THOSE WERE THE DAYS
Those were the
days-the mid sixties-when we, as bright eyed teenage
schoolgirls, hailine from one of the many highly reputed girls'
schools in Bambalapitiya, eargely awaited the coming of the Big
Match. The first Blue Black Flag that was sighted and reported
on, was discussed at such great length ; It now leaves me
bemused as to what we did really have to say ! And, if by some
outside chance, the lucky girl who had this privilege happened
to know the owner of the vehicle proudly flying The Flag, why
then, she was certainly the most popular girl in the
class-anyway, for that day at least!
It seemed, at times,
as if this event was of more importance to us than our own
school calander. So much that the date of the school
prize-giving, which we always felt, was conveniently or
inconveniently as the case may be, arranged to coincide with
this much awaited event, always brought adverse criticism on the
heads of the organisers. As yours truly was inevitably involved
in this event, it is with utmost regret, not to mention utter
disgust, that I saw my friends off to witness the match on Both
Days, hoping, in the meantime,that the school Hall would catch
fire and go up in flames ! ! leaving me free on the First Day as
well.
As the much awaited
date drew near, the excitement grew and with it came long and
heaty discussions during the lunchbreak, on the fashions of the
day-This was going to be 'the kit' for the Big match. As 'The
Beatles' were the rage in pop music at that time, their dress,
hair and appearance, was copied by all and sundry even though it
didn't suit a good many ; but at that age, well who really cared
! !. Tight jeans with 'beatte looks' (a high heeled man's boot
with a pointed toe) and tee shirts were worn by the more daring
; male and female alike ! ! Unisex ?
Come the day of the
match and every girl in the Upper Forms was in
school much earlier
than usual. The young lads would make at least one appearance in
their wild and battered looking trucks and jeeps, before the
ringing of the first bell. Prefects were hard put to keep the
gates shut as previously instructed and disperse the groups of
excited girls chatting in the vicinity of the gates within sight
of the road. Many of the girls had first hand information and
that too not from their brothers ! ! That so and so's truck
would be coming by and that the boys would definitely try to
enter the ground. To increase this possibility one enterprising
young lady had immediately taken a wager with the young gentry
concerned, that it would not be possible ! Needless to say, this
was all that was necessary to spur
these adventurous
young men on to achieving this almost Herculiean task, much to
the delight of all the young ladies present.
It was in our year in
the S.S.C. or as it was then called, that this task being
accomplished, a swarm of young Thomians rushed into our
classroom which was fortunately situated close to the gate at
the side entrance. As to how they located it with such
exactitude I would rather not delve into ! ! But, needless to
say, find it they did and out came a filthy, smelly, sweaty,
battered old hat accompanied by the waving of flags and, lo and
behold ! the girls, like so many magicians, produced, seemingly
from no where, notes and coins enough to fill this repulsive bit
of headgear which, at any other time, none would ever let get to
within a mile of them. All this didn't take much time and as the
boys were trying to embark on the singing of the College Song in
parts. Boys and Girls-The Principals' approach was noted and
announced by the 'lookout'. With a loud whoop and a quick waltz
with the class teacher up to the door, the brave young men
vanished, to the land and lusty strains of the Thomian anthem.
Now, it must be
mentioned that the better half is an Old Thomian and a very
ardent one to boot. As a young Old boy, he was naturally not
part of these exploits but on hearing the stories related by him
and his contemporaries as always on the evening after the first
day of the Big Match when all good and not so good friends meet
and greet, I realised that this was not any worse or better than
the pranks of those gone before ! !
Indeed, on looking
back I now realise that it was a lot of clean fun indulged in
by mischievious, energetic and extremely innovative school boys
who always managed to get away with my mother's dustbit ; the
said item being a large tin halfbarrel which when tied to the
rear of a vehicle or beat upon with room-stick and ekel broom
both of which were conveniently left standing by the gate post
unknown to mother of coures, produced a most desired effect.
These were some of the
many, many doing's of these enterprising young men from S.T.C,
whose ranks now include my sons. As I see it all repeat itself
and don't think much the worse of it having enjoyed it all my
teen days, I do see that Principals of Girls' School's appear to
be lot better prepared for the Big Match ; that I feel sad for
the young ladies-they have missed out on such a lot of jolly
good fun ! Well! Boys will be Boys ! ! !
-A Thomian wife and
Mother. (Excerpt from the 110th Battle of the Blues Souvenir)
