Monday, June 10th, 2013

Top Notch Schools

Rainy River, Ontario

Daruka and I had signed in at the local elementary school. It was 10 O'clock on the dot. We were escorted by staff to the gymnasium. There, a hundred students (Daruka's guess) sat in anticipation to see us. The teachers were eager to expose their students to an expanded cultural experience.

I began to speak. Daruka partnered on this, especially with Billy perched on his shoulder. Many questions were geared to Daruka about the bird.

In the beginning I felt a slight apprehension. Younger children take a special training to keep them enthused. I wasn't sure I had that. Teenagers, yes. Les enfants? I'm not so certain. We went ahead anyway. Obediently they followed our every instruction about chanting. First, OM, then Hare Krishna, then clapping in a synchronized way, and then dancing. By and by we came to our closure keeping things simple and not too philosophical. Imagine a gym full of kids singing something in Sanskrit.

The next group, or the bigger leagues, also located next door was at secondary school level. In between presentations we were hosted by Jackie and Martin; she, who runs the West End Weekly, and he who accommodates her newspaper printing in his insurance office, for lunch at their home. What a fantastic couple. Ashley, their daughter, had booked us in the two schools in the first place in this last town in Ontario. Crossing the river here means you are in the States.

Our high school group, although smaller in number, were a bunch of bright young people as were the elementary students. I expressed to the students our true identity, that we are not these bodies, but spirits. I then asked, "What does a spirit then do?" One chap answered, "He does spirit things."

And right he was.

Both Daruka and I were really impressed with the calibre of the students in this town. There was a huge line up for our autographs, Billy's included, as he took the opportunity to sign by leaving an imprint on the paper with his beak.

When I walk through this town, the size 1,000 people, in both 2003 and last year, along Highway 11, I was a bit disappointed. It looked somewhat run down. As some say, 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. Similarly, you can't judge a place by one selected street. You have to mill around in the town and browse through the whole thing to get a more clear picture. Ashley told us that colour, by paint, was going to be added to the town in addition to new fancy lamp posts and park benches.

Because the to and fro trip to Rainy River took us 8 hours, where was there time to walk in any serious way? In the course of our journey though, we spotted pelicans, swans, turkey vultures and geese. We also couldn't resist a peek at Rushing River, the white water is sensational.

4 KM