I was living in a one room apartment, a five minutes walk to my school. The school appeared to have been hurriedly put up by the government. This was because, the dormitory was still under construction while students were admitted into the school. So, everyone was living off campus in the interim.
As the promotion exam approached, every student was up and doing to ensure success came his or her way. English and Mathematics were the prime subjects. For you to move to the next class, you have to pass them.
For me, I didn't just want to pass. My ambition was as tall as the Iroko tree - to get the highest mark, 100% if possible. Many others had similar dream, I guess.
Two days to the Maths exam, I didn't lose focus of my Maths exercise and textbooks. And on the night before the D-day, I kept going through the exercises. When it was 12.00 midnight, I was not done but, I remembered the advice of one of our teachers, "Don't go to bed late if you have exam in the morning so that your brain will not be under undue pressure."
"Let me just round off and go to bed," I told myself.
After a while, I looked at the wall clock, it was 12.35am.
"Just one more exercise," I decided but then, I didn't know that the god of maths had left me. I started working with a false strength that pushed me to an extra mile, and as a consequence, I involuntarily closed my eyes.
Before I knew it, I slept off on my chair, with my head on the desk. I dreamt of where we wrote the Maths paper with ease. It was very cheap. Everyone was happy as we were coming out of the hall. I met Chika whom we all knew was not so bright academically, she too was smiling.
"How was the paper?" I asked her.
"The teacher thought he'd take us by surprise," she started, "but he'd be shocked." She concluded with a broad smile.
It was as if the questions were not set by Mr Donald, the Maths teacher whom we gave the name, "Either you're there or, not there". This name came about because he usually say, "Maths has only one answer, it's either you're there, or not there." Any time he says, "Maths has only one answer..." We will help to chorus, "It's either you're there or not there."
On the chair where I was still sleeping, I partially
woke up, thinking I still had time, I slipped in my bed to have a short sleep before preparing to go for that morning paper. It was then that sleep truly stole me and took me faraway to where knew not.
At a time, I felt a warm sensation on my legs. That was what woke me up again. I opened my eyes. There was a bright light. My consciousness came alive. Both the warm sensation and light were coming from the morning sun.
My heart skipped a bit. I looked at the wall clock, it was 9.40 am. I couldn't believe it yet, it was real. I jumped from the bed and rushed into the bathroom. It seemed I didn't spend up to three minutes there, taking my bathe.
Anyone seeing the speed with which I hurriedly dressed up and rushed to the school, would think I had become crazy. I didn't even tuck in my shirt which was a serious offence. I knew it yet, I ignored that because what was at stake was more than that.
The gateman was still hesitant in opening the gate, trying to know why I was late, I was almost crashing into the gate and he himself. As I sped pass him, I overheard him saying, "Some students are just lazy. Always doing things at the wrong time. And they're quick to blame time, saying time is against them. Meanwhile they're the ones against time."
I didn't have time to reply him. I was almost at the hall when his last words were coming out of his mouth.
On getting close to the hall, I slowed down my pace as Teacher "Either you're there..." announced, "15 minutes to go."
I knew it's all over. "What can someone use 15 minutes to achieve in a Maths paper of 2 hours?" I asked myself without expecting an answer. I reached the door, but lacked the courage to enter the hall.
Teacher "Either you're there..." looked through the door and saw me. "What are you doing there?" He asked.
Tears rolled out of my eyes, downwards to my cheek. He would not get an answer from my mouth. The tears on my face told him the simply truth which was that I was helpless and needed mercy.
"If you're just coming now," he continued, "your case is beyond what my power can manage. It's beyond pardon. Everyone is aware that in Maths, it's either you're there or not there."
Everyone turned to look at me. Even some merciless students helped Mr Donald to chorus, "... or not there" as he spoke.
I knew that Teacher "Either you're there..." was a no nonsense man. He won't even think twice to give you a zero if that's what you merited.
After thinking for a while in my sorry situation, I went to the principal to lay my complain. After hearing me out, he sent for Mr Donald who came immediately.
"See what you'll do," he started. "Give him a seat in the staffroom. He'll write the paper there."
He looked around, and fixed his gaze on the World map at the right hand side of his office. "Mark the paper accordingly but, deduct 20%. That's his penalty for not writing the exam with others. Next time, once you come to the exam 30 minutes late, you'll forfeit the exam and bear the consequence."
Teacher "Either you're there..." smile saying I was lucky. "I had already sharpened my red pen to award you a big zero that has eyes."
Like a lamb set for the slaughter, I was led to the staffroom where I wrote the paper.
Happily, even at that, I still secured a pass mark to enable me advance to the next class.
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