Denzil's Stories

High School dramas A boy’s experiences of joining a high school T he end of grade eight was a defining point in my school life. The next year, I was slated to attend high school, leaving my middle school. I started in grade one and continued to grade eight here — a big change, sometimes frightening. I would have to bid farewell to my friends who stood beside me for the last eight years. Many friendships to miss. It was a period of mixed emotions. I was excited about the new school. I liked the glamour of attending a new prestigious school in the heart of Colombo. I would be transferred to the senior boarding campus of the Christian Brothers’ formative academy. I would have to form new friendships soon. It was a drastic adjustment for a thirteen-year-old, from a second-tier school in a semi-rural setting to a premium school in the city. Both were same-sex, boys-only schools. In the new year, I was in the new school, St. Benedict’s College. It was big, occupying a large area in the city&

Dry Plants A fascination with dried plants and leaves W hen I was a boy, I had this habit of taking a small leaf and putting it in a schoolbook inside its pages. After a while, the leaf became greenish-brown. When dried, the leaf transformed into a beautiful craft with clearer linings. Fascinated seeing the change in the leaf, and its colours as it became harder and firmer; a joy a small boy could get captivated and hooked in. As a kid, I saw beautiful patterns from dried leaves. I began to see nature inside my schoolbooks. It was a lesson in nature. I have continued this habit and my fascination with dried leaves, some nine thousand kilometres from where it began many decades ago. My beloved adopted country, Australia, has many native plants that can withstand heat. When I go for walks, I see them in the wild. Their green is unique. A green I am yet to find in other countries I have visited. Sometimes, I pick a twig or plant branch and bring it home. Eventually, when they wilt, they c

Exploiting youth A story about manipulating innocent youth In 1973, I started working as an apprentice in the only telco in the country. At eighteen years, with no responsibilities, I suddenly had access to spare cash — a big difference to a college student who operated on a shoestring before his first gig. My confidence was at its peak now with newfound freedom and mobility. Outgoing I was, I desperately wanted to extend my network and grow my friends circle more. Until then, my network was limited to urban friends from my schools and Uni college, city folks. My home village was semi-urban. I did not have many friends from my home village except the boys I went to school within the city. I was now out to make friends from my home village, my immediate surroundings. The lads from there were not as sophisticated. They were not as fluent in English as I was. Aspirations and outlooks differed on some levels, yet they were good semi-rural youth. Soon, I became friendly with two lads, both