Stories from My Youth: II - The Marriage Proposal
English class was over at St. Maria Teresa Kindergarten School, and it was lunch time, which was to be followed by an hour of nap time. All the graduating children (how proud of them that they are five, and many were able to tie their own shoelaces!) flooded out of the classroom and into the dining hall, where the "little boys and girls", as the "big kids" called them, were already sitting, impatiently waiting for their older peers, hungry for their meal (they were having spagetti today!). Johnny sat down with his "girlfriend" Sally ("Oh what a nice gentleman this Johnny is!") at the end of the long table, saved only for graduates. Johnny was imitating Miss Wong's expression, pronouncing "apple" rather incorrectly. But the imitation was exact and humourous, and the two laughed out loud. The little ones followed their lead, not knowing what was so funny.
The grannies brought out several pots of spagetti, and the teachers helped the children to get their share. Johnny took Sally's bowl and helped her with her small serving ("I don't really like spagetti"), then he helped himself to his usual bowlful. Sally grabbed a pair of chopsticks for Johnny ("Forks are scary...") and a fork for herself.
Lunch was normal as everyday: food dropping on the table and on the floor, kids screaming and crying, chatting and laughter. Johnny and Sally, as usual, ate in silence. Lunch break came to a close when the grannies came and picked up the pots and bowls. Johnny, as usual, gathered the bowls around him, and handed them over to a granny. The granny, looking old and frail, smiled warmly ("She smiles like Mama") and pinched him on the cheek ("But Mama's hands are not rough like sandpaper..."). Then the grannies retreated back into the kitchen.
The younger kids were now ushered to their classrooms for their nap. A few of them were already asleep during lunch and had to be awaken up. Screams and tears followed, as expected.
The older kids were then lining up in pairs. The pairs always change, except for Johnny and Sally. The kids then held hands and marched to their individual mats. Miss Tong, their homeroom teacher, then handed out blankets to the children, and the lights were turned off, save the crack of the partly shut door ("Remember, conquer your fear of darkness!"). Miss Tong was chatting outside with Miss Wong, but would occasionally come in and see if any children were chatting. One time Johnny was laughing at Sally's joke, and Miss Tong came in and yelled at him. But today Johnny was especially quiet. As Sally, seeing Johnny's silence, went to sleep, Johnny kept his eyes open for a while, and gently looked at Sally: they had so much fun together. They should always be together.
Nap time over, and Sally shook the drooling Johnny awake. Following that was an uneventful math class, in which all the questions were answered by Johnny and this other boy.
The clock struck three, and it was time to go home. All the kids lined up to get their bags. Johnny, sensing this to be his moment of fate, grabbed Sally by the hand and led her aside. Miss Wong and Miss Tong noticed this unusual gesture, went to inquire.
"Will you marry me?"
The three women looked at each other, then laughed aloud.
"Johnny, I'm not going to marry you, silly!" Sally teased, as she poked her finger into his cheek. She, too, was laughing.
Then poor little Johnny also followed the laughter, not knowing what was so funny.
The grannies brought out several pots of spagetti, and the teachers helped the children to get their share. Johnny took Sally's bowl and helped her with her small serving ("I don't really like spagetti"), then he helped himself to his usual bowlful. Sally grabbed a pair of chopsticks for Johnny ("Forks are scary...") and a fork for herself.
Lunch was normal as everyday: food dropping on the table and on the floor, kids screaming and crying, chatting and laughter. Johnny and Sally, as usual, ate in silence. Lunch break came to a close when the grannies came and picked up the pots and bowls. Johnny, as usual, gathered the bowls around him, and handed them over to a granny. The granny, looking old and frail, smiled warmly ("She smiles like Mama") and pinched him on the cheek ("But Mama's hands are not rough like sandpaper..."). Then the grannies retreated back into the kitchen.
The younger kids were now ushered to their classrooms for their nap. A few of them were already asleep during lunch and had to be awaken up. Screams and tears followed, as expected.
The older kids were then lining up in pairs. The pairs always change, except for Johnny and Sally. The kids then held hands and marched to their individual mats. Miss Tong, their homeroom teacher, then handed out blankets to the children, and the lights were turned off, save the crack of the partly shut door ("Remember, conquer your fear of darkness!"). Miss Tong was chatting outside with Miss Wong, but would occasionally come in and see if any children were chatting. One time Johnny was laughing at Sally's joke, and Miss Tong came in and yelled at him. But today Johnny was especially quiet. As Sally, seeing Johnny's silence, went to sleep, Johnny kept his eyes open for a while, and gently looked at Sally: they had so much fun together. They should always be together.
Nap time over, and Sally shook the drooling Johnny awake. Following that was an uneventful math class, in which all the questions were answered by Johnny and this other boy.
The clock struck three, and it was time to go home. All the kids lined up to get their bags. Johnny, sensing this to be his moment of fate, grabbed Sally by the hand and led her aside. Miss Wong and Miss Tong noticed this unusual gesture, went to inquire.
"Will you marry me?"
The three women looked at each other, then laughed aloud.
"Johnny, I'm not going to marry you, silly!" Sally teased, as she poked her finger into his cheek. She, too, was laughing.
Then poor little Johnny also followed the laughter, not knowing what was so funny.
posted by Tristan at 11:07 p.m.
1 Comments:
Awww...... Johnny=Johnson?
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