Just in Time

Episode 2

*************************************************************

“William you said you’ll iron my uniform for me. Why didn’t you iron it? After I bribed you with half of my yesterday’s dinner” came Joy’s voice while I was in the bathroom.

Seriously, did I say that? I reasoned within me. Joy said she didn’t have appetite for the food last night so I helped her eat it. When did I promise to iron her uniform?

         “William come and give me uniform to wear o” she shouted.

I ignored her and went on bathing. Why would she think I’ll iron her uniform in the first place? The letter I told her to help me give to Miriam her classmate wasn’t delivered and she thinks I’ll iron her clothes. Mtcheeeeew. I signed and rinsed the soap lather off my body.

         “William, why would you iron just your uniform? Why didn’t you help your younger ones to iron” my dad intervened while I was coming out of the bathroom.

         “Baba there was no much charcoal, besides that iron is not even good. I was just trying to manage it”

         “Since you could manage it to iron your cloth, why didn’t you manage to iron for your sisters?”

         “That stuff almost burnt my cloth o, na God save me. Baba am I not the one that always iron for them? Do you always talk on those days? That iron isn’t good that is why I couldn’t iron. “I replied and walked into my room.

         “Liar, you’re lying” came Joy’s voice crying.

         “Nne don’t cry. The cloth is not that rumpled. You can still manage it” my dad tried to console her.

7:35am, the wall clock on my room reads. I don’t have to be late. As a prefect, I have to be in school early before the morning devotion starts. I hurriedly wore my starched ironed uniform. Put on my socks and sandals and hurried to the kitchen to take my breakfast. As promised, mama made my breakfast plenty. I gulped down the rice like I was struggling with someone, drank water and hurried out with my school bag to meet my sisters waiting for me outside. Waved bye to my mum and dad and off we hurried to school. I apologized to them for not ironing their uniforms. Truth was, the iron was bad and we didn’t have excess charcoal. Beatrice understood with me but Joy was still face tied. I had to promise to go bush meat hunting after school and that I’ll give her a delicious portion, before she smiled at me again. Pheww to be a big brother is not an easy task.

My school was the only secondary school in my village. The neighboring village had a bigger school and it was private. Only parents who could afford the fees sent their children there. My school wasn’t bad at all. We had plenty teachers and the population of the students was equally large. Every year, two best students are selected from the final class for university education sponsorship. Students always strive hard and compete to be at the top so as to be selected for the university scholarship.

         “Hey William, wait for me” I heard a voice and turned to see my classmate Eric running after us.

         “Good morning guy, how far you’re late o” he said panting as he caught up with us.

         “Guy I’m late and you’re early” I replied laughing

         “Omo no be my pop man talk say if I no cut the grass wey dey frontage, I no go leave house”

         “Haba, this early Monday morning”? I asked

         “Sha, he said I should do it since Saturday, so na me f**k up” replied Eric

         “Na your ways guy, na you want stubborn” I replied laughing.

We strolled inside the school compound and just then, the bell rang for morning devotion. All the students filed in their respective lines. The devotion started quite alright with choruses, bible reading, prayers, and the anthem being sung. It came to the point where the sanitary prefect will have to check the uniforms and I was called to come to the podium so as to inspect the students as they’ll be marching to their classes. Yes, I’m the sanitary prefect. I started from the junior to the senior class and brought out the defaulters one after the other. Those who wore dirty uniforms, those without the complete uniform, those with unkempt hair etc. The principal said they’ll be no classes for them that day as they will have to work in the school farm. We thereafter moved to our classes for the business of the day.