School, In The Time Of Rain

 

In primary school, class two I had a girlfriend (Disclaimer: judging me is useless) who was serious about me. For the sake of the story allow me call her Brenda, and we proceed. Brenda was smart, brilliant and beautiful. She had her group of girls and they sat together in class, so did I, I had my boy squad – perfect noise makers talking about power rangers, movies, cartoons all the time.

So how did we become a power couple in primary two, well, the class teacher who was Teacher Joy, one day came through and the noise was at a maximum in the whole class though our squad had the top voices. As soon as she walked in all the noise dropped to zero, in just an eye blink. She looked around and said, “I am going to make some of you switch seats and we have gender balance.”

That was one of the hardest things to experience in primary, I don’t know about other primary schools, but that was it for my primary school. Girls never wanted to sit with the boys and vice versa, it was a natural order. The moment you were chosen to switch seats, you were finished (direct translation). Long story short, Alex, who was seated next to me was made to switch positions with Brenda. She sat in between me and Patrick and for a couple of seconds I could breathe. After the drift and mix, the whole class was in perfect harmony and active, like never before. Everybody wanted to shine.

The next couple of days, I went to school smarter and gentler. Yes, I had to impress the new girl on our desk. Never not slay. Keep in mind that was primary two. Things were working in our favor till when it rained during couching class in the afternoon, and the teacher had to excuse herself. Like many kids, this was the perfect moment to play in the rain.

Source: Internet, Flickr Image.

We undressed to half nakedness, run out of the classroom shouting, which was singing to us. That playing in the rain session went on till when we were stopped by the Headmistress, who told us to go to her office immediately. In those days in Uganda we didn’t have “Raising Voices” that protects children against violence, so the headmistress beat us till when couldn’t cry anymore, we resorted to looking at her just until when she was tired.

As a child, I didn’t know playing in the rain was a bad idea – at least that’s what we were told in primary, after that beating, and never did I step out again to play in the rain. Till late in life when I realized the profound beauty of playing in the rain. I wish I was left to play in the rain with Brenda all the time it rained, we would have had very profound memories of life in primary, but all we have now is a muddled memory of playing in the rain.

In conclusion: School made me no better in appreciating profound moments in life.

This blog was curated in the #UgBlogWeek on ugbloc.com