I will never ever... Read my lips, i guess in this case... Read my words... Never ever listen to my friends again. At least not in matters like this.
I'm already so pissed writing this because the thought alone just opened old wounds. Okay, here's how it started ohh.
I attended a military school, so every morning from monday to friday every student was expected to assemble at the parade ground according to their classes. I was in SS2a then.
This particular day, i was in the assembly ground like a good student i was and i observed that my friends were not on the assembly ground (parade ground). This happened for three good days. When i didn't see them in the assembly ground i thought to ask them where they always were from 7:30-8:20am.
I would have just respected myself and minded my own business. But no, i decided to pry into matters that weren't my business. And as good friends they told me.
See Ben, i can't just waste my time on that parade ground from 7:30-8:20am, standing there, doing nothing. It's not as if, if i don't come anyone would notice. So why waste my time and stand under that early morning sun. I ain't doing that nonsense again.
I would have enjoyed the fact that the morning sun was vitamin D, but No, i decided to ask more.
So, where do you guys normally hide? I asked.
We normally hide inside the class. it was a military boarding school. The school routine was after breakfast, every student was expected to be at the parade ground. So, they finished their breakfast quickly and ran to the class and hide themselves under a desk at the very back of the classroom. They would stay there till the assembly time had been exhausted.
"You can come join us tomorrow." They suggested.
That morning we ate bread, boiled egg and a warm cup of tea. It's been a long time but that day really did a number or two in my memory.
We rushed out of the dinning hall, and sneaked into the classroom. We hid ourselves very well. I could hear the microphone sound from the parade ground and knew what they were doing at each time. It was going so well as planned till someone made a mistake.
One of us hid under a spoilt desk, so he mistakenly hit the desk and a part of it fell off making an annoying sound and loud enough to trigger the attention of a military officer nearby.
The military officer walked into the class, we saw him walk in and with his eye he scanned through the classroom seeing no one. He was about leaving when that same dude polluted the air and with that sound he turned again.
"Kai baba, if i count to three and you are not out here, i will suffer your father" he voiced.
My friend fearfully ran out from his hiding spot. The military man saw him and told him "i will finish you today"
And my friend said "Ben and Mark, come out they've seen all of us"
And Mark and i came out from our hiding spots.
The military man was surprised to see that we were more than one.
"Oh, you guys were also here too. Your friend has exposed you guys. Since you guys don't want to join your mates in the parade ground, I will keep you bagas busy"
He gestured and we walked towards him and then our punishment began.
Like he promised, he really kept us busy. We actually thought he would let us go when it was 8:20am. Because that's clearly when the assembly was meant to be over.
No, he kept us busy till break time which was by 11:45am.
Till now i still don't know the part that made me more angry. Was it the fact that i was meant to mind my business and be on the parade ground or the fact that a fool i thought to be my friend snitched on me like that.
We wanted to save time being in the classroom hiding under the desk but we ended up wasting time.
Waste not, want not is actually a true concept.
We were under punishment for more than three hours. I had never sweated that much in my life. My whole body was in pain for two whole weeks.
Till i graduated. I attended the assembly. You bet.