Hi, Katrina here again.
You all know how much I like that very special story which Mike wrote many years ago about how he and Shanti went out together and began their special relationship. I know that one without even looking it up. It is in Vol 3, Letter 43 Shanti was Painfully Shy. See how clever I am to know that.
We had just come back from Warkworth via the Nudie Night at the hot pools and next morning we were sitting on the deck. Shanti asked us what we wanted to do for the afternoon. Mootie was with Joseph up in the forest park looking at birds or bugs or something. We were planning to go out for the evening and so we had some time to kill.
“Let’s read something from the Letters Book?” suggested Amita.
“OK,” agreed Shanti. “Which one do you want?”
“You can choose Katrina,” Amita said.
“You know which one I would like Amita. But I would like Mike or Shanti to read it this time.”
“Which story is that,” Mike asked.
I think he might have known but wanted me asking.
I think he might have known but wanted me asking.
“The one where you first met Shanti,” I told him.
“Yeah I can do that,” said Mike “But what about something even better.”
“What story could be better,” I asked him thinking he was meaning another story.
“What about visiting the places where that story took place?” said Mike.
“Can we really do that?”
With that idea I was excited. It would be nice to see the locations of that story.
With that idea I was excited. It would be nice to see the locations of that story.
“Of course, it would only take an hour or so. We could also see the place where I grew up as well. You can even see my old house.”
“And see my old house in Waitakere too.” added Shanti.
Sarvesh was talking business with Steve so they didn’t want to come with us so, in the end, we all went in one car. Mike insisted that I sit in the front with him and Amita, Hansini and Shanti sat in the back. We left heading for the first place in the story while along the way he was showing other places to see.
The first stop was at their old high school. We parked by the gate and walked into the school grounds. There was a man working in one of the gardens and when he saw us he came over.
“May I help you?” he asked.
“My wife and I used to go to this school. I wanted to show our friends the place where we first met. We will only be a minute or so.”
“Where is this place?”
“The old brick wall around the flag pole,” Mike replied.
“Oh that was a popular place with the kids,” he said. “Do you know where it is?”
“Yes I’m sure we can still find it,” Shanti said.
“It is so nice to see a young love which has lasted,” he laughed. “Just don’t be too long. The mob will be out of class again soon.”
We followed Shanti as she led us through between the school buildings. I was surprised at just how large this school was. Then suddenly it stood before us. It looked just how I imagined it in the story. There was the pole surrounded by the little garden with its brick wall. I was so happy to see it there. I ran to it and sat on the bricks of the wall, exactly where I thought Mike and Shanti would have sat. To me, this was a major highlight to sit in that special place.
But others were not so happy with it.
Oh, Mike!” Shanti said, “It is so different now.”
She pointed to the pole now weather beaten with the paint falling off. The garden was weeds and the brick wall chipped with bricks falling out.
I looked at her. There were tears in her eyes.
“It looked like it is a-a-about to f-f-f-fall down. she said.
Mike didn’t reply. He was just looking.
“I-I-I It lu-lu-lu ook so terrible now,” she said to Mike.
“Yes,” replied Mike. “It hasn’t been maintained in years by the looks.”
“I-I-I-I wi-wi-wish I hadn’t se-se-seen it,” Shanti said as tears ran down her cheeks.
I could see how upset Shanti was and we all noticed that stutter too. The stutter they had told us of in the story. It was back.
“We are about to pull it down,” a voice suddenly said behind us.
We turned to find a teacher standing watching us.
“Mr Clarkson!” cried Shanti.
For a moment he looked at her and then he recognized her, “Shanti Isn’t? Shanti Singh!” he said. “Little shy Shanti.”
“I haven’t been called that name for a long time,” she laughed. “This is my husband Mike.”
“Of course,” he said. “It's Mike Wilson, isn’t it.”
“Yes Sir,” Mike replied.
“There’s no need for ‘Sir’ now Mike,” Mr Clarkson said.
There followed an interesting conversation as Shanti and Mike caught up with their old teacher. As she talked with her old teacher I noticed Shanti’s stutter was gone again.
After the teacher had gone I asked Mike to take a photo of me sitting on the wall. Then I wanted both Shanti and Mike to sit there together. At first, she refused, not wanting to go anywhere near but Mike convinced her it was important for Amita and I so she agreed and I noticed I wasn't the only one taking that photo. Then as Shanti stood up Mike remained seated. Come and sit beside me, he said for me. I did and more photos were taken.
Finally, they said they had to get going. As we walked through the school again a bell began ringing. Suddenly there were children everywhere. They were pouring out of buildings all over the campus. A few took an interest in us for a moment but most just hurried on about their business.
After the teacher had gone I asked Mike to take a photo of me sitting on the wall. Then I wanted both Shanti and Mike to sit there together. At first, she refused, not wanting to go anywhere near but Mike convinced her it was important for Amita and I so she agreed and I noticed I wasn't the only one taking that photo. Then as Shanti stood up Mike remained seated. Come and sit beside me, he said for me. I did and more photos were taken.
Finally, they said they had to get going. As we walked through the school again a bell began ringing. Suddenly there were children everywhere. They were pouring out of buildings all over the campus. A few took an interest in us for a moment but most just hurried on about their business.
When we reached the car Shanti said, “I’m sorry I went to see that pole. It looked so sad and neglected now. So unloved.”
‘Probably because you were not there to sit beside it every lunch time,” Mike said.
“Didn’t Mr Clarkson say they were about to pull it down to make way for a new building?”
“Yes, I believe he did. A library I think he said. Anyway it was nice to see him again, wasn’t it?”
I could see why they were a bit upset but I was happy I had seen this very special place before it became removed.
Leaving the school we drove up towards the line of hills to the west of Auckland. These are the same hills which Titirangi is in where Shanti and Mike live now, but we were going to the other end of them.
We came to a small town which Mike told me was Waitakere. We then turned off onto a side road which I noticed had the unusual name of Anzac Valley Road. Mike was telling me this was something to do with when New Zealand and Australian soldiers had battled together in a war. I did not know there was a war in New Zealand too. At the end of this road, we stopped and were looking up at the hillside above us.
“This has changed so much too,” said Shanti.
“Yes,” replied Mike. “All the pine forest is gone.”
“I can’t even see where that old car park used to be.”
“Over there,” Mike pointed. “Where that large house is.”
They were disappointed again because once the trees had been milled that land had been sold and now was covered with lifestyle blocks. So while we saw where that part of the story had taken place we did not see how it was in the story as things had changed so much. That was disappointing but it was a long time since the story happened.
After that, we went back into the small township and they showed me the shop and the fire-station. There was also a train station too. Near this was the house where Shanti grew up. We could not go in but we could still see it. From here we went up a long road into the hills until we came to another house which Mike identified as being the house where he grew up in. Again we could not go inside but we could see where it was. It seems this house is the same but now we could see a larger, more modern one on the hillside behind.
So that was our trip to the places in the story. Things had changed and they were no longer as they were in the story but I did not mind too much. I think this was a big disappointment for Mike and Shanti. As I have said above, Shanti and Mike were disappointed about finding their special places were now so different. I think they would have rather kept the old memories instead. I think they were rather wishing we hadn’t come looking for these places.
I was very happy because I had seen the places where my best story had happened. I saw the flagpole and sat on the wall where they sat. I saw the hill where the forest was and the place where once the car park had been. I even saw the houses where they had lived too. Yes, I was happy with this.
I am sorry for your disappointment Mike and Shanti but thank you for taking me. It was still special for me to see your special places.
Interesting. I liked that story.
ReplyDeleteYour story here and the background has pin-pointed locations for me.
Is the school Henderson High School?
Rangi.
Yes Rangi it is.
Delete