Wild Wranglings

Can you remember those days when you break simple instructions at will? Yes, those good old days, when your parents asked you not to go watch television programmes with your neighbours. And sometimes, when your parents are not around, you sneak to the very house you were asked not to visit to go watch television. 

You probably didn't have that experience while growing up. Some of us did. We had to go watch *Tales By Moonlight* every Sunday evening at the house of one of our neighbours who had a coloured television set. We managed to hang outside their house, peeping through the window to catch a view of the popular television programme. 

At other times, our fathers especially don't like us playing football. In those days, football was not a lucrative venture, so parents didn't support their wards engaging in the game. 

However, we stubbornly get involved in the game and have our way. Knowing that our parents are not around, that they will be back from work at a particular time, we go playing football and rush back to our apartment to wash our feet and wipe our sweats to ward off suspicion. 

We grew up with this belief that some things must not be touched or tampered with and we didn't go near some of those things. 

Today, the reverse is the case. Parents are now counseling their wards to take a career in football. 

Television is no longer a threat so to say to children because there are restrictions that regulate what children could watch and parents could screen the channels as much as they desire. 

One vivid one I remember was how my friends will have to go to church on Saturdays to confess their sins to a catholic priest. As young as I was then, I do perceive it as a channel through which people can engage in sinful acts and still go to confession. 

Could you remember how you used to avoid home chores? Hehe, I still visualise myself forming to have a headache or stomach pain because I don't want to perform a duty. 

Three years ago, I went to defend a proposal in a school to organise a Christmas party for kids. When I reached the school to permit me to be there two hours late because I had an official assignment that will take me to the inspectorate, I was excused. As if it were a divine arrangement, I went to the school, True Vine Academy as at when due. 

To my surprise, the man who chaired the panel was my classmate. Immediately he saw my resumé, the first statement he said was:

> I hope you still organise fun-filled parties. 

When I looked up, what I saw sent ease into my body. 

> Mr. Anyanwun, how have you been? Been a while. 

I spoke at the top of my voice because I was shocked that he was the one that would be attending all the proposals. I later got to know he was the proprietor of the school. What a world?

This dude was one funny guy back in school. He was always very shy and rarely talked to us. During one of the Christmas Carol programmes organised by the Christian Fellowship in my school where I was president, we invited Santa to distribute candies and other gift items to students. 

Could you believe that Anyanwu Michael had to run away because he was afraid to look into the eyes of Santa Claus? Some of us used to be scared of Santa Claus too, hehe. 

Today, here we are. He is the one now advocating that kids should have some fun and that Santa Claus should be in the show. 

These things are beyond belief. We had our differences, our fears and our weaknesses but never kept our distance from each other, not because we were thinking posterity, we were just being humane. 

There are many of my classmates who did not do very well academically while we were still in school that are far richer than those who were at the top of the class. 

This is the reason we should not relegate anyone. 

> Tomorrow is pregnant, no one knows what it will deliver. 

Just be nice, it takes nothing from you. 

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