And that drawing is really good too
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Thank you Roshan.
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Wow this is such a great read. Little girl in big school. You expressed her feelings so beautifully. Very emotionally put..
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Glad you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for stopping by.
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So glad you enjoyed reading . Thank you.
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You expressed a child’s feeling so well while moving to a big school from kindergarten. I am going back to read the first story in the series.
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Thank you.
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Going to narrate this story to my kid over this weekend.
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Glad. Thank you.
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I love this. This is me !! love the illustration.
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Thank you. So glad
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It’s been ages, and then some, since I passed out of school, Sonia. However, your beautiful series is taking me back to those days. Thanks for writing this, and do thank Sarah for sharing her beautiful illustrations with us.
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So glad Mayuri. Thank you.
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I simply love the illustrations by the little one and its so apt for the story. The way you are unfolding the events its making it one interesting read. Loved this one too and now looking forward to the next post.
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So glad Rashi. Thank you
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Going back to read the first story!!!
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Lovely post! The take on the drawing by your little one is brilliant!! Looking forward to reading more in this series.
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Thank you Mayura
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I love where this is going.
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So glad
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I hope the little girl likes her big school just as much she liked her earlier kindergarten. As per experience the little girl in my story always loved her small little earlier cosy schools better than the big prim prom sought after schools 🙂
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Takes a while to make it home. I hope she likes it too.
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Ha ha …do you want the skirt a little longer ? I still tease my parents for that.
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Lol…All Indian parents
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I’m so glad the little girl got admission into the big school finally, at least for her parents’ sake!
I do hope she settles down and makes new friends. Until then she has her brown overcoat for company!! 😊😊
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Stay tuned Radhika
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Awwww so good to see the little girl begin her big school. Very emotionally put, Sonia. Looking forward to the girl to get out of her oversized brown coat, dress in her much desired uniform, spread her wings and take off!
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Yes!
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