d.o.perry
d.o.perry, my high school english teacher.
if there is one human, i feel, i owe without ever fulfilling, it would be mr. perry.
perry was an anglo indian, bachelor to the end. over 6ft, skinny, brylcreamed rolled back grey hair, and a moustache. he had a deep voice, and an immense love of the english language.
he taught us how to appreciate poems. even the most vagabond of the boys (ours was a boys' only school) would sit motionless and with rapt attention, whether it be swaying to the daffodils, or lines written near tintern abbey.
perry also loved shakespeare. he used to read from the original and not the abridged. every class it was a public display of oratory. he used to take on all the characters, modulate his voice, raise or lower it, shriek or whisper. it was a one person drama show. we simply loved it.
like the anglo indians who grew up in british india, perry was cultured. he was well read, played the piano well, could carry a 'two left footed partner' any day with elegance on the dance floor.
there used to have an anglo indian club near our home, where there were dances to live music every saturday. we tamil boys, of all religions, used to peep through the windows, fascinated by the whirls and twirls of the couples. perry and his constant partner, were easily the stars.
like all teachers in the 1950s, 60s, perry's salary was meagre - 150 rupees per month or so. but he would never enhance his income with private tuitions. he never married, i figured for the same reason, that he could not support a family.
he had a tamil cook who used to come to school every afternoon with a tiffin set of fresh fragrant food, whcih perry used to eat with knife and fork (all the other teachers had only spoons or ate with their hands).
once, he remarked, how in post independence india, pure drinking chocolate was no longer available. he missed the original schweppes brand made in europe.
so, on my first return home, in 1975, i had two tins of pure drinking chocolate, especially for him. i went to my old school, to find out, mr. perry's whereabouts. only to be told, that he had gone to his heavenly rewards a few years earlier.
if there is one human, to whom i owe what little i am able to think, and how to express it in the english language, it will be mr. perry.
sir, wherever you are, i hope you are int he company of shakespeare, byron, shelly, keats and wordsworth. i know that would be your heaven, and i pray that you are able to see from there, these and such odes of gratitudes from the hundreds of your ex students.
God Bless you sir.