Parent Teacher Meetings

The school Parent teacher meetings are a very important part of the life of mothers of school going children. My house help was the Class representative for the parents of her child's class. She had to attend a monthly meeting with the teachers and the school Principal. She would inform me in advance that she will come late to work or do little work and leave early. That day she would not wear her daily Salwar Kameez but would be in a Saree. In those two years, I realised she had such a beautiful choice of Sarees . She wore them so gracefully. That day she would have the extra excitement on her face. I could see her buzzing with energy. I think that was the place where she had a position of a leader. She felt pride in her role as the PTA head for her class. She never missed those meetings. Now both her children are in college. 

Coming back from Yoga, right outside our house is a vegetable vendor . He has encroached the footpath space. He and his wife have a big table to keep vegetables, a plastic chair to sit and now they have a garden umbrella to protect themselves from the sun. The encroached pavement bothers me but the nearby Chawl residents are very happy with the veggies being sold so close to their home. The couple have a 7 year old son who goes to school. There is an Idly Dosa vendor who comes on a bicycle. The couple eats breakfast from him. Even the guy who drops Pav at all the shops in his bicycle, comes here to eat Idly Vada. These are the people I see everyday on my way back from Yoga The other day the lady was dressed up and sitting in the shade of a shop. I asked her if she was going out and she smiled and  replied 'School Meeting'. I just smiled back. 

Years back, there was a lady vegetable vendor who doubled up as a cook in our building. She used to set up her shop under a tree with all vegetables in a cane basket and she knew all the people in the Chawl. Her afternoons were spent chatting with her friends. Morning her husband used to manage the shop for her. Later she was removed from her cooking jobs and she stopped setting her shop. She was an active participant at the temple in her Chawl  and we used to see her giving Prasaad to all during festivals. 

I do not know if I should share about all the vendors in my area or about the Parent teacher meetings in school. Most parents are worked up about meeting the teachers. It is a stressful task even if your child is a topper. The wait in the queue is endless. All the little chit chat with other Mothers is soothing. Then some Moms taking too long with the teachers, delays the queue. All in all half day is gone in this. But dressing up for the meeting is a must.