THE FIRST TEST
July 2009
Phone calls and emails to find out when the forms would be issued. Check
November 2009
Form bought (for 600 bucks no less) and duly filled out. Check
Regular phone calls for updates. Check
Frantic phone calls as to why we hadn’t received the coveted appointment yet. Check
27 Jan, 2010
9:00 AM
‘Family Emergency’ message sent to boss. Check
Original Qualification certificates. Check
Address proof. (God could we give my dad’s telephone bill? It IS his house after all!!)
Appu’s Birth Certificate. Check
11:00 AM
Father and son clothing inspection: Check
Appu’s unruly hair neatly combed: Check
Appu has a handkerchief and knows how to use it. Check
Last minute instructions on greeting people. Check
2:15 pm
Nail biting suspense. Nervous smiles. Lady at reception smiles benevolently and says, ‘We will now take him for a written test.’ WHAT??? What written test? We were here only for an ‘observation’ right? Hearts in respective mouths, we wait nervously while sonny happily goes away into another room.
“ I wrote everything fastly”, announces Appu, an hour or so later. We wait some more. We are given a token number (19). “You can now move to the waiting area in the basement”.
3:00 PM -4:00 PM
Pandemonium. About 10-15 preschoolers in the midst of slides and the like with parents keeping a watchful eye lest any speck of dust dare come near their spruced-up offspring.
4:30 PM
In front of the principals’ office. “Appu could you please stop running about so much?” “Appu please be gentle, that’s a little girl your playing with.” “Appu, come back here this instant.” “Appu, please stop fighting over the water glass.” “Appu, we are going to just leave you behind if you insist on rolling about on those dirty steps”. “Appu, please remember to say “Good Afternoon” when you go in to meet the principal.”
15 minutes later
“Good Afternoon, Mahadevan” . Silence
“You have written very neatly, in a small cute handwriting.” Silence
(Was this my son they were talking about?)
Do you like storybooks. A very hesitant “Yes”
Which is your favorite story. Silence
“Appu, which is your favorite story?” “Baa Baa black sheep”
Well, Mahadevan has found a place with us. (Oh thank you God, you’ve been really kind today!!).
Sonny promptly slides off chair and eyes the bowl of chocolates displayed. “ You can take one, in fact you can take two, you’ve written your test so neatly.” Sonny, grabbing two chocolates on the run promptly heads for the door.
“Appu, say thank you.”
“Thank you”
We stepped out of the door. We actually made it!! Appu is finally in UKG!!
Phone calls and emails to find out when the forms would be issued. Check
November 2009
Form bought (for 600 bucks no less) and duly filled out. Check
Regular phone calls for updates. Check
Frantic phone calls as to why we hadn’t received the coveted appointment yet. Check
27 Jan, 2010
9:00 AM
‘Family Emergency’ message sent to boss. Check
Original Qualification certificates. Check
Address proof. (God could we give my dad’s telephone bill? It IS his house after all!!)
Appu’s Birth Certificate. Check
11:00 AM
Father and son clothing inspection: Check
Appu’s unruly hair neatly combed: Check
Appu has a handkerchief and knows how to use it. Check
Last minute instructions on greeting people. Check
2:15 pm
Nail biting suspense. Nervous smiles. Lady at reception smiles benevolently and says, ‘We will now take him for a written test.’ WHAT??? What written test? We were here only for an ‘observation’ right? Hearts in respective mouths, we wait nervously while sonny happily goes away into another room.
“ I wrote everything fastly”, announces Appu, an hour or so later. We wait some more. We are given a token number (19). “You can now move to the waiting area in the basement”.
3:00 PM -4:00 PM
Pandemonium. About 10-15 preschoolers in the midst of slides and the like with parents keeping a watchful eye lest any speck of dust dare come near their spruced-up offspring.
4:30 PM
In front of the principals’ office. “Appu could you please stop running about so much?” “Appu please be gentle, that’s a little girl your playing with.” “Appu, come back here this instant.” “Appu, please stop fighting over the water glass.” “Appu, we are going to just leave you behind if you insist on rolling about on those dirty steps”. “Appu, please remember to say “Good Afternoon” when you go in to meet the principal.”
15 minutes later
“Good Afternoon, Mahadevan” . Silence
“You have written very neatly, in a small cute handwriting.” Silence
(Was this my son they were talking about?)
Do you like storybooks. A very hesitant “Yes”
Which is your favorite story. Silence
“Appu, which is your favorite story?” “Baa Baa black sheep”
Well, Mahadevan has found a place with us. (Oh thank you God, you’ve been really kind today!!).
Sonny promptly slides off chair and eyes the bowl of chocolates displayed. “ You can take one, in fact you can take two, you’ve written your test so neatly.” Sonny, grabbing two chocolates on the run promptly heads for the door.
“Appu, say thank you.”
“Thank you”
We stepped out of the door. We actually made it!! Appu is finally in UKG!!
posted by newatthis at 6:56 AM
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