The days gone by

I went back to Catholic High on Saturday for a game of soccer with my friends. We were invited by our teachers who informed us that there was going to be a carnival in celebration of youth day. When I first stepped into the school, memories of days gone by came flooding back.

The school compound however, had changed considerably, and I wandered around to explore the recently renovated building. There were some changes in the layout of the secondary section of the school, but the major changes were in the common space shared by the primary and secondary sections, and the primary section of the school itself. I got lost a couple of times exploring the new surroundings, and many of the "scars" we left on the building were no longer there. The ink stains caused by pen refills being thrown into the ceiling fans, the imprint of soccer balls kicked against the falls, the broken window panes, and the overhead lights missing a flourescent tube or two had all disappeared. Our damage had been undone.

Despite all this, there was surprise, and even a hint of satisfaction on the faces of the few of my former teachers who still remain. It was pleasantly surprising that they still could recognise me.

After a game of soccer played in the hot afternoon sun, my friends and I reminisced about old times - the cheap and good food in the canteen, the still sandy as ever soccer pitch, the wickedly funny punishments some of us had to serve, the teachers(or rather, teacher) that scared us most, and the mischief we made.

Times like these don't come by easily anymore, and I don't have such fond memories of my JC days. For this reason, I will forever cherish the times I had and the friends I made in secondary school.