The Accusation That Made Me Step Up

Photo by Nasirun Khan

I don't know if it's only me that doesn't like it when someone that lives in the same community as me is teaching where I school.

It is not as if there is anything wrong with it, but the person's presence often threatens one's peace and liberty in the school, especially if the person is the type that doesn't know how to keep their mouth shut.

I just got transferred to Reformed Nursery and Primary School. It was something I had been hoping for because it was a private school.

Back then, private schools were highly esteemed. Students from private schools were exceptional at the time and I wanted to be like that too.

My transformation or should I say “problem,” started the first day I resumed. It was break hour, and I just bought bun and kunu (guinea corn juice) from one of the elderly women who sells food under the Mango tree and I was heading back to the class to enjoy myself, when someone shouted my name, “Emreal.”

I turned, my eyes raced in all directions, but didn't see anyone familiar, so I walked away.

As soon as I got into the class, a pupil followed me, “Are you Emreal?” He asked while I was just about to open the cover of the bottle.

I lifted up my head and looked around curiously, “Yes, I am,” I replied slowly, looking at the boy with my eyes wide open.

“Okay, Aunty Mimi asked me to call you,” the boy responded and walked outside.

I dropped my kunu and bun in the locker and followed him, contemplating who this aunty Mimi is, because I thought it was a new environment and no one knew me there.

Following the boys' lead, we arrived at the Mango tree where I bought my drink, there I saw my a woman I know, Miss Mimi, sipping kunu with her legs crossed as she interact with the women that sells food there.

My chest tightened and my breath almost ceased, “Good morning, ma,” I greeted hesitantly, forcing a smile.

“Morning, my dear, your mother told me you would resume today. I was the one who called you earlier on,” she replied.

“Oh, sorry ma, I didn't realize it was you,” I responded.

“It's okay, hope you like the environment?” She asked

“Yes, ma, I do,” I answered.

“That's nice, I teach primary five, do endeavor to come and see me as much as you can anytime you are faced with any challenge, okay?” She replied.

“Okay, ma,” I replied with a mild smile, then walked back to the classroom.

Meeting her ruined my mood, If it was another person, it would have been different, but aunty Mimi, no!

Aunty Mimi is a very nice single lady, but she is someone who thinks she knows it all and believes that every child is under her supervision; she loves to interfere even in things that don't concern her. Most children around our neighborhood are not free with her as a result of this.

Gradually, I got used to school and made friends. I no longer stay in the class during break hours but hang out with my friend, Philip.

I started playing football and engaging in other sports activities in school, and I was loving it. However, Philip was very playful, our class teacher complained about it a lot.

I didn't know that Aunty Mimi was taking note of my activities. One of those days, during the weekend, she came for a visit to our house.

She and my mother discussed a lot. I could hear their laughter from my room that evening, it was loud and clear. I almost concluded that she would pass the night at our place due to how long she stayed, but thank God, she finally left.

The following day, after finishing my chores, in the morning at the shop, my mother called me inside.

“Sit down,” she said after I entered the hut.

I slowly sat down facing her, looking perplexed, my legs were shaking, and my eyes were racing across the room. I knew that something was not okay.

Without hesitation, I dived into the archive in my head to see whether I had committed any offence, and I hadn't made it good, but I found none.

“How have your studies been?” She asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I sighed, my tension subsided, “Fine,” I replied, managing to dispel the remnants of fear in my throat.

“Have you made any friends, already?” She inquired.

“Yes, mom, I have,” I replied, wondering where she was driving at.

“Philip, right?” She guessed.

My eyes widened and my lips parted, “Yes, Mom, how did you know?”

She sighed, “Emreal, the reason why I changed school for you was because I wanted you to be a star. I wanted you to step up in your academic performance and be brilliant like other children, but the news is reaching me that you are becoming more interested with fun and games than with your studies.

The person said you are always playing football and other games with Philip. She was emphatic on how you play even in the classroom.”

My mouth parted as I shouted, “Ah, mommy, who told you that?”

She remained quiet for some moments, then said, “Aunty Mimi and I talked about you yesterday. I am not stopping you from making friends, but make serious friends who will help you to grow.”

“But that is not true, Mommy, Philip and I only play during sports and break time,” I replied.

Hmm, “how come you are failing assignments and tests? I went through your books last night,” she asked.

I couldn't say a word again. I was not too good at Mathematics, my mother knows. I was not expecting her to take Aunty Mimi's talk to heart simply because i was failing Maths, compared to my former school, I have improved to some extent.

Photo by RDNE Stock project

After that day, Philip and I discussed and decided to stop playing during break hours, we only played football on sports day.

Aunty Mimi eventually stopped putting eyes on me and taking reports to my mother because my performance improved and I became popular in the school subsequently.

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Thanks For Some

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