Sep 30, 2017
When others share their light when yours is dimming
“I am sounding like a child can I take you to my schools?”
“Of course”
“ I know you know this but schools provided me much besides the teaching.”
“I find it amazing that we travel back 43 years and I can see my first class. There is my mother bringing me to school for the first time. The door opens she hands me over to my teacher Mrs McCreery and soon I find myself sitting at a table with a girl. She tells me her name is Cherith. Every other child is running to the door and crying for their mummies somehow Cherith and I remain seated and it seems ready and willing to start school.
There was such a feeling of being equals, little people together with their teacher. I remained at this school until I was almost 12.
My memory seems particularly apt to remember first events and not so much secondary ones.
If we move on to my secondary school again I find myself on my first day. We are in the assembly hall some we knew from our primary school other kids we didn’t. They are about to call out which class you are in. Watch my reaction it is still one of the greatest shocks of my life. The following people will be in A1 Gerry Smith, Susan Armstrong, Gordon Jackson……
I was shocked I thought I was going to fall down. A1 was the top class, so many lessons including Latin and German that there was hardly time for music. I struggled to stay in A1 but somehow I did.
My senior high school also marked my transition from early teens to full-blown teenagehood, I was 15. Why do so many 15 year boys feel the need to lose their virginity? That almost became the quest rather than my studies although the politics of the town seemed to disrupt both.
In my first month, I got to meet Mr A the head. We are in another assembly hall he is not a happy man, “A boy from this school has insulted the headmistress of the local Catholic girls’ school.” Can you see my head lower and my mouth screw. It will be only a matter of time before I am walking through the door of his office.
Listen,
“ Gordon I don’t think we have yet met. I hope you are settling into school.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I think both you and I know what this is about. You were in the town centre on Friday afternoon when there was an altercation between pupils from different schools.
“ I was.”
“And you told the headmistress of the Catholic school to go back to where she belonged?”
“Only because she told us to go across to our side of the road.”
“No matter you and I are going to go to her school and you are going to apologise. You will bring a bouquet of flowers.”
“Ok, I’ll pay for the flowers.”
A day or two later we did go to the school and I did as he said. That was the beginning of many chats between Mr A and me in his office. They were difficult days though he was fatherly in his approach which I responded to at the time though did not fully appreciate until years later.
You know Jay I reckon you are a master of turning negative situations into good although it may take years to happen.
Can I say thank you to you for working it that 23 years later Mr A and I could meet and I could let him know how much I appreciated what he did. Indeed I remain grateful that we remain in contact.
I did go to another school though I am going to leave it here as that school seems to be part of another stage or Act.
“ G I often hear you speak that whatever happens, we can only make it good as to make it bad helps no one. In these years you have revisited with me you had not yet learned how to make the bad good and as you know at times you made the bad bad though even in those times something was happening the light had not totally gone out. There were individuals along the way that showed you loved and kindness Mr A was one of them though I can see your heart and like medals, I can see the faces of those who kept the light lit, the Maureens, the Marthas, the Johns, the Davids, the Mrs Blacks, the school friends. Indeed G you are blessed that you have had so many that have been there for you each one sharing their light when yours was dimming.”
g.
