Beehive
Trouble always sleeps, it won't wake up except someone goes to disturb it. Anyone who wakes trouble may not find the consequences of his her actions funny.
Twenty-something years ago, Tunde who was in class two in the junior secondary school would always use his lunch break period to pluck almond and mango fruits to quench hunger. He always comes back to class with a lot of fruits that make other students jealous and hop around him. At that moment, he would turn himself into a king and wear a garment of pride, selecting who he will give fruit to or not.
He was never giving pocket money to school and no one knows the reason why his parents would not give him pocket money. Many parents don't usually give money to their wards as a sign of discipline or morals. Some do so because they don't have, they would rather give food or snacks to their wards than give them money.
One afternoon during the harmattan season. It was lunch break time and everyone was busy with one thing or the other. Some learners were taking their lunch while others were busy, visiting the gents in preparation for the second half of the school day. Tunde who usually would be in the school farm or cricket pitch was busy plucking cherries. And as they say, you don't have to throw stones as cherries, when they are ripe, they'd fall off the tries. Any cherry you pluck with produces a sour taste.
Tunde was quite impatient seeing one ripe cherry far away in the high tree. As he looked around in search of a stick to pluck it down, his eyes caught a glimpse of a purse. The purse was quite new and filled with money, an ATM card, and an ID card of the owner.
Then, two thoughts came to his mind. One asked him to go have a very good meal in the school dining hall while the other asked him to report the issue to the headmaster.
As he begins to ponder on what next step to take, the hunger in his stomach commanded his leg to move to the dining hall where he bought a sumptuous meal and ate to his fill.
When he had done eating, he bought snacks and ice cream for class. It was his first time to do so. These items were packed in customized nylon for him. As he got closer to the class, his mates saw him from afar, they rose in surprise that Tunde could buy something from the school dining. His bosom friends rushed out to meet him to know if he bought something or I lucked some fruits from the school farm.
No one in the class knew that Tunde has found a purse. His mind keeps bearing fast. He had already spent one thousand of the money he found in the purse.
The next morning, on the assembly ground, the principal who doesn't usually come to assembly ground except for important reasons appeared to address the students.
Some senior students who represented the college in a debate competition came first at the competition and would be representing the state at the grand finale at the federal capital territory. The principal called out their names as the whole school applauded them. On behalf of the school, the principal gave them some stationery as part of the motivation for the grand finale.
Tunde was restless. He was looking out for the next announcement from the principal. But after the short message, the principal walked into his office.
The poor but nervous boy heaved a sigh of relief and decided to see his class teacher immediately before the matter goes the way he would regret it.
When the teacher requested the purse, he found out that the ID card in it was that of the Personal Assistant to Commissioner of Education who had visited their school a week ago and was chased out from the school farm by a wasp of bees when the knowingly disturbed their hive. The Personal Assistant had visited the school on a tour to see how schools are engaging learners in agricultural practices.
The school through the principal contacted the Personal Assistant who decided to come back to school to reward the student who has played such a humble role and not made away with the purse and valuable found in it.
Tunde became the hero that morning. When the PA had addressed the whole school, he gave Tunde a scholarship with feeding inclusive till his final year in the school. It was a big day for the poor boy.
After the assembly, Tunde sought the attention of the PA and told him how he spent a thousand from the money he found in the purse.
The PA further got amazed at such a good boy. He told him not to worry. But ad iced that he should not take what does not belong to him except the owner grants such permission.
Tunde's parents wrote a letter to the school for instilling discipline on the boy and to the PA for such a philanthropic measure. Tunde was however thankful that the beehive that posed a threat to one person had favoured him to find the purse.
Tunde, though took the purse but instead of him going to report had to satisfy his hunger and even bought things for his class mates, he was wise to do such. Thank God he was blessed through such act by him.