Chapter 2: New City

Places are like people. Sometimes, just by laying your eyes on them for the first time, you know you will like this rendezvous. You gravitate towards it like you two always belonged together. However, nothing of that sort happened when we disembarked the train and came outside amongst the usual chaos of any other Indian city early that morning.

It is funny how the nostalgia of the old life gave way to apprehensions of living here so quickly.  There was no time to think of the past, but future. It has been two weeks since we arrived here to begin our lives again. Yes, moving to a new city is akin to a new beginning. A new bigger house, a new neighborhood,  a new office along with new colleagues for my father,  new friends that my mother made so quickly and a brand new school for me and Aditi. The house still doesn't feel the same home that I left. I have my own room and a window with a view of  an adjoining playground just like before.  Only that, a mango tree blocks the view this time. The first day at school remained uneventful, apart from small pleasantries with my new classmates. Mostly, I kept to myself, nobody knows me here, no one is a friend yet. The class has its  own math wizard, its own cricketer, its own singer, its own painter and above all, everyone already has their friends. Do I belong here?

It is a Friday evening today, and unlike other days, it was not so dull. Earlier in the day at school, we had preliminaries for a spelling contest. I learned from Priti, who I share my desk with, that no one from our class ever gets through the preliminary round. Nevertheless, I saw four of my classmates entering the contest. I wondered if I should give it a try too. I always did well in English class. Priti encouraged my thought and I became the fifth one to enter the contest from the class. The preliminaries began in the auditorium with each participant asked to spell ten different words. All of my other classmates had their turn, I was next.  Anyone spelling six words correctly were through to the next round. Unfortunately, none of my classmates did, and then came my turn.

I got the first three words right: Abscess, Accordion and Discernible. My classmates were elated, I could hear them cheering for me. Possibly at the prospect of someone from the class getting through the preliminaries for the first time. Nevertheless, it made me happy.  Then came the next two words "Hackney" and "Bassoon". I was later told they meant a carriage to hire and a large wooden musical instrument respectively.  But, I had never seen these words in my life and I spelled them as "Hackne" and "Basoon". I needed another three correct ones and I did get next one "Glower" right but I pronounced the subsequent "Finicky" as "Fineky". How imbecile can I be? I had read the word in a book not long ago. My classmates were quiet by now. The initial support had subsided and their hope may have been fading away. I just wanted it to be over, when the next word came "Gambol". I had no option but to guess, and to my luck, I guessed right and along came the applauses and cheers of my supporters. The moment I uttered the next word "Ghoul" correctly my classmates were ecstatic. Granted that cheer was probably not for me primarily, but I was the reason for it. Maybe I did belong here.

Father told us at dinner table that he will take us to the zoo and the central market tomorrow. For now, I am watching the mango tree through the window. It has a new flower that I can reach, in time it will turn into a fruit. It is beginning its journey too and I will watch over it everyday. Perhaps, the blocked view of the playground is not such a bad thing. I think I am beginning to like the mango tree by my window.

It is true, places are like people. Sometimes, at first glance you do not like what you see, but with each day, each smile and each memory you share, you begin to like it a little more. Yes, I think I will belong here.