BooksBarbecue
Back Meet Me In the Middle Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. About the Book
  45. About the Author

Anu did not understand the fuss. Most kids were only four or five in their school. Why bother with big things like the boards with little kids?

‘Some of the kids are entering fourth grade this year. I had never promised the parents that I am going to align with any standard board. But they insist that I had. I might have said that it was a consideration.’

How could anyone blame Sumitra aunty of foul play? Anu had an urge to shake sense into the parents.

‘If they don’t want the open school system, then they can change schools,’ Anu declared.

‘Not so easy, Anu. If there are protests or if someone goes to court on some frivolous account, I don’t have the strength to fight it out. We have to resolve it peacefully.’

‘We will be with you, ma’am,’ Anu said and immediately all the teachers joined in. ‘We will make sure you don’t fight this alone.’

‘Thank you. Tomorrow morning bring in your thoughts on why our system works. We will go over it once before talking to the parents.’ Sumitra aunty looked slightly relieved seeing their show of support.

4

4

Images

Dasara holidays. Now in the social media age, everyone spelt it Dussehra but Anu still liked to call it Dasara, like she had done all her life. She loved the holidays. Not that her job was stressful or anything, she mostly played with three-year-olds and taught them rhymes but still, holidays meant lounging, eating, and being sloppy. Sameer claimed that she worked as a teacher just so that she could get holidays.

Out of the ten days, four days had passed like quicksand. Anu’s stay at her parents’ house was as though her childhood was back. She could sleep however long she wanted and could step out anytime for shopping, coffee or dinner. Dinner! The most coveted event when you are the mom of a young child.

That was the fifth day of holidays and Anu woke up with a start, suddenly remembering her house and its chaotic state. It was on her to-do list and she did stare at it for a couple of days initially but had forgotten all about it eventually. Making a to-do list is fun. But the fun quickly turns to angst when all the incomplete tasks start to glare at you angrily. Sanju was coming back in three days. She had to clean it.

Anu rushed back home, leaving Vicky behind with her mother. Now, standing in the middle of the living room, Anu looked around in despair. The house looked like a pig-sty, a chicken coop, or whatever metaphor one could use for a place that had things strewn around and had a mysterious odour emanating from some corner.