Today was very busy, we did 'We Shall Go Out' because if we'd done anything else it would have been too much. I got C. to take a full choir picture and most people are smiling, although Devi is very sad. In the first two periods we sat in the staff room and then I joined C. with 8b, visited 5th and was fetched by my angelic choir girls for an impromptu sing. I was so touched and the whole choir came running when they heard us singing! Again, people were weeping but it was generally a much happier occasion than yesterday.
I talked to the girls through lunchtime again and took loads of pictures, all of which are wonderful. They wanted lots of photos of me and their favourite was one with Muthu in the background!1 Never mind, I won't have to look at them. It was a very sombre day even though I was putting on a brave face. The function for the leavers (12th Standard) was in the afternoon, I played 'Father God' and 'Mustafa'.
We took our cameras to St Andrews in the evening (C.'s at least - I'd run out of film!) and took loads of portraits which the girls want by Monday. We had fun explaining about Sunday closing and I've no idea what we're going to do! Leaving is horrible. I can't wait to be travelling when I don't have to think so much.
Jerry's mum said that Jerry wants to come to England and would it cost 1lakh rupees? It would of course be marvellous if she's serious, he could stay with me and we'd have a great time. Of course 1lakh is probably too much, half that would be ample (I think).
...
Life is but a melancholy flower and I'm the rain washing away into the river. Next week will be so different, but I'm always going to have an empty hole where my choir used to be. I sincerely hope that I'll come back, even just for a holiday but with university you never know. The worst thing is that most of the girls will get married off to fat ugly Indian men who only want them for sex and cooking.2 I'm going to rock the boat on this one, with Devi especially - I couldn't bear to see her sentenced to a life with someone who doesn't really care about her. If they write to me that is, which I'm sure they will. I'm satisfied that I've made some impact here but I can't abide the thought of not being able to come back. Next time it will all be different because they will be separate.
I'll stop now, because I want to go and cry again.