“Leave my class! I cannot be wasting my energy on brainless simpletons!” The teacher shouted at Dominic who was standing few rows from the front. He was unable to answer another arithmetic question thrown at him by the teacher and in the process incurred the wrath of the teacher.
Mr. Klaus was not known for patience with slow learners and he was always on the ready to tongue lash any dull students that finds themselves in his class. His words were usually dull and brash and could break to pieces any students resolve or spirit. This was not the first time Dominic’s personality will be laid on the sacrificial altar. He had been offered up as burnt offering on the altar of harsh words many a time that coming to Mr. Klaus class was like going to the slaughter house.
“I would have asked you to go and learn a trade but your brain seems to be made of soaked wool so I doubt if it can hold anything solid”. The teacher kept the shots coming.
Dominic slowly made his way past the rows of chuckling students and headed for the door. Once outside the class, he made his way to the cluster of mango trees just in front of his class and sat down. He fought hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to break through and spoil his resolve of never crying again when the teacher was having his field day. He believed he will one day find his footings and won’t have to be made to look inferior before his peers. He had endured so many ridicules already a thousand times before and just a hundred more will do no harm.
“I won’t back out of my studies because of anyone, the insults have been coming and they will keep on coming, so why lose my head over them?” he thought.
School over, the students made their way in groups toward the school gate, some in group of four, five, six and even ten, all chattering happily and playfully. This was usually a happy time for them. The end of another school day of stress and boredom. Half an hour later from the last jingle of the bell, the school premises was empty save for few of the staff and the school janitor closing up for the day. The whole school compound was quiet and calm. Soon even the few remaining staff left the premises and retired for the day. The unusual quiet and calm woke up Dominic who was sleeping high up one of the branches of the largest mango trees in front of his class block. He had climbed up the tree to avoid the prying eyes of the prowling principal and ever thirsty to flog discipline master, Mr. Lash. Lying astride a forked branch and feeling the cool breeze on his body, he had unknowingly slept off. The quiet and calm that engulfed the school premises told him the school has long closed.
He rubbed his eyes, stretched himself and yearned. He felt very hungry. He must have slept for hours, he thought. He was about climbing down when he heard the sound of a vehicle driving into the school compound. He looked towards the main entrance of the school but did not see vehicle. The sound grew louder and louder until he could make out sound clearly. It was certainly not a private vehicle, it sounded more like a lorry or truck. He looked in the direction of the unused bushed path that led from the school to the old tarred road and there it was, moving towards the school library. It stopped just in front of the school library and the driver killed the engine.
“They must be bringing more books to the school” he said to himself. “But it was just two weeks ago they brought the regular supply for the academic this academic year?” he reasoned.
While all these were going through his mind, he saw the driver of the vehicle opened the door and came down, just then the school janitor came out of the library and shook hands with him. After exchanging some few words which he could not hear due to the distance, the driver went behind the lorry and opened it. Three men jumped down and the driver pointed to towards the library. The janitor hurriedly opened the door for them and they went in.
“Something is not right here” Dominic thought.
Just then, the three men came hurrying out with heavy bundles on their heads. They went behind the lorry and moments later, they went back in. This went on for over twenty minutes.
“Those men must be stealing the school’s books and the janitor is helping them!” He though aloud. “I must get closer and see things more closely”.
He slowly climbed down from the tree and ran behind the form 3 building nearest the tree. After making sure that he was not seen, he made his way gradually towards the huge cashew tree nearest the library. He could now see the driver and the janitor more clearly, the two men were engaged in a serious discussion while the other three were busy loading the books unto the lorry.
Dominic went tiptoed to the window and squatted behind it. He could now make out clearly the voices of the two men.
“Look here Mr. Chris, I will not tolerate any form of cheating this time around, you must give me my own share of the money in full or I will look for another person to trade with”. Mr. Tom the school janitor said.
“Don’t worry, I will pay you in full this time, you have been a good supplier”. The driver replied.
The two men laughed and shook hands.
“So Mr. Tom has been the one selling out the school books? No wonder the principal has been complaining of theft for a while now. I will make sure they don’t get away with it this time.”
He slowly made his way to the edge of the library block and peered toward the lorry, the three men had just drop another bundle and were moving inside again. He quickly ran quietly and went under the lorry. He remembered how his elder brother has once deflated one of their father’s rare tyres by turning the valve anti-clockwise. He crawled to the rare tyre on the left and slowing turned the valve anti-clockwise, after series of turns, he felt the air running out and making a low swishing sound. He did the same to the other rare tyre. He waited for the men to drop another bundle and go back inside before he crawled out and ran back to the edge of the library block.
“Now, they won’t be able to get away soon enough, by then I would have reported to the principal.
The next day, Dominic was the hero of the school.
"Only a bright mind can undertake such a selfless task". The principal had said at the end of his commendation speech on the assembly.
