Counting it's Last Breaths...

" Hey, can I have your calculator?" My friend, sitting infront of me turns to ask, her face scrunched up in anxiety.
  It's our first-period Maths class and I'm intently copying the circles drawn the board. That's the part of Maths I get. The drawing one. The solving part...I copy from The-Girl-Before-Me. So it's ESSENTIAL she gets a calculator. NOW.

"Um, I wish I could say yes. Unfortunately my calculator gets more sleep snuggling in my bed then me on schooldays...and on weekends. You got yours?" That to my morose-today BFF.

"Hm?" She looks up distractedly from her staring-at-circles trance. "Yeah, I guess."
She takes out the grey gadget of pure geniosity and hands it over.
We get back to our circles, assured we'll soon be filling the empty spaces left under them with perfect, neat answers.


Ruba, The-Girl-Before-Us, turns back,"It's not turning on." She says nervously.
Aliza(BFF) grins wearily. I smile indulgently. Silly her. See, the calculator looked a thing out of 80's movies. You know, ancient and worn and not at all like the shiny ones with coloured buttons. I thought those kinda calculators look abnoxious and snobby. I think they sorta make our trusted calculators look inferior (Never mind I have one just like that, but the fact it has never made a trip to a school,to date, is proof of my preferences.) Which is totally wrong,'cause they worked just fine, thankyou very much!

   So anyways,it's obvious why she can't work out how to use it. Aliza goes, all patiently, 'cause she's answered that all her life,"See,it turns on from this button." And she presses the button. Nothing. She presses again. Still nothing. She laughs nervously....and presses again, this time more forcefully and yet,it lays there like a grey lump of metal who hadn't once solved all of maths greatest mysteries for us.
All the while, I'm looking at Aliza's attempts, horrified. When Aliza looks up hopelessly at me, I shake my head resolutely, grab it from her and stab the button with my index finger and bang it against the desk, willing it to come back to life. IT NEVER DOES!=0 ="(
            

My feelings were sorta like a mixture of guy with the plank(if it, God forbid, ever died) from Ed, Edd and Eddy and Harry when he realizes Dobby's gonna die. Sad, isn't it?
There is a moment of silence as we digest this great change in our lives we'll have to face from now on.
Then Aliza confesses,"I never even took it outta my bag....I just ignored it."
What?It died from suffocation??Lack of sunlight??Neglect?Calculator abuse?
"Oh my God," I go, looking at her."YOU KILLED THE CALCULATOR!"
She looks suitably guilty and uncomfortable. We stare at each other, thinking; I look back down and bite my lip. "Maybe we should have a funeral. Bury it properly."

I look fondly... for the last time....at the faded lettering over buttons we can't even read anymore...over the scratched paint...and the scratched screen...I run my hands over it...Then returns it to Aliza.
"Goodbye,"I whisper, as she puts it away-nay, buries-it back in her bag, looking away.
My last request on its behalf is," Never throw it away, please."
Aliza nods solemnly and we return to the mysterious circles on our notebooks.


The calculators had faithfully served its mistress(es) for the past 5 years,often saving our necks in crucial moments during exams.(think: Kreacher) It has, indeed, died a tragic hero's death and lived up to a ripe old age(when it got plenty ignored and mistreated. Oh, the shame!). It would be remembered in fondest memories. We decided, Aliza and me, it was perhaps time that we moved on, too like the calculator had to rest in its calculatory heaven (we're sure of that,yes).
                                                   
                              R.I.P Calculator
         2006-6th September 2011
      A beloved Advisor, A cherished Helper
             YOU WILL BE MISSED. =')