No place to hide!

Raghu at the hill

Raghu drove us back from the hill and into the Gregorian Community complex in the valley. I thanked Raghu, Mathukutty uncle and stepped out. The annual day functions of the school had begun. I was getting a bit uncomfortable with the attention and wanted to just relax away from the thick of things. "Good! so now everyone will be busy, I can just be on my own" no sooner did that thought pass by me, that I heard Cincy Kochamma calling out to me"come, we were waiting for you". No amount of protests from me helped. I was shown the way to the front of the school ground that had been packed by parents and teachers by then, all watching the programs with great enthusiasm.

I did love the programs, I loved the performances, especially I loved to watch the efforts these kids, their parents and teachers were putting into these, even though they do not have the best of the facilities. But I would have preferred watching all these from the back rows, rather than being right in the front, among the VIPS. "I am not used to this!" I realized. But little did I know that when you are a Metropolitan's guest, you really have no place to hide!

So there I was - sitting in the front row, but then the situation became even worse. The dignitaries were called on stage for the public felicitations. I wished I could become invisible. I tried to remain grounded on my seat, while Thirumeni, Thomas achen and the others went up to the stage. From up there, Thomas achen motioned to me  - I had to go. So I now found myself on the stage, looking onto a sea of people. I closed my eyes to test if I could disappear. I could not.

But I liked the ceremony even though I was uncomfortable. Dr. Sunny Pariyaram, Thomas achen and Thirumeni along with several others spoke on the occasion. Earlier in the day, Thirumeni had asked me if I could speak for 3 minutes and I had politely refused since I had not prepared - but I had not expected that I would be on the dias either. Now I wished I had accepted the offer, this was an opportunity to speak for the Church, about a mission of the Church, the mission of education, to the local population - I had missed an opportunity I thought.

I also wished I was a gifted speaker, and since I knew I was not, I thanked my lucky stars I had not accepted the offer of the bishop, so that I was spared of an opportunity to make a fool of myself. But an opportunity missed nevertheless, I could not help thinking.



Annual day function

Anyways, as this session concluded, and the cultural programs were to continue, I walked down from the dias - "let me just mingle into the crowd now" I thought. But just as I tried, another teacher spotted me and ushered me into the area where the bishop was now entertaining the local government officials who had come for the function. Too many people recognize me, I sighed. Just some of the side effects of being with a bishop!

Finally as the snacks was over and Thirumeni bid goodbye to the officials, I slipped out. I went to the back of the grounds, night had fallen, so I was safe. And finally I was able to be on my own. :)

But not for long, as I walked around in the background, glancing at the programs on stage in between, I saw one of the teachers come to me, politely leading me up to the front once again, and getting me a chair from somewhere to sit. And as I obeyed, Thomas achen who was sitting in the nearby chair whispered to me" Where were you? Thirumeni was asking for you!" I gave up then. When you are with Thirumeni and in a public function like this, its impossible to lose yourself in the crowd, there is just no place to hide!