School-post #3 : Friends (and crushes) at school and in the neighborhood.

I am pretty sure there must have been other kids from my neighborhood who studied at St.Xavier's, but I somehow can't recollect anyone. As far as my memory goes, I remember
only me getting off at the St.Xavier's bus-stop and roaming around the place till other kids
came in.

As far as friends at school go, I can recollect only two kids. I remember a classmate named Jeremy D'mello being my friend at school, though I have no recollection of his face. This is
kinda strange because I usually forget names, but remember faces. I remember a canteen
at the school where me and Jeremy would buy mango-bar ice-creams - loved them then
and still love them today.

I also remember another friend, though what I remember of him is neither his name nor
his face, but the kind of lunch he used to bring to school. A Muslim kid, he brought all sorts
of exotic stuff for lunch. I vividly remember him one day bringing baked beef tongue and
also remember tasting a bit of it, which in my recollection tasted good - sort of like burger
patty.

Yeah, I know, to some of you (even meat-eaters, not to mention vegetarians), this might
sound gross, but at that age, all I felt was curiousity. Today, I won't eat some animal's
tongue even if I am paid for it. :-)

I do remember another Malayali kid & his sister (kids of my Dad's friend) who used to
commute with us in the bus, but to some other school. Don't remember the boy's name,
but the girl was named Suji. Wonder where they are today.

I was too young to have a crush, but there was this girl called Sangeetha who stayed in the neighborhood, whom I really adored. You know what, I remember her last name too, but
don't remember even the first name of her younger sister who was actually my age and a
friend. Strange...

Sangeetha was around 10 years older than me and way out of my league - I would have
been just a kiddo as far as she was concerned. But the way she looked was so awesome
that you could not help admiring her. I don't think I have come across any other North
Indian girl who was so beautiful as her. Even to this day, she would remain to me the
epitome of beauty, when it comes to North Indian women.

I don't remember which school she went to, but she also used to come in our bus. And I remember how on one of my Birthdays, she came over to where I was sitting in the bus
to wish me. She offered her left hand while wishing me a Happy Birthday & I responded
with my left hand on seeing which she said, "Hey, you should shake hands with your
right hand. But then no wonder, since you are an April fool" & smiled her cute smile to
indicate that she was pulling a fast one on me due to my birthay falling on All Fools Day.

It's strange how I have trouble recollecting the names or faces of my guy friends in school,
but even to this date can remember each and every crush I had through school, be it my classmates or seniors or teachers.

School-posts to continue ...