I was a free spirit when I was little, all I was concerned about was having a good time. In my primary school I broke lots of rules, entered the class through the window, stayed after school hours to play, tore my excercise books to make paper airplanes for my friends (tearing your excercise book was a taboo and the headmistress rewarded me duly for that) and a bunch of other things (I even gave a guy a bump on the forehead with my awesome target 😂). Things rarely got to me but this particular day, I realized I actually couldn't stomach false accusations. I mean, thinking about it, if I actually committed the crime, I'd face the consequences and receive my beatings with some pride.
Well well...
I was 6 years old and in primary two, with one of the most vicious class teachers in the school (he once threatened to lock me in the classroom so my eyes could be eaten by an evil bird for helping a sick classmate write her notes). As kids, we weren't allowed to own blades and sharpen our pencils because we had frequent cases of slashed fingers and on one occasion, slashed face (only God knows how those kids managed it). So we had to go to the nursery sections so the teachers could help us sharpen our pencils, unless you own a good sharpener.
If you never borrowed pencils when you were little, you probably had parents who kept an inventory of your stationery or you were an ajebo (rich kid) with excess stationery. I was neither of the above so I knew the kids who had extras.
This particular day, we were going to have a test and I honestly forgot my pencil at home. So, I decided to borrow as usual but somehow, the kids with extras didn't have and I wasn't the only one who forgot her pencil at home. Finally I got one from Dayo. Meanwhile, Dayo was well known home and abroad for his "keeping skills". He'll take your stuff and help you keep it, without your consent (obviously). But, the test was more important of course, I wasn't going to keep the pencil for forever.
Myself and others who had one way or the other managed to source pencils (despite the scarcity), proceeded to the nursery 2B class to get our pencils sharpened before the test commenced. On getting there, some were fast enough and departed. Suddenly, the teacher stopped to examine all our pencils. Went inside her class and came back, only to question where we got the pencils. There were different stories but I told mine sincerely; Dayo gave it to me (so you have any problem with it, ask Dayo). At that junction, she concluded we were telling lies, called the class teacher from nursery 2A to confirm the exact pencils we brought were the ones recently stolen from her class. At that moment I got upset so I volunteered to go get Dayo so he can explain how he got the pencil. They knew me so there was no way I could run away and I didn't even have that in mind. I was hell bent on clearing my name.
Dayo came and confirmed the story but for reasons best known to them, they decided to hold me hostage (yeah, it's a hostage situation). Eventually, as I guessed would happen, the teachers who help turn a bonfire to a forest fire arrived and we were taken to the office of the headmistress. The HM as we call her, with her good judgement decided we were all accomplices to Dayo's pencil heist and the whole school deserved to hear about it. She summoned the timekeeper to ring the emergency bell. If you attended a Nigerian public school, emergency bell means there's some juicy gist available or there's a public holiday to be announced, either way, excitement level is hyper. At that point I got real upset and decided I won't have a misunderstanding tarnish my image so I spoke up and immediately was shushed.
We were asked to face the whole assembly and she proceeded to tell everyone each one of us was a thief and we stole pencils from the nursery classes. At that point I burst into tears. Being called a thief directly was the straw for me. No one in my entire life had ever accused me of that, not to talk of before a large crowd of fans, well wishers and acquaintances. She graciously ushered the most fearsome teacher in the school to come and give us a good beating. Accustomed to beatings, it was nothing to me but being called a thief wrongly was everything. Not even a thief of something worthwhile, pencils! The was it for me, I didn't need anyone to tell me to take care of my stationery after that incident. And if I was going to borrow any pencils, firstly, it wouldn't be from Dayo. Apparently, Dayo stole so many pencils from that class and poured them behind our classroom, he later confessed and apologized to me but I wouldn't be labelled an accomplice next time. Secondly, it would never be an HB pencil. And if it was, I'd rather use my lunch money to purchase a sharpener than have that obnoxious teacher sharpen my pencils for me.
I've been accused wrongly after that. A particular one stands out in my mind, it almost got me in trouble in my junior high school but the charges weren't strong enough. I was accused of being a bad influence 🤣🤣 to a girl older than me. The reason: I was smarter, ain't that amazing? So I wasn't as pained as the primary school incident because I took it as a compliment.
here.It's my first post in @campusgistars, thanks to @maryjacy who invited me to participate last week. From my observation so far, this community is interesting and closely knitted with absolutely relatable weekly topics. I'd like to invite @monioluwa and @ovey10 to participate in this challenge. Details can be accessed
Thanks for reading through🤗. (Though the emotions still run deep), I hope you enjoyed my story. Lots of love 💗
What happened to that free spirit?
It ran away 😂
SMH.
Nice write up
Been accused for been smart😂😂. Nice compliment
I was really proud of myself 😂. Thank you 🥰.
I can imagine how you must have felt when the emergency bell was rung considering the fact that you nicely asked Dayo for it and he willingly gave it to you. Children sometimes aren't believed by adults even when they are saying the truth and that is sad. Well at least you learnt to keep your things safer 😀😀
Oh yes I learned 😂. Thanks for reading through 🤗
You are welcome