The bread that brought us closer

Greetings!

Lekan was my very good friend during my secondary school days. We were so close that people used to mistake us for twins. Some were even saying we have the same height and that we look alike. But even with all these identical features, I and Lekan were just friends.

“Sam, are you coming for the weekend tutorial class tomorrow?” Lekan asked. “I'm not sure yet,” I replied. “Okay,” he said. “Why are you asking me such a question?” I asked. “Nothing jare just that I was thinking of bringing bread tomorrow,” he replied. “Thanks, I would let you know if I will be coming,” I said. “Okay,” he said.

That's who Lekan was back then. Lekan was a cheerful giver and he used to dash many of us bread. It doesn't matter if you are his friend or not. Though, his dad is a baker that bakes bread, but he would not limit his giving to bread alone but other things.

So, on the following day, which happened to be a Saturday, smart came to deliver bread with his dad's driver to a canteen that's very close to our school. So, on sighting me, he called my name.

“ Sam! Sam!! Sam!!!” He exclaimed my name three times, but as he was calling, I couldn't answer him. Though, it's not as if I didn't hear him calling me, I heard him but couldn't answer him just because I was with my strict and no nonsense maths teacher, Mr Ojo and in his presence, you dare not answer any students calling your name. But, when Lekan would not stop shouting my name, Mr. Ojo was the one who drew my attention to his calling.

He said, “ Sam, it seems someone is calling over there.” As if I didn't know that someone was calling me as I have pretended all along, I replied to him and said, “ no one is calling me sir.”

So, me and Mr. Ojo continued with our discussion, but when the screaming of my name by Lekan could not be ignored again, Mr. Ojo stopped talking to me and asked me to listen very well to the voice calling my name. So, when I followed his instruction after a whole lot of pretense, I said,

“Yeah, it's true, I think someone is calling my name, let me go and check him out.”

It's then he released me from the discussion and asked me to go and answer the person. Though I would have answered Lekan since morning, doing so would have amounted to being punished by Mr. Ojo, the no nonsense man for not respecting his presence with me.

Not only that, what Lekan has promised to bring for me would have been seized by him for no tangible reason. He has done so with shola before now and doing such with me would not be anything different. So, that's why I pretended not to have heard the screaming of my name by Lekan.

So, immediately I left his presence, I quickly rushed down to where Lekan was and when I finally got there, Lekan was about to leave the place for his dad's bakery just to go and dressed up for the class.

“Sam, I'm about to leave, I have been calling you all this while, but you refused to answer me, “ he said. “Haaa, I'm sorry, didn't you see I was with mr ojo?” I replied to him. “I can see, I didn't know he was the one you're talking to,” Lekan said. “Yeah, he was the one,” I replied. “I have brought you your bread, though you said you were not sure of coming to school today, but I have already packed it inside the nylon thinking I would give you if I see you, but that if you didn't come I will take it back home,” he said. “Thank you so much,” I appreciated his kind gesture.”But before you hand over the bread to me, let me check if Mr. Ojo has left the corridor for the staff room. “Yeah, that's good, go and check if he's not there,” Lekan said.

So, I quickly went back to the school premises and on getting there, I didn't see mr ojo on the corridor and after that, i went to check the staff room to go and check if he's there and on getting to the staff room, I met him with his head on his table sleeping.

“This is the best time for me to take this bread from Lekan and keep it inside my bag,” I said to myself.

So, after the thorough check, I quickly rushed down to where Lekan was and I collected the packed bread from him and thanked him for giving me the bread. Lekan also promised to be in school very soon.

But as I was trying to sneak into the school with the bread in my hand, mr ojo caught me and called,

“Sam, where are you sneaking to, come here.” When I heard his voice saying this, I was weak from inside and I went straight to him with the bread in my hand.

“Where did you see that bread?” He asked, “I got it from the bread seller,” “bread seller,” he retorted. “Yes sir,” I replied. “Okay, give me the bread,” he said.

So, I reluctantly gave him the bread. “When you are ready to say the truth I will give you back the bread,” he said.

So, when I heard his last statement, I decided to tell him the truth and it's when I told him the truth that he came out and said,

“When Lekan was calling you, I knew you heard him, but because of what you people have been saying behind me, you have decided not to answer him.” “No ooo,” I replied. “What is No ooo?” he asked. “Nothing sir.” I replied. “Do you think I have not been told by some of you how you've been peddling rumors about me that I used to take what belongs to you?” He asked. But at this junction, I couldn't reply to him again, all I was just saying was to tell him sorry.

So, after the long story and conversation, he gave me back my bread and asked me not to join those rumor mongers that were out there to tarnish his golden image. He said he was not as bad as people think.

So, after giving me my bread, I appreciated him, but not only that, i also reasoned with all he had said and checking what he had said, i realized it's all rumor as i have never found him wanting of all the allegations against, but maybe because of his strictness and high level of discipline, people tend to hate him and as a result, want him out of our school, but since then, I turned out to be his advocate till I left the school.

And as for Lekan, he later came back to school and asked me if Mr. Ojo didn't see me. I told him everything that happened between i and Mr. Ojo and also, his perspective about who Mr.Ojo was changed and I'm also happy to have been able to convince him about the real personality of Mr. Ojo.

Thanks for reading.

Pictures sourced from metaAi.