"Flamingo" memory

Read lulu's blog recently, about how is the school "culture" at this era, and how xin-ku it is to be a good teacher, like our friend ru xuan.

I had a flash back.

I was 9, at primary school. And it is about an assignment for an Art class.

I wasn't a good artist in drawing since I was a kid. But anyway..

I remembered for that class, I took home and drew flamingo, there were about 10 in that piece. I put up lots of effort for that piece of drawing. Day and night, I was obsessed with the drawing of flamingo. I handed in the assignment proudly, thinking this time I will not just get C anymore. Should be A or worst B+.

When the teacher finished marking, she called the students to come take the assignment. After everyone has gotten theirs, but not me, the teached said, "luo dai si，你到我这边来一下，其他人你们做自己的东西。”

I thought my piece was very great, that she wanted to compliment me gou li gou li at her place.

But what the teacher said gave me a shock, "who drew this for u? Your mama? Next time I will not take this kinda work anymore. It must be from your own work ok. This time I will just warn you."

Me, being a very quiet person that time, can only bow down my head, with tears in my eyes... (if now I got bully like this, I will gou li gou li fug gao that person!)

I still remmeber that time I was very sad, until I went home and cry gou li gou li in front of my mama. I just cannot understand why the teacher did not believe I drew those flamingo by myself. Why?

My mama see me so sad, she also very upset. But she did not say anything more. She just wrote a letter, and asked me to bring to that teacher tomorrow.

I can't remember what's that letter about. But I remember it was very short, very formal kind, and yet inside there is one important fact - my daughter drew this piece all by herself.

THe next day, after the teacher read the letter, she just said to me, "aiyah, i was joking with u only... why u really go tell your mama ah?" She gave my flamingo piece a B++ that time. I still remmeber how that "B++" looks like, until today. It was a hard print memory. (in fact, it was the only piece I got B++, haha..)

Actually, now I am already 30, think back this incident that was happened 21 years ago, I still have a heart-ache feeling. It's the uncomfortable feeling, it is like someone mistaken u for stolen things. And I still remember that piece of work, I really drew it with my own hands, and color it with my own hands too.

So, I do hope the teachers, before they scold any students, do have proofs first. Don't simply accuse them. It will leave unwashable mark in their life forever.

Having said that, the parents nowadays also no need to be so protective. Just do the appropriate thing. Like my mama, she did not jump at that time and storm the school to scold that teacher the next day. She just 心平气和 wrote that letter to remind the teacher. I think this is the correct way. Parents nowadays, on the other hand, are just too gun cheong about how the teacher treats their kids... ng sai gum yong geh, teacher also got a lot of good ones. And, at their way of protecting their kids, they will produce whole bunch of "strawberry" kids in no time.

Flamingo, a bird that every time I saw in Zoo or on TV, will bring back this "sour" memory.

Some memory is really undo-able.