PETAT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL - A short story

Thomas Echinacea was a thirteen-year-old, form one student. He walked into his school, on this bright morning, at about seven-ten a.m. He was neatly dressed in his school uniform, which was clean enough, but which was dotted with numerous patches both on his shirt and on his trousers. The few books he had were in the yellow cellophane bag he was carrying. He kept his writing materials in his pocket because he couldnt afford for them to be stolen.

His parents were very poor and would not be able to afford another set. On his feet, he wore bathroom slippers.

In Petat Central High school, it was an offence to wear anything other than brown sandals to school. Two days before, Thomas sandals, which usually visited the shoemaker once or twice every week, became damaged beyond repair.

He didnt realise how bad things were, until all the shoe-repairers he took them to, told him firmly one after the other, that they could not help him any longer. He had begged his father to buy him another pair, but the man sadly told him that he couldnt afford it now and asked for more time.

Yesterday he had come to school in bathroom slippers. The teacher at the gate instantly told him to go back home. Thomas begged and begged, and explained that his father had promised to buy another pair of sandals soon. The teacher lost his patience and was about to cane him, so Thomas had to leave.

He cried a lot yesterday. He was from a very poor home with a poor mother, a poor father and six poor brothers and sisters, all living in two small rooms. Even though he was young, Thomas had heard that the only way he could put poverty behind him was to go to school. He wasnt naturally brilliant, but he read very hard and came out tops in all his exams.

He had sworn to himself that he would never miss a day of school. As he cried yesterday, a thought came to his mind. The plan was wonderful and ultimately made him dry his eyes.

Today, he walked into the school very early and was glad to see that none of the teachers had arrived. He rushed into his class and put his books inside his desk, which thankfully was on the last row of the class. Then he curled himself under the table in such a position that no one could see him unless they actually bent over. So far, so good!

He closed his eyes and tried to relax. No one would take note of his slippers if he stayed away from the assembly. After that, he would just come out of his hiding place and sit at his desk, with his feet under the table. Wonderful plan! He tried to adjust to a more comfortable position when he heard a couple of his classmates come in. He sat very still.

Nothing would stand in his way of attending school, not even a pair of bathroom slippers&

An Excert from The Aireginan Dream (A novel)