I was sitting in my car yet again to bid goodbye to my old home and move on to a new location, as my father got a new job in the UK. I felt excited as well sad to leave my extended family, home and friends behind.
I was little unsure of how it’s going to work out in a new location? All those questions in my head like- who will be my friend? Who will talk to me? How will be my first day in a new school? How is going to be..this and that!
I felt a little better when my mum said, “Don’t worry Sara! We will be together always!”(My mum. She knows everything about me.)
I was smiling back again.
Luckily, After a week or so, I got admission in a school near my new house along with my younger brother Arnav in mid-session. It was a beautiful building, painted in a cosy red colour.
It was encircled by yellow blossoms all around, swings and different gardens to play for younger children. Of course, a football court for our own-primary wing!
It was 9 am, the bell rang and all the children went inside, I also went into my class named Daffodil.
Ms Davidson, my class teacher stood at doorstop to greet her class. She had curly strands of hair on her face, a twinkle in her eyes and a beautiful warm smile; when she smiled…her lovely teeth could be seen partially and her cheeks bloom-like pink roses which suited her elegant fair complexion and pearls sparkled in her ear loops as sun ray hit them.
She was very nice to me but the rest of class saw me as if I was an ostrich on loose (though I was nicely dressed in a pinafore dress red and white in colour and mum called me a beautiful girl.)
I dint understood as for 7 years old it was tough to judge or make friends immediately. Everyone was warm, tried to be nice but I didn’t feel comfortable…I don’t know why?
In the break time we went out to play after lunch in the backyard. It was a beautiful garden patch with many flowers, butterflies with different colour, shapes and sizes of various types were hovering on them.
Suddenly, I saw a beautiful multicolour bench in the centre of the garden, it was a beautiful one with all colours red, blue, green, yellow, white, purple and some hints of black colours. It was a rainbow colour bench for me. I immediately sat down. On it, was written “Buddy Bench”!
I felt very happy sitting on it and was enjoying the view suddenly an old man (very well dressed), came and sat next to me, and asked, “what is the matter beautiful?”
“I’m in search of a friend, will you be my friend?” ”I work here in school only!”he said to me. “sure!”; with great excitement I said!
“You can drop a message at school-reception for me if you want to talk to me my name is MICKEY. ”
I was overjoyed to make a friend on my very first day.
I told him this bench is special to me now!. He said, ”Yes! it is, BUDDY BENCH we call it!” He continued to explain with great interest, “If you sit on this anyone can come and talk to you whenever you want to talk to someone or make a friend. Or simply if you are feeling lonely or sad about something and you need a someone to talk.
You can sit on it and someone will come to talk to you just like that no questions asked!”. “Also, it is made of recycled materials of all the plastic collected in school, made in our recycled plant and we made benches for our little/older friends out of it. Also, much other stuff too”, he beamed proudly.
I said, ”we” who are you may I know sir?
He smiled and said, “Good question- I’m the school Principal, Mr M. Jackson but you can call me ’Mickey’ as you are my best friend forever. See you soon let’s go to class now it’s getting colder and let’s get back to work.”
As he bid bye to me I was excited and I ran to tell my class about what happened. Everyone was in for surprise and wanted to be my friend now.
As I made Mr Jackson; my BFF on the first day of my school. What a day it has been!
I was in such a happy space now. I had so much to talk about with my parents.
“All about my new buddies and my new found love for my Buddy Bench.”
AmyAdroitness 