It’sSeptemberagain.Again,Iseethedifferentfacialexpressionsoftheparentstakingtheirchildrentocollege.It’smostlythemaleparentswhoperformthisduty.Sometimesbothparentscome.Thehighlypersonalizedfaceswhichusuallydifferfromeachotherinathousandandonewaysfadeatthismomentintoeachother,anddisplaythesamelook:fatigue,exhaustion,thetimidnessandcautiousnessofanewcomer,andtheconcernednessandfearthattheiroffspringmightbetreatedunfairly.Suchlongandexhaustingjourneysoverhere!Somanycomplicatedandtime-consumingprocedures!Theycorrodepeople’sélan.
Thegleefulnessanddizzinessusuallyfoundin“eighteen-year-oldyoungsterswho’vemadeit”disappearaltogether.Closeontheheelsoftheirparents,theyshufflefromplacetoplaceinthecampus.Togothroughoneformality,theyhavetowalklongdistancesandaskmanyquestionsofmanypeople,andtheirparentshavetosmilepolitelyallthetime.Everywheretheyhavetolineupandtopay.Thesunbeingblazing,theyfindthemselvesperspiringallover.Theyhavetositbytheroadsideforarestandsatisfytheirthirstbydrinkingbottledwaterwhosepricessoarbecauseofscarcity.Nomatterhowdignifiedandclassyonemaylookonotherdays,onehasto,forthesakeofone’schildren,humbleoneself,putupwithinconveniences,andshowone’sbestsmilestofindoutwhattodo.
Isawafathercarryingahugebed-roll.Bentwiththeheavyburdenonhisshoulder,hehadtostrainforalookaheadinordertoseethewayforward.Hisson,headhanginglow,followedbehindwithonlyasmallbag.Itwon’tbelongbeforehisboywillhelpthegirlswiththeirbags.Ialsosawafatherandsoncomingnearhandinhandfromtheforkofaroad.Amereglancetoldmethattheyarefromoneofthepoorruralareas.BothworecheapT-shirtsandhadcrew-cuts.Evensmallerinbuild,theoldmanhasgrayinghairandatan.Anarroganttaxispedtowardsthemandwasonthepointofknockingdowntheoldster.Thepoormanquicklyjumpedaside.Itwasanearescape.Then,onlythen,washeseparatedfromhisson.Whenthecarshotpast,theyjoinedhandsagain,continuedontheirway,eachbeingtheother’ssupport.Thesightnearlybroughttearstomyeyes.
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