Hidden Dreams

Episode 3

“Hey Jay!” My friend Ben called me out as we walked to the biology laboratory.
” Hey !” I shouted back.
“Didn’t see you in the school hall for assembly. Late again?” I asked him as he caught up with me.

“Yeah man, you know how it is. My Pops got issues with his car and I had to get on a bus to school for the past weeks.”
“Oh am sorry Ben, I thought the issue with your father was over. How did the court session go? ”

Ben sighed, “it’s tough man, I just thank God they paid my fees in advance otherwise I could have found myself out of this school. I see how my pops is being affected by the court issues. Being accused of embezzling funds for the company. I don’t know how to take it Jay, it’s pretty too much for the big man you know”

I stopped and looked at my friend. He looked sad, I had seen his father on several occasions and I would agree the man was good with his parenting skills.
I recalled how he one day invited us to some time out with him. I couldn’t stop admiring how easy he was with Ben. He treated him so much like an adult and gave him the freedom to express himself. I chuckled when at some point they started arguing about some things. I couldn’t recall what about, but they looked so relaxed and good together I felt jealousy.
It had been years since I felt that close to my father. And he lately never really talked to me.
” sorry to hear that man, am sure things will iron out for your Pops soon” I said finally.
” Yeah I hope so man” Ben shrugged.
” So how is you and your parents? Getting good now?” He asked
” lets not even go there man, I would rather not talk about them” I sighed.
“Oh here he comes!” Someone in class announced as Mr Muguma walked in.
We all went quite as the man stood in front of the white board.

He was silent for a while scanning the room. Then he cleared his throat.
” Good morning girls and boys” He greeted in his usual firm voice.
” Good morning Sir” we all responded and he indicated us to remain standing.
” So today I want us to recall what we learnt on Thursday last week, I will ask you some questions and you would only sit if you give an answer.

“Oh no.. not that again, ” I thought to myself.
“This man is out to punish me again.”
I didn’t hear the rest of the things he said so I was startled when he called out my name.
“Jared Zimba”! He shouted and everyone turned to look at me.

“Yes sir!” I answered looking up.
Everyone started laughing. It was evident I wasn’t paying attention again.
“What the hell is wrong with You? pay attention boy” I screamed to myself .
“Sorry I didn’t hear you sir” i responded.
Mr Muguma frowned as he walked towards me.

“You know what the problem is with boys like You?” He said not really asking.
“You always think you will always feed from your parent’s hands like little babies. You have to learn to fight for your own life and stop being too comfortable. There are children of your age out there and are dying to be in your place and here you are playing around and acting up on your parent’s money, lets see how far your daddy’s riches will take you. ” he added sacastically stressing the word “daddy”
” look at you,” he went on.
“You think you have it all, the looks, the money and the swag as you boys call it. Well I got news for you. That is nothing if it doesn’t come from your own hard work. Get yourself out of school if you feel you have it and stop giving us a hard time to push education into you when you are here to just show off and not learn. You are a disgrace to manhood and I pity your parents for working off their lives to provide for dull kids like you. What a waste ” he added sacastically.

I looked at the man as he went on rebuking me in front of everyone and I couldn’t take it anymore. He was wasting time, not that I was looking forward to his lesson but i felt for those guys who liked school. He was wasting their time.

” am sorry sir your father never worked so hard to give you a life that I have,”i started without giving it a second thought.
” am sorry you had to end up being a teacher instead of a Doctor as you always dreamed of because your parents were poor, but don’t you dare throw that on me. I didn’t chose to be born in a rich family. Don’t always bring up your anger on me cause honestly you have to get over it man, get over yourself and be proud of who you are” i added and the whole class murmered.
“Wooooboooo! ” Some guys shouted and the whole class went AWOL. As the the teacher stared at me angrily.
” You can’t even pronounce the word ‘rib0s0mes’ you an’t so intelligent yourself you know.” I added being motivated by the shouting.
I saw him grab his board makers and stormed out of the room like a mad person.
” woo! Jay what was that about man, you practically finished that poor teacher” my class mate Mwelwa shouted.

” well someone had to speak up that teacher is always out of line guys” I said and grabbed my book walking out of the lab.
I ran to the ablution block and panted in front of the mirrow.

“Shit!” I cursed wiping the sweat from my forehead.
I knew I just signed my own death sentence and if my parents were summoned, of which I was sure would happen, I was dead meat.
Our class teacher came to call me out after an hour.

“Here it goes”, I sighed as I lifted my books and placed them in my bag. I knew I would not be going back to class so I had to pack up and prepare for the worst. I found my mother in the head teachers office.
She shot some angry look at me and I kept down like a wet dog .

” So, Jared I bet you know why we called you and your mother here. This school will not condon anyone behaving the way you did and embarrass the teacher in front of the whole class.” The head teacher explained.
” do you have anything to say, sonny? ” he asked.

” am sorry Sir” I apologised to him. ” i didnt mean to its just that Mr Muguma seems to have something personal against me and he blames his poverty and past life on me. He’s always…….”

” stop it now! ” my mother responded loudly.
” You, you even have the guts to say all that in front of us all. How dare you.? I can’t believe you turning this on your teacher, so you mean your teacher can not control you because what? You feel you know it all huh?” She quickly added.
I couldn’t say anymore. I waited as my mom and the head teacher talked after talking to me and sending me to wait outside.. later on they called me and made me to go back to class and apologise to Mr Muguma in front of everyone. I was purnished the whole day for my indiscipline.

Well, from that day on I decided to not care anymore. I started fighting anyone who would talk ill of me. I was always noisy in class and all the teachers started complaining.
At home I stopped every effort to study and never even stayed in the same room with my parents nor siblings.

My unruly behaviour became so famous and my mother was becaming tired of being called at my school.

It was like every thing I had heated up inside was coming out in a bad way. The noise, the fighting, the issue of talking back at my teachers was all a scape goat from what was the real problem inside.

I stopped dancing, well even when I was alone. I just got so angry at everyone and everything, I was so mad..