July 2010
The person taking first place in this race won't be anyone else. It will be me...
Every single clap from the cheering crowd is meant for me. Yes... I am going to be the winner.
The monsoon sports meet was being held at the Basic Education High School. The stadium was buzzing with all sorts of competitions: long-distance races, 100-meter sprints, relays, high jumps, and long jumps. As for me, I was a competitor in the primary school 100-meter dash.
"Atar Koo... you can do it!"
My teacher's loud encouragement gave me a huge surge of confidence. I nodded back at him with firm determination.
Don't worry, Sayar... I'll bring pride to our village this year.
"On your marks..."
I gathered all my focus.
"Get set..."
I'll be the first one to cross that finish line...
As soon as the whistle blew, I bolted. I ran as fast as I could, my heels nearly kicking my backside with every stride. I gave it my all, determined not to let a single rival overtake me. Even though my bare feet began to sting, I didn't care.
First place...
But why didn't I feel the finish line tape snap against my chest? Sweat soaked my entire shirt, and I was gasping for air. Clutching my knees, I struggled to catch my breath.
The student who crossed the line first wasn't me.
"Second place," they said.
That was me...
My teacher approached with a steady smile, trying to comfort me.
"Atar Koo, you did so well! You made it in second place!"
I couldn't focus on his words or his clapping. In my mind, I was just a loser.
"But I didn't get first place..."
"Don't think like that. In sports, the most important thing is the spirit of competition."
I grabbed my water bottle and gulped it down so fast that it spilled all over my shirt. Then, I grabbed my jacket and prepared to leave the field.
"Hey, Atar Koo! Where are you going?"
Recognizing my devastated state, my teacher called out after me with concern.
"Just nearby. For a moment."
"Make sure you're back before the prize ceremony!"
I knew he was shouting loudly on purpose so I would hear, but I didn't respond. I didn't want to hear anything. I didn't want to stay in that stadium. The clapping, the cheering... it was all so noisy.
I bypassed the school building and walked toward a dusty path. As I walked, the path gradually led me closer to a quiet, peaceful grove of trees.
So much for a 'High School'—it's practically in the middle of a forest...
I crushed the empty water bottle until it was flat and kicked it away with all my might. Doing that made me feel a little better.
Only then did I notice my surroundings. I saw students in their green-and-white uniforms, shirts stained with mud, holding red lotuses in their hands. Is there a lotus pond nearby? Given the cool shade of the large trees in this grove, a pond wouldn't be surprising. I figured I might as well go pick one myself.
I headed quickly toward the left, where I thought the pond might be. When I arrived, what I saw gave me a start.
A little girl had tucked up her short skirt and was wading into the water. She was so small it looked like she might vanish into the depths of the pond. I broke into a run, stepped into the water, and grabbed her hand, quickly pulling her back onto the bank.
"What are you doing? Do you have a death wish?"
I was already in a bad mood, so I ended up shouting at her.
The little girl looked at my face for a moment. Her small face crumpled, and she began to cry. Then, she plopped down on the ground and wailed at the top of her lungs.
"Huhu... Sein Lat Soo wouldn't pick one for me, and I couldn't reach it myself!"
Oh... what should I do? I wasn't good at comforting kids. Her loud wailing was echoing through the quiet grove—I was definitely going to get in trouble.
"Stop crying."
"I want a lotus... waaaaah!"
It seemed like this kid wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted.
"Fine! Stop crying! I'll get it for you."
That silenced her, though she couldn't stop the hiccups from her sobbing.
I handed her my jacket to hold, took off my shoes, and waded back into the pond. The cool water seemed to wash away the sweat from my body. Since this pond didn't seem very popular, I only had to take a few steps to reach two white lotuses. I picked them and climbed back onto the bank.
"Satisfied now? Don't cry anymore."
"Okay," she replied.
Her voice was so cheerful it was as if she hadn't been crying at all. Clutching the two lotuses, she stood up and shook out her skirt.
"Let's head back. Or do you plan on sleeping here tonight?"
When I nudged her to move, she grew quiet and followed me, her short legs working hard to keep up.
"What's your name?"
"Phue Ngone Thit Lwin."
What a unique name...
"What grade are you in?"
" Grade-3. What about you, Koko?"
She's calling me 'Koko' already, huh? Whatever.
"I'm in grade-4."
Using the term "Koko" seemed to make her quite happy.
School must have been over for a while because the path home was deserted, though cheering could still be heard from the sports field. Regardless, I couldn't bring myself to go back there.
"Where is your house? I'll walk you home."
"I can go back by myself."
"School ended ages ago. What if you wander off again?"
"I said I can go back! I go this way every day."
"Well, I want to walk you home anyway."
I took her small hand and led her along. But the little girl stopped in her tracks.
"My house isn't that way."
"Oh."
So, I ended up following her down the path she chose.
"If Koko is in grade-4, your classroom must be right next to my grade-3 room," she remarked.
"Actually, no."
"Yes, it is! Our school only has one grade-4 classroom."
"What I mean is... I don't go to this school."
I could practically see her little brain working to process that.
"I just came here for the sports competition."
The evening was quiet, free from the usual noise of motorbikes and cars. As we walked and talked, holding her small hand felt surprisingly natural.
"But because of you, I don't think I'll make it back in time for the prize ceremony."
"Oh..."
The little girl stopped walking. She looked like she was feeling guilty, and I felt a sudden urge to tease her a bit.
"I guess I won't be able to get my prize because of you."
At that, she let go of my hand and began to snap the stem of one of the white lotuses. She started walking slowly again.
"Come on, hurry up."
"Done, Koko!"
She stopped and stood on her tiptoes. She couldn't reach, so I leaned down. She slipped a small ring made from the lotus stem over my head—a "lotus necklace."
"This is a prize for the Koko who won!"
This time, I was the one caught off guard. Her face was bright and beaming.
I stood up straight and looked down at the white lotus flower hanging from my neck.
"I'm home!"
Before she opened the gate to her yard, she turned and shouted to me one last time.
"Koko, when are you going to transfer to this school?"
"I think I'll move here when I reach high school."
"I'll be waiting for you!"
"What did you say?"
"I'm going inside now!"
She waved at me and ran into her yard. She had asked her question but didn't wait for a conversation.
By the time I got back to the high school, the sports meet was over. Since I hadn't shown up for the ceremony, my teacher was cross and gave me a scolding. But I didn't feel sad at all. Looking down at the lotus necklace resting against my jacket, I simply smiled.