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Our high school days. Hmm... Those were the days we didn’t really worry about what the future holds. We didn’t worry about how we were going to pay electricity bills and all. All we cared about was never letting our scores go down and having fun.
I attended a catholic, boys and girls school; St. Mulumba Catholic School. If there’s something you should know about catholic schools, it is the fact that they have a lot of rules; boys must wear baggy trousers while girls must wear long skirts. We were not allowed to cross the lawn unless on important occasions. Even with all these rules some of us were still very stubborn. My friends and I pranked a lot of people, including teachers. One time, we pranked the vice principal. We were the king of pranks.
How I became a PRANKSTER
I was once a very gentle, innocent, shy, and skinny little boy. I didn’t talk much in class, I was also very scared of asking questions. The teachers were complaining about this, saying I’m too gentle and shy. I remained "the shy and gentle Favour" until I got to SS1 (senior secondary school 1). I was in art class. And trust me when I say art students are usually really stubborn. I met with a lot of people that behaved entirely differently from the way I did so had to blend in. I joined the gang.
My class was known for always making noise. We made jest of a lot of teachers, especially our further mathematics teacher. We named him Mr find X. We didn’t like further mathematics; it was too complex for us. Anytime he comes to teach in class, we always make noise, and some of us even sleep.
There was a time he got really angry and flogged us. Ten strokes each.
The prank that got me into trouble
It all started when my classmates hosted a pranking competition. Anyone that pulls off the best prank would be named THE KING OF PRANKS. In all sincerity, I wanted to win the title so badly. I spent days thinking of what to do. So many of us were experts in the game, especially Ade, the class pest. Ade was the first person to start the competition. His prank made a lot of people cry; especially the girls. It was on a Friday after we prayed the angelus )a catholic prayer commemorating the incarnation of the annunciation), and we went to the chapel afterward, for the normal weekly debate. It was then that Ade, the class pest, secretly went to the class and hid everyone’s bag, including his own, to avoid suspicion. We begged him for almost two hours but he didn’t return our bags until we threatened to report to the principal. Anyway, I was determined to make sure Ade didn't win. So, I started thinking of my prank. I stayed up late at night until I finally came up with one.
*The dangerous snake prank
Everyone was so focused on doing different things so I knew no one would pay attention to me. It was time to execute my prank!
"This is my only chance. I’ll do this and no one would be able to beat this record ever. Not even Ade" I said to myself.
You see, a few weeks ago, my neighbor had given me a fake toy snake after I told him about my desire to win king of Pranks. The toy snake had been in my bag but I never found the perfect opportunity to execute my plan. Anyway, the time had now come.
I quickly looked around me and no one was watching. So I walked slowly to my bag, and then I opened it and I suddenly let out a loud yell. Trust me, I screamed so loudly that the sound could rival a volcanic eruption.
As soon as I screamed, everyone turned their attention to me. So I shouted even harder; "there is a snake in my bag".
None of them believed me and some were even laughing. Well, what happened next made the smile froze on their faces.
I carried my bag and kept screaming "I need to throw this snake away". By then some of them were starting to believe me.
Immediately I got to the middle of the class, I flung my bag in the air and the snake flew out of it. What ensued next was pandemonium and everyone ran out of the class. That moment, they all forgot they weren't supposed to leave the classroom.
My plan worked! I succeeded in getting everyone scared. Unfortunately, my victory didn't last for long.
Oops! My prank backfired
Immediately all the students ran out, I was rolling with laughter. It was so nice seeing the scary expressions on their faces. Even Ade fell for my prank! You should have seen the way he jumped out of class! I was still laughing so hard when I suddenly heard Mr. Kenneth's voice. He kept shouting "What are you all doing outside? How dare you break the rule?". I was so scared. Afterwards, Mr. Kenneth ordered everyone to come back into the classroom and he entered too.
"What were you all doing outside?" He roared but no one answered. At that moment, I regretted not being a nice guy. Perhaps, if I hadn't pranked my mates they would have covered up for me. They all looked at me and I tried to convince them to keep quiet by making a puppy face. It almost worked because no one said anything. Unfortunately, Mr. Kenneth then threatened to beat everyone and that was when I knew I was out of luck.
Immediately after he said so, everyone pointed their fingers at me and they explained everything.
"You have been very stubborn and you will be dealt with accordingly for this. I am going back to the teachers' meeting now and I will have you reported. Get ready to wear the Offenders Uniform" He said and stormed out of the class.
As soon as he left, I sank to my chair and forced back my tears. Did I just hear him say he would make me wear the offenders' uniform? That was one thing every student in my school dreaded. In my school, anyone who breaks the rule gets punished by wearing an offender's uniform. They would call for an assembly and after everyone had gathered, including students and teachers, the culprit would be called out and he or she would be beaten.
Afterward, the principal would present tys offender's uniform and the student would wear it. The offender wears it for a week and has to also keep the school clean and sweep all the classrooms, including the Junior classes. Oh my God! What could be more painful and degrading than that? To be sincere, I wish I didn't carry out the prank.
As each second passed by, my heart kept thumping in my chest. By 12'o o'clock, the timekeeper would ring the bell for everyone to gather at the assembly and I would be dealt with. I wanted to be King of Pranks so badly but I just ended up ruining things.
That day, the classroom was so quiet that we could hear a pin drop. Everyone was waiting for the judgment. Some of my classmates even mocked me.
The Escape
At exactly 11:50 am, I was even more scared and I started thinking of an escape route. Should I run away, pretend to be sick or faint? Different thoughts were still running through my mind when the bell suddenly rang! Immediately I heard it, my life flashed before my eyes. But much to my surprise, instead of saying, "Assembly!' the timekeeper screamed, "remain in your classes". Before my classmates could even say Jack Robinson, our teachers rushed out of their meeting room and ran toward one of the junior classes. Even the students in that class ran out and there was pandemonium everywhere. Later on, we got to know one girl was having an asthma attack and she didn't come with her inhaler.
I just kept looking through the window as the teachers ran about. Just then, Mr. Kenneth passed beside my class, he looked into the window and said "You will be dealt with on Monday, I promise you!" and then he stormed off. A few minutes later, I saw him carrying the girl who was having an asthma attack into the principal's car and then they rushed her to the hospital.
During this period, I couldn't utter a single word. I was still yet to get over the fact that I came very close to wearing the offender's uniform. I was also happy that I wouldn't be punished again on Friday. Mr. Kenneth said I would be punished the coming Monday and that was going to be my escape route. I planned to lie to my mum that I was sick. I planned to research some tricks that would make it seem like I was truly sick. Come what may, I would never put on an offender's cloth.
Two hours later, the timekeeper finally rang the bell and he screamed "Go home". It was home time. I am usually part of the last students to leave the school but that day I picked up my bags immediately and I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Trust me, no words can describe how happy I was. I escaped punishment, well, at least for Friday.
Victory at last
That evening, I swung into action and I lied to my mum that I was having a headache. I also planned to tell her the next morning that I was having body pains. Well, as silly as this may sound, the next morning, I woke up with a very high temperature. Whenever I fall sick, I lose appetite, so I couldn't eat and this worsened my condition. My stomach started to hurt and I kept puking endlessly. By Sunday morning, I was still very sick. I was very weak. Later that evening, my favorite uncle visited unannounced and he brought a lot of goodies but I couldn't eat any. He also took my siblings to the beach, but I couldn't go. Truth be told, I missed a lot and I wished I wasn't sick.
On Monday, I couldn't go to school. In fact, all through that week, I couldn't go to school and I lost a lot of weight. Then that weekend, someone unexpected showed up, it was Mr.Kenneth. He came to check on me and even brought some fruits.
It wasn't until the following week that I could finally resume school. Mr. Kenneth never brought the issue up again and that was how I escaped being punished.
Within the few days that I was away from school, a lot of things changed. I learned the principal banned pranks and while I was away, Ade actually won King of Pranks.
Well, that didn't matter anymore, I was just happy I didn't have to wear that red uniform with "Offender" boldly written on it.