Chapter 47

2018.12.01

It was holidays and I did not score well in exams due to the science day pressure. I had to do everything because no one kind of did not know places to get any of the items for the science day. My mother and I went to many shops to see for trophies. We spent one and half hour to find a reasonable shop. At last we came across a shop that had reasonable and really good looking trophies. We ordered and paid an advance before leaving. Now, I have to get medals for the first places. I thought of getting for all three places but we were short of money. I had to be careful of how much I spend. I had to order food parcels and files too. I had already asked Mr. J. J. Fortune to get cover the cost for the decorations and he agreed to it. And moreover he showed no interest. I arranged everything, I told all the members and the classes. Everything was going as planned. I finished everything in haste.

Father had bought food samples for tasting on his expense and he refused to take money from the committee. I made my choice on a bun, donut, samosa and a milk box with a serviette. I told my father to pay an advance but they refused and told us to pay on that day and also they gave us free delivery because we are ordering 500 boxes.

2019.01.02

I came to school with high spirits. Zarina stopped coming to school after I ditched her and she showed no responsibility as a secretary. It turned out that I was doing the whole on my own. I kept a meeting and told that I have done the arrangements and asked for the intra-school competition results from the teachers. They delayed it. They were not doing the work on time. I printed out the letterheads carefully and sent them today.

We got our badges and we proudly wore them. To be honest the badges were a little bigger than the measurements I gave the maker. There is a bloody rule that the badges should not be bigger than the prefect badge. Like I do not know why they treasure and give positions only for the prefect? I cannot return them and get new ones. I have to spend again on it. Mr. J. J. Fortune and the Commerce Sectional Head ridiculed the badges and Mrs. Beth said the badges were a bit big which I already knew. The members loved the badges, they told me to cheer up that the badges looked terrific. I even sent Zarina badge through her new friends. And for the in-charge teacher she was hiding behind bushes. She could not make any decisions on her own. She always told me to go to the S*** Sectional Head to get the things done. If she did not possess a backbone then why she should sign up for the post.

I went to the principal office for a monitor job. For some reason I just removed the science badge and put in to my pocket and entered the office. "Excuse me madam, the register and the record book that you had asked us to bring." "Yes, wait." She flipped through the pages and even the deputy principal number 1 (There are two of them. And this deputy principal was close to my mother) was present there. And they returned the books and told that there was no problem with them. Before I left the office, the principal called out to me. "Anna wait a minute." I turned my head and replied, "Yes madam. What is it?" "It is regarding the science society badge. I got some complains on them. That the badge is a bigger than the prefect badge." I stood there with silence. I was scared that she is going to scold me. She has a poisonous tongue. "Do not put in the school. Just wear it on the science day. They are making it a fuss about it." Thank lord she was in a good mood. She continued, "Mr. (The commerce sectional head's name) is the one who complained and he specifically said your name and complained." She pointed at me when she said my name. I nodded and said thank you and left the office. He, the commerce sectional head had been a nuisance from the day the science day started. No, from the day I knew him. What is his problem I do not recall?

Just after the Ordinary Level I gave him a 'Thank you' Souvenir. He was not amused by it nor was he grateful, he just did not care but later that day I saw him enjoying with his students. The main issue is that the teachers who teach in the native in my school have a hatred towards the English medium students. Other day was in Advanced Level. It was during the rainy season. I like to carry an umbrella that is bigger than the regular ladies umbrella because I walk home and I do not want to get wet, and to catch a cold in result nor wet my bag. It is a unisex actually. It was quite bothersome to carry the umbrella on hand so I hung it on my bag strap, so it hung just next to my leg above the ground. It swung a little when I walked. I came to school on time and he was the in-charge teacher for the checking today. I greeted him with a smile because he was Daniel's Uncle. He noticed the umbrella and pulled it. I dogged back and looked at him. He asked to give him the umbrella and did as he asked me to. He took it from me and asked me, "Are you a marriage broker?" In native language. Back in old days the marriage broker took an umbrella with them and it was used to recognize them. I went a little mad. I remained silent and watched him. Then he called a teacher out loud, the students who were passing by were watching us. I was feeling uncomfortable. I wanted to tell him to F*** off, but I will get in to trouble again. I just asked him "Can you please give to me?" Then he said to the teacher who he just called now, "She thinks she is a marriage broker. She was hanging the umbrella like this." and he gestured with his hands to his scruffy leg. The teacher laughed and all the eyes were on me. "You should carry a ladies' umbrella." Then he opened the umbrella. The umbrella was in rainbow colors. It was girly. I was getting more pissed off. He closed the umbrella, leaned over me and asked, "Where did you get it?" I was not in a mood to answer any questions. I want to get out of this place. I pulled the umbrella from his hands. He held on to it. I still held on to my umbrella and pulled it even harder and I did not even care if it breaks. I finally took it off from him and turned my head and let him there talking to himself. On the next day I saw Daniel carrying a ladies umbrella. I think he should first correct his family. I even asked Sarah and Masha was it hideous, they said no it was not and it was just different. And then Sarah told me "Why do you even care what others think?" From that day on I still carry my umbrella that way and he even had noticed me couple of times and I did not care.

I came home and told my mother what principal had told me. My mother suggested to go and confront him. But I suggested I will tell Mr. J. J. Fortune. In reply mother told me that he will not do anything about it and I remembered that he also ridiculed the badge. I made up my mind to tell him.

2019.01.03

I wore the badge to school but removed it before I entered the gate and slid in to my pocket. After I had checked my bag, I saw the scruffy legs in the staff. I went up to him and turned away in fear. I did not want to tell him. I headed to my class and stopped on my way. If I do not tell him now I will have no guts to face him. He will definitely complain to principal again for small petty mistakes. And above all why am I running away from him?

I turned my heels towards the Mister. "Good morning Sir!" I smiled at him dearly. He was slightly surprised. He should not be surprised yet. "Sir, I heard that you went to the principal and said about our science society badge was big. If there was anything like that please let me know sir without going to the principal." He became flustered. He was flustered by a mere student. "I did not tell your name. I just…" I did not even mention that the principal mentioned my name, which means principal did not lie. I cut him in and said, "No. No. It is okay sir. If there was any mistakes we made, please let us know so that we can correct them. Good day then sir!" I finished my warning in a smile. He did not reply, he just stood there for a minute. I felt that happiness as if I achieved the gold medal in the Olympics. It is true, you should do something that you fear everyday but do not do something that is illegal and wrong.