Debbie Wright , where are you?

All you school buddies will remember Debbie Wright. I can't imagine anyone having to look deeper into the recesses of their memory bank to recall that name.Debbie was an unforgettable part of our 13 -year old life and no one would ask "Debbie who" for sure. Debbie was our new classmate in class eight , new becoz she had failed to make the grade for the third consecutive time to go to the next class ( damn the math!) . Make no mistake Debbie was no dumbo..She was smart, sassy, witty and wild! She couldn't simply bother with the numbers maybe.. Debbie added to the glamour quotient that was otherwise lacking in the drab ,gawky world of pre teen and teen girls growing up in a boarding school run by nuns.Her high cheek bones, skinny long legs ( remember those shorts ? ) and that full sleeved shirt worn Bobby style , singing Paper Roses in that clear , lilting voice of hers. There , you have the picture. Debbie was the one who taught us a bit of history, geography and biology. Lessons we didn't get taught in the classrooms, the ones starring the birds and the bees . I dunno if anyone recalls that particularly dramatic day of the solar eclipse in the February of year 1980. We were under curfew, confined to our dorms left to entertain ourselves the entire day. Entertainment was provided courtesy Debbie with her wacky lessons in life and the visit of her boyfriend all the way from Madras . Only Debbie could have a boyfriend who would brave the wrath of the sun and climb the mountain to see his sweetheart! As for the rest of us , the concept of boyfriend itself was alien (those unadulterated days of the 80s ) but we enjoyed the excitement of Debbie sneaking out to visit her Prince Charming.The Prince was hardly charming remarked , one tactless soul who was rewarded a tight slap across her face! OOuch! That must 've hurt! But Debbie was Debbie..Also Mother Courageous who took her own pregnant mom one rainy night to the hospital when her waters broke ( Waters? Whatever is that we asked, Debbie said the whole house was flooded !!!!!) That was when her step sister was being born..Thinking back, Debbie life must've been pretty tough. Rich Father in the Gulf who sponsors her education but nothing else emotionally, mom and step sister to mother back at grandpa's . No wonder then she failed yet again and left the school. Without a trace she dissappeared and our lives continued boring as ever. Debbie was mysterious that way, she left no forwarding address.. Even today I can hear her singing my requests sitting in the sunlit class room before we left school assembly...Debbie Wright where are you ?