Page 281 - E-Magazine 2016-17

THE WORTH OF WINDCHIMES
A
utumn was fast arriving. The tall trees, lining the opposite sides of the road , were shed-
ding their dry , lifeless leaves on the ground , with an unperturbed excitement of welcom-
ing new ones , while the air contained a tinge of moisture , indicating yet another unex-
pected shower . Clad in Ray -Ban sunglasses and a floral dress, Anisha Firdaus drove her
nearly worn out Duster up the twisting, twining hills of Coorg.

The day contained the goldmine of a meaning for her ……
In the midst of this reverie , she approached the tall iron gates of a monolithic structure , which
greeted her with a huge sign board , flashing in bold letters : “ St.Anne’s Convent” … Now on her
feet , she began journeying through the school grounds , accompanied by a fresh surge of adrena-
line . Passing through the cafeteria, she became a reluctant victim to the smell of Samosas wafting
through the air, as numerous groups of excited pre schoolers made a dash to their buses . Shortly
enough , she was greeted by a sign board , adorned with gold , blue and red ribbons , along with a
message : “ Welcome to the Reunion of batch of ’99…”.

Filled with the feel of familiarity she pushed the low lying gate and entered the venue of the event .
The current Head girl and Head boy greeted her with a salute, while a group of juniors thrust into
her hands a bouquet of chrysanthemums and roses , with Lilies making a special appearance .
As she lifted her gaze , her eyes caught the attraction of a silver glint , coming from the girls hostel
block , christened “Ruby’s Quarters” . Glinting things always caught her attention. Be it a shiny
quadruped brooch from Rev Myra’s , or a diamond necklace from Qia Solace . But today she knew
that this glint was from an object , whose symbolic meaning was something she could never ever
fathom , despite her fervent attempts to do so . Till now , her heart was longing to meet her long
lost friends , but now her visit got rejuvenated with a whole new purpose . Breaking into a sprint
tad similar to Usain Bolt’s , she left for the thicket , housing her former quarters

However , her move did not go unnoticed . From questioning looks to vicious whispers , she encoun-
tered it all . But nothing mattered . Everything felt so small in comparison to that glint , which
seemed to beckon Anisha with the power of an electro magnet . Gasping for breath and clutching
her lungs , she arrived at the thicket . Scanning the skies for the glint , running her eyes over the
stone walled boundary , she finally united with the source of the glint . It was a metallic grey wind
chime, with tiny blue roses and pearl centers dangling from the ends of each wind chime . The clus-
ter of four chimes were hanging from a huge opal – studded circular mirror, with an immense re-
flecting capacity. It was the symbol of unity at St. Anne’s Convent.
But for her, the wind chime had a huge face value . Gazing at the pearl centers, her mind reverted
into a flashback ….. It was 1998 , and the school was abuzz with the prospect of electing the new
President of School Activities . A lot was at stake for the winner. The following year, the Convent
was hosting a spectacular event , which occurred once in ten years , to commemorate the sainthood
of St. Anne: The Sports Carnival . Touted to be the most spectacular edition of all , the pressure
was on .

With that being said , if the St. Anne’s standards are truly to be lifted to new heights , the Presi-
dent of School Activities would have to be one of a kind . The Prophecy was on the then seventeen
year old Anisha , the only female cadet to have completed the James Triathlon , in the 150-year old
history of the Convent . After her resplendent success, fame followed hot on her heels. Within a
span of five days, the Blue Jay dormitory monitor found herself fast tracked into the election for
the position of the Sports Captain . With this being said , could there be any candidate more abler
than Firdaus , for organizing the Sports Carnival ? . The answer was as clear as a snowflake.

Thus, heavily favored by odds, Anisha Firdaus was elected the 15 President of School
th
Activities, with a majority as huge as the stone walled boundary of the school. While her
election was met with a lot of rejoice and more than usual cherub , it also earned her a lot
of spite , with most of it coming from Rania Turner Wolf , the best basketball player of the
Convent . The atmosphere, thick with euphoria and lined with streaks of malice soon
cleared. The very next day, Anisha found herself striding along the wooden aisle heading
up to the indoor stadium, for addressing numerous problems like broken lights, depleting
fund, scarce equipment and the absence of enthusiasm in the Cricket Team . At the end of
the day, her rosy, cheerful eyes showed hints of fatigue and there was not even a ghost of
her dimpled smile.
Continued...