Pressure from seniors

I grew up in the village or rural area and as a result I spent a long time on the farm. I know how to climb trees. In fact, I can compete well with monkeys, it's not an exaggeration. When I got admission into secondary school, our boarding house was boys affair. Some seniors boys were quiet old of age. Some were almost ten years older than the junior ones. Any act of disobedience was met with harsh punishment - sometimes it could be physical action like slapping, a knock on the head or severe beat. All a senior does is pull out his belt and use it as a whip.

Not very far from our hostel is a farm with very sweet mangoes that almost everybody like to lick or suck. During mangoes seasons efforts were made to pluck mangoes from this farm which actually belongs to a retired civil servant. He planted them during his active days as a civil servant. His plan was to live on the proceeds of the mango trees after retirement. The quantities of mangoes obtained from the farm was substantial and could fetch him some reasonable amount of money. Due to pressure from seniors I was usually dragged to the farm to steal mangoes. When I mount the tree, the seniors will stay under the tree to collect the fruits I pluck. As days went on, the nefarious activity continued, without the knowledge of the school authority. Unknown to us, the owner of the mango trees had been watching and planning to catch us and deal sqaurely with us.

On that fateful day, I mounted one mango tree as usual plucking all the mangoes I could reach. All of a sudden, the owner of the mango trees emerged from no where. All the senior boys disappeared and escaped. I was small and pretty little boy. Most of the time, the senior boys would threaten and mount pressure on me to climb the trees. I tried to hide within two big branches of the big mango tree. It's usually said that "every day is for the thief, but one is for the owner" we had stolen many days before without being caught but this day, it was the turn on the owner to catch us.

My school shirt with my school number 555 written in it was left behind by my seniors. This gave the mango owner the idea that a boy was on top of the tree. Apart from this, a big long snake was creeping towards me so I had no choice but to start my downward movement if I don't, the snake will strike. I need not want for it I thought.

I had wanted to jump down graphics my shirt and run away but the owner of the mango tree had collected, my school uniform and memorised my school number. I was almost landing when the man shouted "small boy, if you jump down and run I will report you to the school authority. I have your school shirt with me and I know your school number" My school number was unique. The number 555 was virtually known to every student in the school. I calmly accepted my fate, and gently alighted from the tree. My seniors were not around to act as my "solicitor and advocate". When the man saw me, he took pity on me.

He asked three questions.

Small boy were sent to school to steal mangoes or study?

Would your parents be happy to hear that you were caught stealing mangoes?

What will be your fate if I report you to the school authority?

I knew I could be suspended by the school authority for my act of indiscretion. The man counselled me and instruct me never to allow the senior to put pressure on me to do what could land me into trouble. He added, "obedience is better than sacrifice". From that day I resolve to stop climbing trees. If I had fallen from any of the mango trees would my seniors own up?

Even in this case, my seniors did not bother to ask me how I escaped from the owner of the mango. I expressed thanks to the man who took pity on me because of my age and tenderness. Now that I am of age, I still wonder how I could climb such a big and tall mango trees. I also thank God I did not fall down, got injured and truncate my education. The Bible says, "when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood as a child, I thought like a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things.

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