For some of us who had the privilege of going to boarding school, there are so many stories to tell. My friend gisted me about his experience when he got to the boarding house. JSS 1 students were to resume on a Friday afternoon, probably to give them time to settle in before the first day of class. His parents brought him to school, in this sparkling white shirt and white shorts, stainless steel bucket glistening like his cutlery, plate and cup, a box filled with clothes, books and provisions, he was ready to take on the world. The buildings were overwhelming compared to buildings in his primary school. Everything looked so imposing. He was ushered into the dormitory by an older student – the house prefect, who promised his parents he would be well looked after. He had never seen a metal bunk in his life and was immediately afraid he would fall off the top bunk.
In the evening when all the parents had left, the new students got talking – boys like him aged 9-11. They swapped stories, names, classes, primary schools. The senior boys seemed friendly enough and one of them, Senior P told them there would be a formal ‘Baptism’ the next day Saturday, promising them it would be a party and an enjoyable experience. Naïve as they were they looked forward to it.
The next morning after a yam and stew breakfast, the junior students were lounging in their rooms still making friends. A few hours later, Senior P summoned all the JSS 1 boys in his dormitory for the Baptism. Some of his friends were there as well. He told them to line up according to age and asked, ‘So what did your mother give you to give me?’ The junior students looked at him and then at one another wondering what the heck he meant. One boy went to his locker and returned with a packet of Cabin biscuits (he later told them his elder siblings had told him things like these happened at the boarding school), another boy followed suit with Nasco cornflakes. Senior P started to pick the boys one after the other since they all seemed frozen in place unable to speak.
Then there was T who watched as his mates provided gifts. When it got to his turn he looked at Senior P straight in the eyes, arms folded defiantly across his chest and with as much attitude as he could muster, ‘My mother doesn’t know you and did not send anything to you. My provisions are for me and I don’t have any extra for you’.
Silence.
Senior P’s friends burst out laughing. Senior P pulled T out of the line and asked him to sit on the floor and continued with the collection. If there was anyone else in that lineup that planned to say no, they quickly changed their minds. Their wonderful moms had lots of gifts for Senior P; from Milo and Peak milk to Lux bathing soap, Omo washing powder, Ijebu garri and juice. My friend offered his gift of St. Louis sugar from his mother, to Senior P. He said he didn’t really understand what was going on but he thought it wise to do what all his mates were doing.
Afterward, Senior P turned to T and asked if his arms were ‘working’ to which T haughtily answered in the affirmative. Senior P went to the other dormitories and asked all his mates to bring out their dirty clothes. In less than 15 minutes there was a pile of uniforms, daywears, towels, and bedsheets. He took from the newly acquired Mommy gifts, Omo and Okin laundry bars, got buckets together and asked T to put those arms to work. T started washing with so much attitude. Two hours later, the bell for lunch went off and T was still washing. He told Senior P he wanted to go for his rice and stew lunch. Senior P refused and said he could only go for lunch when he was done. The other senior students were adding more dirty clothes to the pile.
After lunch, T was still washing but with far less vigor. By this time, he was crying and pleading with senior P. He said he suddenly remembered that before he left for school the day before, his mother had actually packed some things specially and asked him to give senior P. That had everyone laughing. My friend said even though they felt bad for him they couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden memory jog.
T learned and so did all of them, after that day, he was usually the first person to surrender his Cabin biscuits whenever a senior student made a request.
Kech
Have you had similar experiences? Send us your stories by clicking the ‘Send us Your Story’ icon. Comment, share and like
