Chapter - 7 - Crisis of lacking money…
"We will collect the cash for track suits, t-shirts and canvas shoes together with the boarding fees in your dormitories by your dorm head. It's 8000. So prepare the cash tonight."
This news shot Wine's head out of the blue. He calculated the allowance his mother gave him. It was only 30000 for a month. The boarding fee was 7000 a month, plus the track suit's price 8000, his fund was left with 15000 in just one night and a morning.
He didn't know what other fees were left to collect again. His heart was as heavy as a stone.
"Okay, distribution of track suits is done. It's already 6:15 am. No time to teach you new exercises. So, run around the field for two laps!!!"
Tweet…..
The trainees started to run in disarray after the whistle was blown..
The field can't be called a playground, track field or football field. Except for two goal posts, there was nothing to take note of. There was not even grass on the lawn. Just a field full of sand…
They struggled on the sand field for two laps and released with a sharp sound of whistle. Walking to the entrance in a small group, Wine found several food stalls beside the Main dorm and before the gate.
Htin Lin put his arm on Kyaw Swar's neck..
"These stalls are selling rice and dishes. If you can't stand the food in the dining hall, go buy some…"
"Isn't it too early? It's not 7:00 am yet."
"Huh…Kyaw Swar, tell them."
Htin Lin didn't answer directly but acted mysteriously.
"The breakfast time is 7:30 to 8:30 am. Formal class starts at 9:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. Dinner is from 4:30 to 5:30 pm."
No way!!!
The teachers are so unreliable, right?Why didn't they announce the news to us? That's what juniors thought in their heart.
"We are all sweaty, no, we are all dusty after PE class. Do we have to eat in sweat?"
Wine didn't know whether others would find it uncomfortable or not. But he is…
He loves cleanliness and can't stand the sweat and dust on his body.
Anawar thought for a while and said…
"We have half an hour before breakfast time and half an hour after the class ends. Relax, you can take a bath if you are fast enough.."
"How can you say I am fast? No, I'm not fast. Not at all…"
Wine's voice was quite loud and now almost everyone around him was laughing. Why almost? Because Anawar didn't laugh…
"But I think you are fast.."
Anawar replied with an expressionless face but his twitching lip corners betrayed him..
"Geez…laugh if you want."
How unsociable!!!
Wine glared at him when he let out soft chuckles..
The smells waft out from the stalls. Now Wine's attention was on the stalls..
There are not many stalls selling dishes, just six. As they were just released from the PE class, a very small number of trainees were buying dishes. They were the ones who took money to the PE class.
"Did you bring money?"
Wine pulled the corner of Anawar's shirt. He knew his move was not manly. He should have just put his arm around Anawar's neck like Htin Lin did to Kyaw Swar but 17 years of male's memories failed to defeat the 40+ years of female's memories.
"No. Do you want to buy some?"
"Yes. Or…should we just take a look at what they are selling?"
"Ok. If you find something good, we can come back with cash."
He pulled Anawar arm and walked towards the stalls. Anawar looked at the soft hand holding him, afraid that he couldn't pull him along if he was stiff, he relaxed his body and followed the running boy in big steps.
Sometimes, when the gap between short and long legs were too big, someone could just walk while someone was running.
When 5'6" ran, the 5' 11" could just walk… Who told him to be smaller and shorter?
On the tables, fried fishes, pork curries, chicken curries, beef curries, egg curries, prawn curries, fried eggs and vegetable dishes were seducing the tortured souls of the junior trainees. Yesterday's dinner was a nightmare for the tender children who just left home.
Seniors were also included but not many….
They are used to it after two semesters.
"Hey! I want two or three kinds. What about we buy three dishes together and share it equally?"
Wine swallowed hard and asked Anawar's corporation for a shopping spree. Thinking about the rubbish in the dining hall, he only wanted to comment __ shit..
However in a critical moment, he remembered his allowance for this month was reduced to half.
"Or two meat dishes.."
His voice went soft in depression but his eyes were looking at Anawar's face expectantly.
Thinking for a brief moment, Anawar nodded despite wanting to tease the little guy.
"Okay"
The pale face of the boy after yesterday's dinner appeared in his mind.
"Let's go get money…"
This time, he didn't wait for the boy to pull him. He took the boy's arm and led him to the dormitory.
When they returned with money from the dorm, they met with senior Zaw Min on the way to the stalls.
"Going to buy some dishes?"
"Yes, senior."
"Oh, then don't ever put your hand down when you carry the plastic bags containing the dishes. Raise your hand high until you get into the dorm ... .if you don't want to lose your dishes.."
This warning puzzled the two..
They bought pork curry, prawn curry and two vegetable dishes together. The pork cost 100 for 1 piece. They bought two. So, it cost 200 for pork curry. The prawn was 200 per serving and the veggies were 100 per serving. It cost 600 for a meal, 300 each…
"It's so scary. I can't afford to eat meat daily with my pitiful fund."
Wine shuddered with the thought of eating the dining hall specialities after his allowance was exhausted.
On the way back, they raise the hand carrying the dishes higher. Although they didn't know what the senior's warning meant, they decided to follow the advice.