Untouchable
Ade sat in his desk, looking at these teachers embarrass themselves on which one of their daughters would be his wife and sit beside him in class. This intelligence had to rub off on their child one way or the other.
Ade was young but not unaware of how the people around him saw him. Everyone wanted their kid to be friends with him. Some kids hated him for this. But Ade was already used to it. He has been first in his class since primary one. Already knew he was going to be Head boy since Primary 3. His only true competition, was his elder sister who was also Head girl when he was in Primary one and she was in Primary 5.
Head Boy/Girl was a title that usually goes to the most intelligent boy/girl in the final year of primary school. A representative of the students of the school so to speak.
Many have tried repeatedly to upstage him. But they keep changing every year. At the end of the year, it was a matter of who came second. Everyone already knew who came first.
Ade became cocky. He expected to win everything. Ade didn’t need to read to pass. And he never got below 90 out of 100.
A teacher came in and announced they’d be going for a competition on Saturday. And the winner would go home with amazing prizes. 10 children were selected. And as usual, Ade was among.
He smiled as his name was called, we all know who was gonna win already.
This day came.
Ade looked neat as usual. Beaming with confidence. What’s the prize going to be? That was his only concern.
The competition began. The maths question came in. Ade aced.
Down to 8 children.
Tongue Twisters. Aced.
Down to 6 children.
Current Affairs. Aced.
Down to 4.
Ade looked at the 3 other children. Which one of you is going to be second place, he wondered.
The next category came in and it was sports.
“Who is the captain of the Nigerian National team?” they asked the boy beside Ade.
“Jay Jay Okocha” He replied. And he was correct.
It was Ade’s turn.
“Who is the coach of Manchester United?
A. Bonfrere Jo
B. Clemens Westerhof
C. Sir Alex Ferguson
Ade was blank. But you asked him a simpler question he thought. “I don’t know this” he thought to himself.
“Westerhof”. Ade replied.
He was wrong. Ade was wrong. He looked at the crowd. A lot of people were shocked. He was shocked.
“I’m out? I’m 4th?” He kept asking himself.
Ade walked to his seat. Shaken. Lost.
What is this feeling?
“I lost!?” Ade burst out crying.
The Headmistress ran over and took him to her corner consoling him. No one expected this.
Ade looked over at the stage. This girl had won. She looked happy.
Everyone was celebrating with her. He was the only one sad.
“So I’m not untouchable afterall”, he thought to himself on the bus back.
Ade had seen a new light. Knowledge is an ocean. And he has a thing or two to learn from everyone.
Ade became a better person.
Let’s remember that kids are more aware than we think.
