Mid May Merry

i'm beginning to have one of those constipated blogs. damn. sorry for the absence. just a little tied up with things.

isn't it just plain odd how everything in life can just happen. it's like a blink of an eye, and it's already been 4 (plus) years since i got out of highschool. 4 years since i made the crazy pull out from university.

last sunday was may 16th. also teacher's day. i have this gang of friends (mostly seniors), who make an effort annually to visit the school. this year i joined them, and it was kinda odd, in a good way. see, the teachers were excited to meet us, even those stern no-joking ones. i know it sounds weird, but it's hard to explain this student-teacher relationship we have. you probably can't comprehend it.

it started with the english language society (els). we were like a small clan, like-minded and noisy. we planned and started traditions like song dedications for recess, teacher's day dedication cards, bbq sales. and not forgetting choral speaking. choral speaking was big for us. because we were a small clan, part of the challenge was getting others to join us to put up with our nonsense.

and because we were in a boys school, the girls school always had the advantage. choral speaking had a ridiculous rule. no swaying waist down. so the girls could boob sway and flaunt their way. if only, we were allowed to thrust our hips and show them what we got. it was a sexist competition.

but we leveled up on our scripts, till the year the government decided to stop the competition.

anyways, this little competition was a ride like no other. it was an excuse to skip class, because we wouldn't start practicing till we've had an hour of unavoidable crap-talk, and bribes from the teachers to spend us. through the brainstorming of ideas, jokes, all wrapped in hours of practice, we had a better 1malaysia than the country could ever hope for. the weekly (and sometimes daily unofficial) meet ups for the els were just crazy. probably because the teachers as well would contribute in our merciless talks about certain teachers. see, they weren't just normal teachers. they bitched too. subtly.

since leaving school, we kept in touch. and the relationship we had with the els teachers (somehow) spread to other teachers as well. on a day they were being celebrated about, they still found time to worry. "where are these boys?!". and that's why it's odd. who becomes friendly with the no-joking teachers? or the discipline head? maybe my two brothers, but not me. i wasn't the school prefect or hockey player.

it's kind of fascinating how we could let loose and share crude jokes/remarks without getting reprimanded with adults we used to fear, argued with, or didn't want to tolerate. in their eyes, we're always the ones in uniform. but most times, they embrace we've become equivalent adults too. i used to be the one in awe when they taught me. now, it's mutual when exchanging experiences.

it's a little hard to stomach how boundaries are broken, but its a gratifying relationship. people will always come and go, but its the ones that matter, that you know you don't have to say "keep in touch" to be in touch.

it'll never go away.

like family.

*******

to loyar buruk,

your hometown from 36,000feet above the ground.

can spot your home?