30
One Minute of Fame
One of the most eagerly awaited event for all PSBB'ians used to be the yearly anniversaries that were(are) conducted religiously at the Kamaraj Memorial Hall. It was looked forward not to showcase our pathetic theatrical skills, not even for the additional 2 marks that would increase our abysmally low mid-term scores, neither to prove ourselves the best of the 3 branches and not even to grab an opportunity to disappear from those monotonous social science classes; but just for the sheer heck of it. Being a face in the crowd, and getting acclaimed (as the little speck in the crowd!) provided the much required boost to our deflated egos.
I'm sort of proud to declare that I used to participate every year and enjoyed every moment of it. Or so I thought! I still don't know what to do with all those ridiculous costumes. I don't have the heart to get rid of it. I remember the way teachers used to goad us into participating by telling us that the play would be a disaster if there was just Cruella and no puppies. And we used to wag our backsides all day in the name of rehearsals ! Of course the popular senior whose parent was friends with the dean got the role of Cruella. And boy, was she good!
During the 3 day event, the opulent celebrities sat in the front row wearing their plastic smiles throughout the coruscating performaces, while parents swooned in the audience at the sight of their son/daughter playing the dalmation pup! (Though I'm sure they had no clue as to which one was theirs!) As for us, we sat huddled backstage wearing our comical costumes and a pungent layer of make-up that made us look like baboons and added to our teenage skin issues. By the time we'd go on stage, all the make-up would have formed sweaty patches and we'd look nothing like cute puppies but more like leprosy patients.
Despite all the rigmarole that it was, it all seems like an epoch now. From being a face in the crowd to becoming the snooty senior who played the lead role, I've somehow enjoyed every minute of my fame.
I'm sort of proud to declare that I used to participate every year and enjoyed every moment of it. Or so I thought! I still don't know what to do with all those ridiculous costumes. I don't have the heart to get rid of it. I remember the way teachers used to goad us into participating by telling us that the play would be a disaster if there was just Cruella and no puppies. And we used to wag our backsides all day in the name of rehearsals ! Of course the popular senior whose parent was friends with the dean got the role of Cruella. And boy, was she good!
During the 3 day event, the opulent celebrities sat in the front row wearing their plastic smiles throughout the coruscating performaces, while parents swooned in the audience at the sight of their son/daughter playing the dalmation pup! (Though I'm sure they had no clue as to which one was theirs!) As for us, we sat huddled backstage wearing our comical costumes and a pungent layer of make-up that made us look like baboons and added to our teenage skin issues. By the time we'd go on stage, all the make-up would have formed sweaty patches and we'd look nothing like cute puppies but more like leprosy patients.
Despite all the rigmarole that it was, it all seems like an epoch now. From being a face in the crowd to becoming the snooty senior who played the lead role, I've somehow enjoyed every minute of my fame.
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