Monday, June 21, 2010

Hidemi's Rambling No.199

I spent two years in kindergarten playing alone. The first year was quite peaceful because no one, including my teacher, cared that I didn’t play nor talk with anybody. But in the second year, the peace was broken by the teacher who took charge of my class. She did care and worried about my withdrawn attitude. One day, she suggested me to play with her outside at recess. She held my hand and took me outside. The biggest attraction was a trampoline at the playground. Kids would wait in line for their turn at recess. My teacher joined the line with me, saying to other kids ‘Let’s play with Hidemi! Make friends with her!’ They looked at me dubiously but reluctantly agreed because it was their teacher who told them to do. While I was waiting in line, I got more and more unbearable to be among others, standing so close to them. I observed the trampoline too, and it seemed impossible for me to reach the center of it by avoiding fall through gaps between the round frame and the mat. I began to search the way to escape from this deadlock but my hand was tightly held by my teacher’s. As my turn became imminent, I felt desperate. Then, the teacher said to me ‘Your turn is next. Now that you have this many friends, you can play without me, can’t you?’ and saying to other kids ‘Be nice to Hidemi!’ she returned inside. All at once, I ran away from the kids and the trampoline. I ran to the far edge of the playground and stood there. Kids were playing as if nothing had happened. I secured the enough distance from others and felt safe. Ironically, nothing has changed since then, as I’m still distant from the society…