A deep rolling rumble sounds accross the college compound like distant thunder.
The thunder storm of last night has left the ground wet and soft and smelling somehow sweet. At 6.30 this morning rain was still pouring down and making that wonderful caravan-holidays-in-the-UK sound on my corrigated tin roof. I cancelled my morning run and rolled over, not to wake again until half past eight! Its so much nicer to wake when the sky is properly light. I didn’t worry about rushing to college. Yesterday, the day of the exam, I arrived at 8:00 and was the first person there. The girls hadn’t even unlocked the staff-room door (normally there are people in the staff room from 7.30). I had a lovely breakfast of porridge (proper porridge with oats, not the local cornmeal one) wiht a spoonful of chocolate peanut spread melted in it and two bannanas chopped up on top! When I arrived at the rainy college the penultimate exam — Desktop publishing with Page-Maker — was gong on in the lab. Everyone was prayig that the power would not fail as it often does during the rain.
But the sond I hear now is not a storm. The skies have cleared since this morning and the sun shines down on Holy Rosary College as its students depart. As they drag their suitcases over the cobbled path their rickety wheels make a sound like thunder. I wave to some. They smile and wave as they put their bedspreads and cases into their parent’s cars. I expect there are many who make their own way home on public transport but I have not seen them go. Their parents didnt park toyotas in our driveway and, most probably, their lugguage doesnt have wheels.
I hardly know them. Only the stage IV javascript class of 12, about half of whom I could call by name. But it does seem sad. These girls are not coming back. I hope they are not, because of they do it will be to do re-sits of their exams. I have just been shown the assignment marks, all collated, to confirm before they are sent off to the university. They have a reasonable chance of getting 50% overall taking these marks into account.
And me, when Im not blogging, I’m updating the Javascript notes for next term.
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