Rest In Peace.. Amen!

Many many years ago when I was a school going kid.. I was the most intelligent girl in my class but wasn't quite as 'smart' as the ones now are ;) Back in 19** (u thought I was going to give u the year.. hah! dint u?) all my world existed of was books.. books and more books.. To date my friends tease me about my 'nerdy' behavior.. Infact one of my closest friends told me recently that the impression she had of me back in school was that I was such a snob coz I was the topper.. lol.. Now that I recall those days.. I don't think she was wrong..

The reason why I'm taking u down memory lane is because of this English teacher of mine. Her name was Mrs. Reena Rosario. A few days ago I came to know that she expired. She wasn't old.. Infact she must have been 40 something. I didn't know if I was shocked.. I never thought I would mention anything about her in MY blog.. but I had to.. Coz I want her out of my system. I want the haunting to be over and done with.

English was my favourite subject in school. I loved the language. I took part in elocutions, debates.. wrote essays and absolutely loved to gain command over the language. However since I liked the language I would also love all my English teachers. Now Mrs. Reena Rosario didn't quite reciprocate the feeling.. I don't know why a couple of my teachers hated me in spite of the fact that I did so well in class.. LOL.. Now that I think of it.. I feel that was hugely because I would not be a sycophant.. I just didn't know the sweet charming ways of buttering people up..

Ok.. so now one fine day she sits in the class doing some work and assigning all of us something to do.. here we are grouped up and given an assignment and we are all busy doing it.. All of a sudden I heard a scream.. Mrs. Reena is in a fit of rage. Apparently someone has thrown a pen refill at her and it dropped a few paces short of her.. LOL.. Now she is trying to figure out who did it. I never quite understood why she was staring at me.. until I realized.. 'What.. she is suspecting me of it..!' And boy.. was I right? Now she had all this pent up anger in her and she thought what better way to let it out than to blame someone she hated and she calls out my name and the names of two other of my friends sitting next to me.. We are made to stand for the rest of her class and asked to confess..

Now why the hell would we confess when we haven't done anything.. so all three of us take her punishment and refuse to confess.. This makes her so mad.. she thinks we are plotting against her and so she comes up with the novel idea of making us stand in each of her classes.. and she did have one or two classes everyday.. poor me and my friends.. LOL..

I guess she continued doing this for a good fortnight or so.. until she became tired.. She then called me in the recess to the staff room.. I was so happy that she at last saw through it and came to know that I didn't do it.. She calls me and says.. 'I will stop punishing u if u just tell me the truth. Tell me u did it and I will let u off..' LOL.. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.. I was a child then and being absolutely innocent I thought it wouldn't be right to take the blame for something u haven't done.. I didn't know it was the best thing then.. Atleast she would let me live peacefully.. :))

Well.. sadly.. I never took the blame.. (those of u who are thinking I must have really done it.. Let me clarify once and for all.. FOR THE RECORD.. I DID NOT DO IT).. So after some days she stops her punishments.. but I was still very very shaken up by it. I was punished for something which I didn't do and I didn't like it one bit. I wasn't getting rest until I found out who did it.. but that was impossible.. I could never find that out.. though I had suspicions.. but no proof.. :)

After all these years.. those punishments were fresh in my mind. I hardly forget or forgive people who make me go through hell for no fault of mine :) I always thought that one day I would go back to the school.. I would go back to her and tell her.. 'Ma'm I did not do it..!' And maybe she would believe me after all these years.. But then when I heard she was no more.. I just felt so empty.. I felt she had deceived me.. she never gave me the chance to explain and make her trust me.. I didn't know why but the thought kept haunting me.. I thought about all the other people who were mad at me or who I was mad at.. and how we just see one side of the coin.. we never give them a second chance.. we never believe them.. never realize how our one little 'mistake' is going to scar their soul forever.. Though Mrs. Reena is no more.. she taught me a valuable lesson in life.. she taught me to trust people sometimes putting all my malices behind.. she taught me to give second chances before its too late.. and I shall remain grateful to her for that..

Rest in peace Ma'm.. !