Today’s post is purely for the purpose of reminiscing our childhood. Directly set out from our days of much folly in primary school . If you grew up and schooled in typical Kenyan schools (government/public schools) this is a dedication to you.
This bottle here was purposely for tea ‘chai’, and almost everyone from pre-school through class 1 – 3 had this.
speaking of class three…government school had this expansive field that was partly dotted with brown patches, and sections of tall grass. At class three, naughtiness had started kicking in hard. I remember we used to tie tufts of grass while frolicking in the grass. These knots of grass were purely for the purpose of ‘tegaring‘- people. If you were running and this rudimentary snare happed to trip you by the foot, you fell in the field harder than a sack of potatoes.
At the age of 9, you had fully assumed the role of a messenger in your home. You basically ran errands. Your father could send you to the shop to the cigarretes, your mom could send you to buy sugar, your uncle-a newspaper, your aunt-a needle and thread, and well…your grandmother could send you to buy a rope! Because the information retention capacity of your brain was not fully developed…you had to run all the way to the shop repeating/almost singing all the items you had been sent to buy.
By the time you were in class four, the subtle art of trickery had possessed you. You started subtly by giving a lame excuse as to why you did not do your homework. What kind of lies did you give your teacher, when you did not do your homework?
The teacher of course was wiser..he/she knew that you were lying through your nose…and as your nose grew longer than that of a lying Pinocchio, the beatings on your bottom made you adapt another form of lying, only that this time it was applied at home. ‘Mum naumwa na tumbo..mum naumwa na kichwa’. Soon she discovered that you had become a truant- a lying chameleon who does not want to go to school. How? She leaves you home and she heads to the market and upon returning she finds your sorry ass whipping up a car tyre in full velocity. Hapo ndio ulikuwa unavurutwa kwa mashati mpaka chuo!
By now you had friends…lots of friends. Then….back then..the rivers were cleaner and the waters were drinkable. You probably had this clique that was thick as thieves..yes you were tightly knit together like a ball of yarn and you probably skived school to go for ‘doofow mpararo’. If you can relate to this and you are not married….wewe ni mhenga!
Before I forget….some of you had identified a ka-small hill. When it rained you slid on your bare butts downhill. If it was at the bank of a river you wet it, lathered it and slid. Either way…..it was just fun!
As time progressed…you noticed that your chest had stopped growing and your deskmates was piercing her school shirt/sweater. You wanted to touch them. You were desperate to touch them. So in your own ingenuity, you decide to write her a letter. She took a look at you, screw up her face, and banged her head on the desk and started crying. You were worried. Next thing, a teacher walked to you you and asked you if that was your hnadwriting. Befoer you knew it……..whack! whack! whack!
Those teachers….gosh after whacking your behind..had to force you to apologize in front of the class…and also mention your mistake before asking for an apology.
Do you remember ‘home-time?’ The memories of home-time were made of this………..sucking on ice that you either bought one bob or five bob depending on the size.
How many of you put this pin on someone’s chair, only for them to come sit and jerk up almost immediately pinching their buttock? Anyone?….
Some of us had the audacity of releasing gas in class, during the cold periods when all the windows were shut…shame on you…I still remember the stink bombs. The good thing is that….you never went unnoticed!
Who was your favourite teacher? Who was your dreaded teacher? Better yet…..what was your favourite subject?
Unakumbuka ukiwa pale class seven na eight……at the height of your adolescence vile ulikuwa umenoki kadem fulani? Alafu kidogo kidogo mabeshte wako wanakusukuma ndio ukaongeleshe?
What other primary memories could I have left out? Share your memories in the comments section below…..Next….memory za pale highschool….stay tuned in the APP for it. Happy Easter everyone!