I want to talk about my first, but which? Is the problem. First kiss? No, because it happened with a lady I never want to set my eye on ever again because of her current personality.
Jeez, I can't even bring myself to imagine that I have ever placed my lips on that of that lady, but then lets leave this, it's a story for another day.
Got the image from the facebook page of the school
My first time leaving the house to a place where my decision is partially laid on my hands. GSS BWARI(Government Secondary School Bwari) an experience that has been a perpetual and still fresh in my memory just like yesterday this should be about 15 years ago.
Have you ever been woken by 2 am for no reason?
Hahaha!! This might sound ridiculous but that was the first experience I had upon my resumption to that school.
It was my first night as I was handed over to my house captain who handed me over to the room captain of the supposed room where I am to spend the rest of my stay as far as I am in that school.
Just a description of what the hostel look like
A bonk was allocated to me where my mattress will be laid and a small space created that my small locker should be fixed. I looked at the room with so many boys in it. This will be a bit uncomfortable as I would have loved just a few people around but then I have got no choice than to go with what I am being offered.
The day was so slow I sat just like the JJC (Journey Just Come) that I am as I watch these boys go about with there regular deals right from washing their uniforms to fetching of water and Ironing of their uniforms, they were so happy doing what they were doing they laughed and gist the day’s activity just like it was not night but everything they do I discovered they did it in a fast paste trying to beat time I guess.
I couldn't sleep as there was too much noise. At around 10 pm a bell rang and it lit up at the sound of that bell. I was surprised at how everyone suspended whatever they were doing as they located their bed.
I gently stretched myself on my new mattress alone but was amazed at how some 3 boys could comfortably lay on a six spring mattress when I even think the one I lay on will not be enough for me just as I was thinking of that a boy walked up to me and said please can I join you on your mattress? I couldn't imagine sharing this small mattress with someone but he went further to explain that his mattress has been stolen 2 nights ago and he has been laying on his bedsheets on the floor Jeez!!! Wow this is a whole lot to handle but then I just adjusted a bit and the boy lay beside me, even though it wasn't comfortable but then I have to consider his health as laying on bare floor could be dangerous to his health.
So many thoughts ran through my mind before I was stolen by the cool hands of sleep. Not long into my sleep I heard a sound from far away. It was just like a dream.
“SS2 downward come outside” this particular sound went on repeatedly until a light flashed my eye even though my eyes were closed the reflection still could penetrate through at the time I opened my eye the touch light was pointing directly to my eyes a voice behind the light instructed me to get up and run outside by the time I tried touching the boy beside me I discovered he was no longer there.
I stood up and walked out. The same voice pointed the touch to the direction where I should go as at the time I got there I discovered, it was as if I was the last to join the crowd.
What could be happening here I asked myself but no Answer as I was new in the system, I asked few boys around me whom I assumed would have experienced such but then they gave me the same answer “We don't know”
After a moment of assembling everyone, someone walked up to the corridor of the hostel which happened to be the stage where we were gathered.
“Everybody lay down”
What!!! I exclaimed on the bare ground? What the hell is going on here? Are we some kind of prisoners or what? But before I could finish all the grammar, everyone around me was already laying down on the floor, so I did the same as I laid on the floor.
Then the announcement came.
Boys!!! The prefect called.
Sir!!! Everyone laying on the ground responded in chorus.
Boys!!!!
Sir!!!!
He called again and we all answered as I joined them the second time the call was made.
Boys!!!!!!!
Sir!!!!!!
Again he called and again we responded and this time even more louder.
“I will be on duty tomorrow, so the reason I called you guys out is to inform you that everyone is expected to leave the hostel on or before 7:20 am as failure to do that will extract an extra punishment Which will be backed up with a 20 strokes of Cain.”
What the hell is this? All this just to pass a simple announcement? That meeting took 1 hour of our sleep as it dragged down to 3am then we were asked to return to our room which everyone did. I got to the room and the boys began to discuss the incident that night, everyone telling how he ran at the hearing of that sound.
I was already wondering how the rest of my night in this place will be if this is how the first night turned out to be. The discussion took us down to 4am then we slept again but not long after we slept another bell rang.
“Wake up for morning meditation” my eyes were heavy but I had no option than to get out of my bed. The boy who slept beside me was already up, I guess he might be used to the system already.
I calculated the number of hours I spent sleeping. That was when I discovered I just spent 3hrs 30mins. How did my 9 hours of sleep turn to 3 hours? Unimaginable, I just laughed and said this is going to be tough.
Well I did all that was supposed to be done that morning and left as early as 7am with the help of the boy I helped at night who finally became my bed mate for some time before he got his mattress.
Or should we talk of how the dining room is called survival of the fittest where you have to drag so hard to get your meal or relax and go hungry until the next meal is ready.
Let's just leave this here because if I have to write about every one of my first experiences in that school then you all will be ready to read a book not just a mare small write up.
This is just a tip of the iceberg.