out of sight, out of mind

Atma Prakash Nayak

Lecturer in English

The happiness of the annual function of my college could not last long when I saw the crying faces of a few senior girl students. The teardrops were loudly describing their utter disappointment. They cried because they could not get the opportunity to stage a one-act play, which they had rehearsed for the last weeklong. They cried because all their costumes, make-up and preparation had ended in smoke.

Anything out of sight is out of mind- it happened in their case. Those students stood for long hours in a dimly lit remote corner when other student-groups were busy in performing on stage. That group of girl-students neither reminded nor informed the stage-in-charge of their preparedness to stage the play. As a result, other groups performed one by one before the audience and went away smilingly but those girls remained aloof in the corner unnoticed and disappointed.

The light and sound systems, which were hired for the stage programme, had been contracted for a certain period. Beyond that stipulated time, the light and sound system hirer had another call to attend. The time was short and the list of performers was out of proportion. There was immense pressure on the stage manager and during the hectic stage-management; the girl-students got neglected.

The short of time compelled to stop the stage-show abruptly. The declaration of the closure of the cultural programme was heralded all of a sudden and the P.A. system was removed from the stage within no time.

The public started to disappear and at that time, the girl-students appeared before us in tears.

The incompleteness and disappointment on their faces affected my colleagues and me deeply. However I felt more guilty because I was that incapable stage manager.