The mess in the classroom, Bake Bake Gakko

Inspiration image here, for greater context go here. This is a thousand words of interpretation of that image. The Print is called Bake Bake Gakko.

Ever since the earthquake. They make promises and never never live up to them, oh yeah you'll get it back don't worry it's a matter of two weeks they said, now it was four months and it was the same. They always disappoint you, all of them.

Shōki was pissed, and he didn't bother hiding it anymore, the students should know what was happening with the state of the affairs. Oh the students, they weren't here to learn, what they were here to do nobody knew but it was not easy to keep them from being distracted. That was already a problem when they had proper seats inside proper rooms, when three people weren't trying to shout on top of each other. But now, all was gone. Three goddamn classes in the same room, all voices mixed and confused, the students mingling and teasing each other, poking each others noses, joking barely even looking at you, Half the time they would look at the other instructor and what could you even do about it, nothing, nothing at all, you just grumbled, as Shoki did and moved on. This was life in the capital, no wonder the country was falling down.

And today, of all day, of all the times and places, the western observers had decided to show up with heir comical hats and overcoats that looked so uncomfortable. Making strange faces at every sentence he spoke, always breathing in like they wanted to say something but never actually speaking up, scribbling on their pads, writing something, always in hurry to go somewhere, do to something. They would clear throats in the middle of instruction, giggle at something they probably remembered from fifteen years ago whatever, and then go quiet for thirty minutes. Just as you were comfortable, they would do something strange or other, and the whole goddamn thing would begin again.

Really this was as bad as it got.

The desk and chairs decided to sproudn arms legs and mouths at the most inopportune times. Generally they could be convinced to go back to sleep, to the natural affairs of things but now they too wanted to see what was happening, the hullaballo, they stared intently at the guests, trying to touch the students with their stubby short tongues, until they were poked here and there by a rude child which would lead to a yelping and the instructor had to put end to that. Five minutes wasted just like that because some idiot baby was being unkind to the desk. The staff was called with ropes and sheets to restrain the furniture, for they seemed to be in a mood to escape, leave the confines of the enclosed suffocating balloon and get some fresh air. Who could blame them really, no sane being would willingly sit by under such pathetic conditions, it was such great travesty. Just ridiculous.

And to cap it all of, Fujin had to make a show randomly. He still got some respect around town but nowhere as close to how they worshiped him back in the day. He was supposed to be polite and courteous, let people do whatever they were upto and be gone whenever the fancy came upon him but not today it seemed. A playful Fujin is already a hard day's work to take care of, but today it was getting out of control. In the other instructor's session, He was teasing kids by blowing them away, not that those fools would have wanted to learn anyway but he was creating furhter distractions. It was a shock really and how committed Harumi was, with her usual egerness and excitement to teach she was able to maintain attention of more than half of the classroom dspite all the confusion happening.

It wasn't just the furnitures of course, Shoki noticed his umbrella trying to make a run for it as it was being chased by the goblins from the other classroom. Not that it would get very far, the balance didn't work out so it'd just pathetically run around in circles...choosing the design had been wise..., but it was unsettling to see your equipment trying to escape your clutches. And he couldn't do anything about it at all because the classroom was in full-on pandemonium mode.

They said, some of the new modernizers that the way of the west was the best, the lagging behind in technology would forever set the people back, it was not useful to have faith in these mythical beings and procedures. Sometimes Shoki wondered what it would be like to have a normal life himself when there was only one thing you would have to worry about, only limited social obligation. What if most things just did as they were told like automatons and only the important persons would be worthy of talking to. Because really what was the value to him of the umbrella that had a mind of its own but here he was. Coax the furniture, convince the clock, respectfully guide the wind demon out of the premises, so much work, all so that you could go back to starting your actual real everyday job of teaching. It felt a little too overwhelming.

But the connection was wonderful, you felt for the things around you, instead of just 'owning' them. There was value in relationships, a well-cared-for umbrella would somehow make its way back to you even if it got misplaced. A bench that can speak and talk and run around can get itself taken care of in the off-hours instead of having separate machinary to get it fixed. Besides, having so much moving and dynamic meant you had multiple viewpoints, how would he ever know what the life of an umbrella was like without communicating with one. The ways of the old weren't completely outdated and unnecessary yet, and he personally was no modernizer. And yet sometimes, he felt like...things needed changing.