AM THE ONE

At the school assembly, Adson tries to listen to the contestants with full boredom. He may be a boy in Primary three but what the aspiring head prefects were promising was not inspiring at all. The current speaker continued to talk about better lunch forgetting that the inflated fuel prices may force him to walk to school in a few days, he’s promised of winning from the way the crowd is cheering at the end of his speech. He may have a symmetrical face and broad shoulders but to Adson his brain is like his neighbor’s dog that remembers to bark only when it is hungry.

“Before we start the vetting session, do we have anyone else who wishes to join these gentlemen in the race to the head prefect of Greenville primary school” the deputy headmaster announces. His eyes move to the lower section of primary to see a hand there. The pupils too follow his eyes to that direction to see one daring hand in the primary three line. Adson too moves around to see the center of attention only to find that it is his hand that is up. He tries to shoot it down but in vain, it is like it has a mind of its own and is not willing to go down. “Come on up little one”, the deputy headmaster says to Adson pleased with his courage. “Here goes nothing but the worst nightmare of my life, I guess am going to be changing school after this” Adson thoughts as he moves to the school podium not sure of what he will say.

“Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, I greet you all with the utmost respect,” he starts off shocked by the firmness in his voice. “My name is Adson Baines from P.3 purple, I stand before you to challenge the rest to become a head prefect, leadership has nothing to do with age, contrary to others I wish to bring different approaches to most of the challenges were having in this school. Most of them are due to the little cooperation and no humanity. For instance take a look at late coming, this is majorly caused jam from our parents. What if we could ride in groups, how many cars would we reduce. I know the school bus failed the morning route because parents wish to drop us on their way to work, but take a close look, three of us or more come from the same neighborhood, what if our parents took turns in bringing us to school, that would reduce the congestion at the roadside by almost three quarters. Another thing, what if the school bought the food from parents that are farmers instead of grocery stores, that will not only be cheaper but our parents will have money for the next fee, another challenge are the road accidents kids face while crossing the road, as we are planning to construct the fly over why not start with raising money, to buy paint and with help from our teachers we can put up the zebra crossing for students to pass, the arts class could volunteer to put up the necessary road signs, not only would the students benefit but the shop vendors and other school neighbours. We do not our rich parents to first make donations to the school, there are many things our small hands could do for the community to benefit the school too. All we need is the right person to lead us in the right direction. And I feel am the one.” With that he concludes.

“What makes you feel you can achieve this with the tight class routine we have?” one of the contestants from primary five asks him. “I appreciate the confidence you already have in me that you even want to know my route plan, well here is a sample. One the fact that I am up here is a sign that I have conquered the fear of trying, when you begin something, it is already half way done. Two, I was peeping through my brother’s literacy book. Who happens to be in P.5 too and it happens that one of the ways of preventing road accidents is by crossing from the zebra crossing. So instead of imagining the Zebra crossing, what if the literacy teachers from different streams of primary five arranged to spend all their accident lesson actually drawing the Zebra crossing and putting up road signs, wouldn’t that be practical enough for the pupils to remember and use?” he responds. The whole assembly including the teachers applaud Adson for his knowledge and bravery. He steps down from the podium and matches to his line, kids from his class start chanting “He is the one! He is the one! He is the one!” and not for long, the whole school has started picking up the line.

By break time, hand drawn posters of Adson are already put up, the sluggish handwritings indicate that the fire from lower primary for head prefect is not ceasing soon. In primary five blue, Ayden Baines is having it rough, Oscar and other bullies are on his neck and promise to beat the living out of him if he does not talk his brother out of the race.