My Mathematics Teacher and I

Greetings!

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“We will all meet at school tomorrow.”

This was the word that came out of my mathematics teacher after the close of the school work for the day. Then, it's our test week and Mr. Ojo had finished marking our test scripts.

“Sam, call me your class captain.”

So, I went to the class to call smart our able class captain who has been the one steering the affairs of our class right from the Jss 1 class till that present moment.

“Sam, who's calling me?” Asked the captain. “It's mr ojo.” I replied. “Ohhhhh, what is he calling me for now?” He questioned, “ I don't know.” I replied.

So, when he saw mr ojo coming at our direction with the script in his hand, smart quickly ran towards him and collected the scripts.

“ Tell them we shall see tomorrow.” Mr. Ojo said. “I will.” replied Smart.

So, when smart got into class with me by his side, he delivered mr ojo, the mathematics teacher's message to the class and thereafter, he distributed the script to the class members. After this, we all checked for our schools as graded by mr ojo and lo and behold, I didn't really do well as i scored below average.

“Smart, what did you score?” I asked, “ Sam, Mr. Ojo gave me 3.” “Haa, he gave me too four, But it's well” I said.

So, we all left for home. Back then we were in the first term of Jss 3. So, on getting home, I developed a fever just because of my score and to avoid being called one by one for advice by mr ojo as this has always been his habit whenever his students failed.

So, because of me not wanting to be part of those of whom he would counsel, I developed a fake fever.

“ Mum, I'm feeling feverish. “ I said, “Haa, what happened?” She asked, “ I'm not just feeling comfortable.” I replied. “Then, let me try and get you medicine.”

That's how my mum went out even in the dark to get me the needed medicine. Though, I asked her not to go out in the dark to get me the medicine, but trust my mum, she would do anything for her children. So, she left to get the medicine.

“ Sam, I'm back, stand up and take your medicine.” She said.” Mum, I will take it later.” I replied.” You've to take it now.” she queried.

So, when I heard what she said and with the pressure mounted on me, I stood up to take the medication. The drug was so bitter that I had to squeeze my face while taking it.

“What's wrong with you?” My mum asked, “nothing mum.” I responded. “Don't tell me the drug's bitter” she said, “yes it is.” I replied. “ don't worry, it's for your good. “ said my mum.

When I heard what she's just said, I laughed within myself knowing fully well what I was up to. So, we went to bed to sleep. But my mum would not stop checking on me throughout the night.

Very early the following morning, she came to me and said,

“Sam, stand it's time for the day's work.” But instead of me standing up, I continued with my pretense and refused to get out of the bed. So, it's at the persistent calling on me to stand up that got me voiced out under pretense and said,

“ Mum, I don't think I will be going to school today?” “ Are you still not feeling fine?” She said and I replied, “ yes.” “I will call your class teacher and tell him you are not feeling fine and you are not coming to school today.”

When I heard this, I was happy from the bottom of my heart and not quite long when my mum left home for work after she had made the necessary provisions for me.

But immediately she stepped out, I got out my pretended sick bed and was playing about. Doing what a sick person would not do. But not quite long, my mum came back from work. So, when I saw her coming, I went straight back into my room and pretended not to have gone out at all, not knowing that she saw me and heard me while I was out there playing rough.

So, when she came in and saw me sleeping, she shouted my name.

“Sam, I caught you, you're only pretending, you better wake and stop pretending.”

“I heard and saw you shouting while coming, so stop pretending.” But even with what she had said, I still continued with my act of pretending, but she didn't even say anything again before she left my room.

It's later that I found out she was not interested in my pretence again that I reluctantly stood up from my fake sleeping.

When I stood up, I went straight to the kitchen to meet her, but I could see it boldly written on her face that she's angry with me. I told her that I'm sorry that I got healed not long from the time she left for work. So, when she had this, she didn't believe me as such, but just tried to agree with me.

So, I could no longer pretend again and throughout that day, I was just doing everything possible to please her as she had caught me that I was only pretending. So, the night came and we all went to bed, but in my mind, I believed that I had been able to accomplish my plan.

So, the following morning, I woke up even before my mum.came into my room to wake me up.

“Good morning mum,” was the first thing I said when I went to her room. “Good morning sam.” she replied, "How is your body now?” she asked, “I'm fine ma.” “Are you ready for school today?” “yes ma.” “So, go and take your bath and dress up.”

So, immediately I left her room, I went straight into the bathroom to take my bath and also, my mum went into the kitchen to prepare our breakfast. So, I took my bath and left the bathroom to dress up in my room as food was being packed by my mum inside my lunchbox.

So, after dressing up, I took my food, bade her my farewell and left for the bus stop where the school bus would convey to the school. Not long after, the school bus came and conveyed me to school.

It's immediately after I boarded the bus that I was told by a classmate that our mathematics teacher, Mr. Ojo, didn't come to school the previous day. When i heard this, i wasn't happy as I would still be involved in the counseling session of mr ojo which used to take long and boring.

So, when I got to school, what Bernard, a classmate of mine that I met in the bus told me was true as smart, the class captain confirmed it to me. So, the bell rang and we went to the assembly ground where we were given a moral talk. After the assembly, we had mathematics as a first period lesson. This was on a Wednesday morning, so Mr. ojo came to the class, and instead of teaching us the topic for the day, he did the correction of the last test for us and gave us general advice saying,

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“ You people have to sit up, your last performance generally was nothing to write home about and if you want to succeed in life and for most of you that are aspiring to study sciences and engineering courses, you must take your mathematics very seriously. Though, other teachers are also complaining about you, but all I would tell all of you is to sit tight.”

So, before he could finish his long epistle, time had gone and the bell for the change of period had been rung. But before he left, we all shouted

“ Thank you sir.” He smiled and then left our class. It was after he had left that people began to wonder why mr ojo has not called us one by one to advise and lambast us, but what I thought of in my own opinion was that, mr ojo has changed and maybe he didn't really have time again.

But, his general advice really goes down well with me. It really helped me to sit tight and improve not only in my mathematics but on all other subjects. Now, I'm a graduate of Civil engineering department and thanks to Mr. Ojo who helped me to actualize my dream of becoming an engineer through his words of advice back then.

Thanks for reading.

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