(After
the west gate mall Attack, sad that it seems we have moved on. The middle class
claims #WeAreOne, yes they think so but the sooner they smell the coffee the
better, life is not all rosy over here where buying a packet of milk is a
struggle.)
Back
to my story………(For the first time in a couple of days, I had a night in between
the sheets)
The
following day, by seven in the morning, ‘well wishers’ had already started
flocking our home. All interested in determining where the rain started beating
me and offering me a piece of advice and may be encouraging me to embark on a
journey to recovery. To me, this was wastage of time. What had ‘eaten me’ and
what had become of me by then is something that I have never ever known to
date. I wished they would cut their long stories short and leave to go and do
more productive work in other sectors of the economy. To me, my fate was
sealed; I had accepted and moved on. I thought that all was done and education
was no more a thing to think of. Poor me, I guess I had lost hope.
The
visitors kept on trooping in. Their message was simple….’Reform and agree to
concentrate with your studies, that’s all you can inherit from your parents,
they have no land to offer you’. The message was simple and all appeared to
read from the same script. I guess my heart was Pharaoh like, I never softened
my stand. I thought I was wise and good to go n face life minus any more
education! Things went on till one day,
a miracle happened, I was now willing to recollect myself and give education a
second shot.
This
is what happened…The last time I saw mum crying was at the Police station when
she came to visit me accompanied by friends. I was called out and came out from
the cells looking so worn out. She wept
uncontrollably but I never gave it so much time. Things were different on this
other material day after I was released and now at home; she sat me down and
talked to me so passionately. She explained to me how I gave her a hard time
during and after birth. She was weeping so hard, the pain was all over her
face. Shame and shame was all I had caused her. She simply asked me why I was
causing her this pain at my age, tears of pain rolling down her cheeks. This
point in time, something special happened, I decided to make a promise that I
will change and commit that I will join another school if given a chance.
Little
did I know that this was the beginning of another painful struggle. The search
for a new school was another frustrating experience. Most of the schools in our
district could not admit me after they heard of what had happened in my former
school and my involvement in the whole saga. The worst part came after one of
our distant relatives, a headmistress at a local day secondary school also
denied me an opportunity to re invent myself education wise. It took me with
shock and pain. Reality was now with me that I had messed up.
Daddy
visited so many schools; none was ready to admit me. Finally, he went to Mwea
and one Principal namely Mr Ndegwa was ready to give me a chance, the place was
far and remote, the weather unforgiving, no reliable mode of transport, the
school was also not known to perform well and was constantly on strike.
Students had a history of indiscipline. All who were sent away elsewhere were
admitted here, it was no better than staying home, yet another blow back!
Daddy
came back and tried to convince mummy that I had no option but join this
school. Luckily, she never bought the idea that I was to join this school, she
had a plan B. She talked to Mr Gichangi, The principal Kiandieri day mixed
secondary and shared my case with him. He was willing to give me a chance on condition that I told
him what had happened without fabricating any part of the story. I was ready to
do so. We were given the date to go to this school and have me tell it out.
Little did I know that I was going to mess up again even before the interview,
leave alone admission.
This
is how it happened….
All
long after I was released from the police cells; I had never cut my hair. It
was long and Afro like. On this material day, I should have been a smart and
presentable boy. I had not shaved my hair despite the fact that I knew very
well of what was expected of me as a student.
I just took shower and grabbed a blue pair of Trousers; a flare one and
a blue shirt that I decided not to tuck in. My mum woke up so sick and was bed
ridden hence dad had to accompany me to the School which was approximately
seven Kilometers away from our home. We did the whole seven Kilometers on foot,
my daddy’s bike could only be useful on our way back, the place was very hilly,
there were no Matatus plying this route too!
Tragedy
was to strike immediately we got at the school gate. The principal could see us
enter the school compound trough one of his office windows. By the time we got
to his office, my fate had been sealed in absentia. He could not talk to a thug
looking person like me. ……’I have given him a red card! I cannot talk to a boy
with that kind of hair, un tacked shirt and a skirt like trouser, let him go
back home’…He said.
Dad
got mad at me; he left me after we were out of the school compound. I had to
walk over seven Kilometers to my home alone after day, in a lot of anger left
me behind. This was heartbreaking for mum.
I narrated the whole story to her. She was shocked and let down by me
again but with love, she advised me to go and shave and get a decent trouser
and shirt ready to make another visit to the school. She had to leave her bed
despite her sickness just to make sure that I get back to school again. We
walked again to the school and this time round, we were given audience.
In
the Principals office, I was to give out a detailed account of what happened in
exchange of an opportunity to study there. That I did so desperately and never
even attempted to cheat. At Last, there was some light at the end of the
tunnel. I was given an admission letter and a detailed list of the books that I
had to buy. I was not supposed to benefit from any of the books that were used
by other students and issued to then only for them to return later. I was to
buy mine and carry them home daily. We left the school, went to town, bought
all the required materials and the following day, I was ready for school.
I
woke up so early, arrived in school on time and took the books and other
requirements that were expected of me to the principal’s office. They were
inspected so as to establish that I had brought what was expected and luckily,
they were okey! This was not enough; I was assigned to Mrs Kariuki, a CRE
Teacher and was required to visit her at break time for guidance and
counseling. Like Mrs Gitau, my lower primary school teacher, she embraced me
with two hands. Gave me motherly advice and always gave me hope that all will
be well as long as I was committed to taking a new direction in life.
I
was later taken to the classroom. Introduction was done and I was allocated a
seat. Ready to learn, I took up the fight. I had a lovely time here at the
first day, lovely and welcoming classmates, Loving teachers and all I can say
was that I was given a new lease of life. The first week passed away so well
and as the second week was coming to an end, I messed up again. This time
round, I hit a classmate with a walking stick that I used to scare away dogs
now that I was leaving home so early in the morning.
On
this material day, a Lady by the name Wanjira, who I later learned was a
relative to the principal was taking word round that I was her new boyfriend
and this was taking place barely before two weeks were over after I had joined
this school. With anger and without a second thought, I hit her hard at the
back and she screamed so loudly that she caught the attention of the principal
who was standing outside his office. This earned me two weeks suspension and I
was to be accompanied by Mum after the two weeks duration elapsed. This was a
big blow to all those who were helping me re trace my footsteps but was too
late to salvage me from suspension.
Back
Home, it was double tragedy, so much had been spent in buying me books, uniform
and paying my school fees and before two weeks were gone, I was at home again.
Mum had again become a laughing stock. Most of her friends were already
celebrating my downfall and asking her why she was struggling with a boy who
did not have school in his heart. It was so heartbreaking to her but again, she
was a strong woman, she never gave up on me despite these shameful moments that
I was taking her through.
Two
weeks passed and it was time to report back so as to be disciplined for what I
had done. We got to the principal’s office, cased for hours and the verdict was
out! I was to uproot a tree stump alone and would not get to class before I was
done. I did it amidst struggles and by evening I was done thanks to my friends
who assisted me after the principal had left and no teacher was around. I left and went home so tired and vowed to
style up! Yes, I had learned my lesson.
Time
passed on fast without major Hick ups. As days passed by, we got into a group
with several guys that were namely Karani, a.k.a Ka Master (Who had been sent packing
from Kianyaga High School), Stano, Ngari a.k.a Tembo and others not named here.
We could drink over the weekend, smoke marijuana, visit each other’s homes and
do all sorts of evils , we were ‘lucky’ that we were never caught in the act
despite rumors being sent to the principal’s office .We kept it to ourselves
and could not discuss the weekend happenings in the presence of other students.
This was happening towards the end of third term and we were in form three. We
sat for end of term exams and passed, ready to join form four.
The
first term in form four was not a bad one, second term not a bad one too but
all was not well when we sat for our mock exams. For the first time in
secondary school, I scored a D Plus. This was a wake up call to me. My house
needed to be put in order, I hatched a plot very fast and trusted that the
remaining months would be enough for me to pull a surprise to all who though
that I would fail in my KCSE Exams. I went to Kangaita, a village where my
Auntie resides, took books, past papers and some revision materials from a cousin who had sat for her form four
the previous year and decided to rage a war on books. I also told mum to buy me
five litres of kerosene so as to enable me trans~night in an attempt to recover
lost grounds. This she did without so many questions.
I
started revising all necessary materials and by the time KCSE exams were on, I
was good to go! We sat for the exams and did most of the papers with ease apart
from mathematics that to me was hell on earth. Time to part ways with all
friends that we had wasted time HAD FINALLY COME…….!
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