The Changing Fortunes of a Student in Crisis - A Short Story
It has been raining since this morning. But as is usual of that month, it suddenly ceased. The brilliant sun then sets in radiating its rays across the city. Despite this, rain still seems to be threatening to burst angrily from the sky. Oblivious of all this, the long meandering traffic flows defiantly on.
Dead asleep in a low wooden black-painted house at Fourah Bay Road, is John Abiodun Thompson. Outside, other school-going boys and girls with their parents are shopping in preparation for their return to school. The weather is unable to disrupt this usual animated scenery.
In previous years, John had been a part of it at the start of September. He and his mother had often gone to town at a time like this to fight with many others at the bookstores. Late in the day after hours struggling in a long queue, they would visit BATA Shoe Company
to pick their choice of shoes and satchels for the coming school year.
But, today, John is still lying flat asleep on a bare mattress, covered under the thick bedspread. Eyes tightly shut, face rumpled, hair disorderly unkempt, and mouth wide open, he is snoring deeply. His body has parted company with water for weeks now. His appearance is enough to worry his mother ceaselessly. She therefore often and persistently pesters him with endless questions often. Such persistence often gets him furious. So charging furiously to his door, he pushes it open, enters, slams it shut and gets into bed again thus resuming another seemingly endless sleep.
As the 17 year-old John lay sleeping in bed inside the corrugated sheeting house, the sun keeps blazing outside, whilst the slow and heavy flow of traffic rolls on. Market-women displaying their assorted variety of goods and buyers sauntering to the Bombay Street market to purchase the ingredients for the day s cooking, workers on short break from their jobs, hustlers, and those waiting for the slightest chance seen to snatch something to make their day different form its major constituent.
In a small backhouse structure, John Abiodun s mother, Aunty Patience, is struggling hard to finish the midday meal. As she busies herself frying potatoes, an opening atop the rusty corrugated metallic structure keeps belching thick clouds of smoke. On the verge of putting another batch into the frying pan, she hears approaching footsteps.
Startled and confused, she exclaims, Good God! My husband has come home and yet see how far I am still from serving him his lunch. As the sounds of the footsteps draw nearer, she throws in the last batch and raises her head up to greet him. But ho she was mistaken. It was a boy. Who are you? What do you want? she asks in amazement. The boy for his part was also startled at her reaction. He therefore takes a few steps backwards. But then his mind works against his impulse of running away. Retracing his steps forward, he faces Abiodun s mother and explains ,
I m only here because I want to see John on a matter of great importance, ma.
What about?
Well ma, I heard that our results are out, so I decided to consult him first about it, ma.
Thank you very much my dear for the patience you ve taken to explain it all to me. - Quite a decent and well-brought-up boy - she thought and then continued: But if I tell you that he s still in bed, would you believe it? …. Indeed he is. But I ll still try to wake him up. Wait for me, I ll be back shortly.
But it took some time for her to come back. John slouches through the corridor eventually landing at the back porch where Charlie has been waiting.
His terribly rumpled face and wearied eyes sends Charlie bursting into a raucous laughter. John becomes startled and wonders whether he has come all that way rousing him up from his afternoon siesta, just to let him see him laughing his guts out in such a silly manner.
Then almost instinctively, he goes down to the back of the kitchen where he takes a cupful of water from the tap and pours it on his dreary face.. Feeling refreshed he returns to his friend and takes his hand, hello Charlie, man! How are things man?
Not bad at all ! That thing has been released, so won t we go there and check it?
Why not man, by all means I ll go with you.
John then proceeds to lead Charlie out of the house. They were almost at the gate when Charlie had the chance to scrutinize his friend well. His face is now crumpled with shock in beholding John s shocking state of appearance: a dirty shirt, rumpled jeans, and rubber thongs with hair unkempt.
Where do you think you re going, John?
What the hell are you up to, Charlie? You know as well as I do where we are going, so don t waste my time with such a foolish question. If you re no longer serious about going I might as well return to continue my nap.
But your clothes are simply not decent to go out in
Never mind that man. That s how I feel like going out today. Just can t afford to waste any time in knowing the outcome. I need to take things easy, as you know, man
But you need not take things that easy, man.
Charlie then starts moving off again, quickening his pace to pull well ahead leaving John forever racing to catch up.
Shortly, they are at the landmark of the eastern part of Freetown, the famous Clock Tower, standing astride four roads, Kissy Street , Kissy Road, Goderich Street as well as John s own street, Fourah Bay Road.. Charlie seeing a cab offload someone, dashes for it. As the door is shut, John who has just managed to catch up with him in time dives in, accusing Charlie: So you wanted to leave me behind eh? With the exception of the rhythm of the swiftly moving car on the road, there was total silence.
The cab took them right in to the school compound way out in the west. There was already a long queue outside the Principal s office. Upon seeing John, the previously quiet crowd of expectant pupils burst into raucous laughter. John himself unwittingly joins them, with his becoming more and more hysterical. With gaping mouth, puckered face and radiant and expectant eyes, he laughs his heart away.
The queue was slowly moving forward until it reached him. With a grave countenance now marking his previously laughing face, he steps in taking hesitant steps forward.. Now in, John feels swallowed by the immensity and serenity of the room. .He finds nowhere safe to fix his gaze on, not even the pictures of past principals gravely looking from the four corners of the walls nor the forbidding array of books on the bookshelves. He simply safely absorbs himself in his thoughts, hopes and prayers. He wonders what is in store for him now that it is right in front of him. Anxiety of a kind before unknown to him seizes him. Suddenly he starts, for there comes the outburst of laughter from outside again. He turns round. The others have opened the door and are looking gleefully in. They seem to have noticed the severe and hypnotizing look the principal is giving John.
The stony glare remains unshakened. John stands mute, and unbelieving as well as confused. He is stupefied as the principal maintained his unwaveringly intolerant and disapproving look. After waiting hopelessly for minutes for a change, John quietly turns back slouching out of the office. Outside, he is greeted by another rude outburst.
Defiantly but quietly now, he walks down the stairs. He remembers how he had once been forced to hide. His trousers had given way at the seams then. In the process of dodging his friends, he had come to discover all the back streets of Freetown. He uses these now. Confident of his safety, he drags himself through. He suddenly discovers himself in one of the most prominent spots in the city. There, a coterie of jubilant youths, most being John s friend, are celebrating. Noticing them, he turns and makes to flee into a side-street. But they have noticed him. John decides - I will walk straight ahead taking no notice of them. He briskly walks past, whilst cat-calls are being hurled at him. He himself had been part of them, poking fun at passers-by and humouring each other. Well past them now, he races home. He soon arrives. He hastens into his room slamming the door shut. This rouses his mother who rushes towards the door and opens it. John, upon seeing her, becomes visibly troubled and wishes that she would not start making comments or asking those impossible questions. How much he wished that she will leave instantly! But then she didn t and won t.
What did they say?
What is it now? What have I done that you can t let me have peace?
JOHN!!! What s going wrong with you? Are you getting mad or what? No child in his right mind speaks to his mother the way you do… I dare ask you once more: How s the result?
I want to sleep, I want to sleep , he pleads.
I have to know what happened. I have a right to know. Certainly I have it… I must know…
Nothing happened.
How nothing? Or do you think you re speaking to a fool?
Look I…
Shuuut uup a baritone voice thunders from out of the room. Shut up I say, big liar. I m sure you ll not deny that you were the one I saw going crazily about in town like a bay boy? The sight was so unbearable for me that I had to restrain myself from jumping off the poda-poda to bash your stupid head in. For the whole year you have been as slack as an ill-blown balloon. If you think that everyday is Christmas you must be making a big fool of yourself….You have to work for every little thing in this world. To succeed tomorrow you have to sacrifice and work hard today. Without that you ll be nowhere… Now you re going to admit that you ve failed. You ll then show how you ll refund all the money wasted on you. As for the words, let them be sacrifices and evidence of my efforts…
-I must admit- John decides. Then comes a rap from the main entrance. The parents dash out. John is thankful for their departure as he assures himself of peace at last. By the time the visitor would have gone. he hoped his father should have forgotten.
Soon, the door opens, ushering his mother in once more.
Somebody wants to see you.
John shuffles out. In the parlour, is his friend, Charlie.
Hi man, why did you behave so funny?
Weeell…I don t know… Anyway, I just don t like the state of things…
I don t understand you.
Things are just rough for me, man…
Do you mean that your result is bad?… Impossible! I saw nothing that bad in it…
Charlie man, don t think you can dupe me with words of solace… I ve failed and that s that… no amount of sugary words can change that…So mister, leave me alone with my troubles.
Charlie looking at his friend in utter stupor, asks: ” John, what really is wrong with you? It really stings when you tell me that I m lying when in fact I speak with all sincerity and seriousness. How can I lie about something which I saw with my two bulging eyes?
Why then were the boys laughing? And didn t you see how strangely the principal was looking at me?
Your appearance man! Didn t you realize how quaintly you looked. Who wouldn t have laughed dressed the way you were? The principal, as everyone else, was stunned..
Head depressed, John paces towards the bathroom outside and re-emerges some minutes later not only cleanly washed but also decently dressed.. Can you now accompany me back to the office? he requests. Charlie gives him a gentle and pleasing nod and they set out immediately on it.
Good-bye,my child… What s your name again? The mother enquires of the boy.
Charlie Johnson, ma.
Are you Taiwo s child?
Yes ma.
Ehnn, ehnn! No wonder! Send her my warmest greetings ya.
Yes ma.
* * * * * * * *
What was the matter with you boy? John faces the principal s probing questions now back in his office, but with the compound now empty.
John stands still and quiet but feeling very stupid. After some thought he gives him a slow and hesitant Nothing sir .
Nothing sir? You mean you just felt like making a clown of yourself… You ought to be ashamed of yourself, my child. A mixed feeling of guilt, shame and uncertainty seizes John as he stands searching the principal s face. He then impulsively falls down on his knees, pleading and promising never to repeat such behaviour. take it from me, sir , that whenever I remember that I m left in great pain.
I hope so, the principal mumbles and ferrets among the carpets of papers on his desk, .whilst John s entire frame kept trembling.until a lengthy sheet of paper was produced .
Your performance is impressive and….John could no longer restraint himself. Right in there he leaps up almost embracing the principal, who looked on amused but stunned. The principal implores him to be calm and reads the rest of the result But as the result is read out in its entirety his emotions swell further. So he bids farewell to the principal and runs out. He runs into warmly embracing Charlie. Oh my dear Charlie, you re indeed a true and faithful friend to me. I just do not know how to express how gratified I am at your effort to me.
So much for that now.,let s go out and celebrate, man Both of them move jubilantly to town. There, they meet their celebrating friends and break out the joyous news of their twin success and relief.. They spend about an hour or so drinking laughing and musing about the past struggles and anxieties. Then John thinks of home. They should know without any further delay, he thought. They should know I can do it and that indeed I have done it and will even do it again.
His father seeing him coming in the distance, moves to the doorway and waits. Upon John s stepping foot on the steps, he emerges, demanding: Where is it now? What did he say?
I pass John replies triumphantly
Passed? his father asks cynically. Don t talk nonsense, you mean a lazy hound like you can pass?
But I did pass sir.
Where s the result slip then? Give me here, fool. His mother draws nearer and watches it keenly. Upon her eyes dwelling on the lucky words passed and excellent she swings round and embraces her son gleefully crying out for not making my labour go in vain . I m so proud of you my son, keep it up.
But why have you done so badly in maths? Queries his father who has been closely scrutinizing the result to find something to complain about. But John makes no reaction for his mind is al turned to the rollicking time he is going to continue sharing with his friends. But he is brought back home when his father softening his authoritarian tone, says You ve not done badly after all. Just try to aim much higher next time. YOU HEAR? He pushes a hefty five hundred leones note into the boys hand . He then bids him off. Clad in radiant colours, John bids them farewell as he goes out. As his father moves in to have a nap, his mother moves to the fence to disclose the good news to her neighbour
Arthur Smith was born, grew up and was schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has taught English since 1977 at Prince of Wales School and, Milton Margai College of Education. He is now a Senior Lecturer at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing English, Literature, as well as Creative Writing for the past seven years.
Mr Smith is widely published with his writings appearing in local newspapers as well as in West Africa Magazine, Index on Censorship, Focus on Library and Information Work amongst others.
He was one of 17 international visitors who participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature sponsored by the U.S.State Department in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at lisnews.org.
His other publications include: Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes: Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and The Struggle of the Book
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