CHILDHOOD NAUGHTINESS: THE CASE OF THE LOVE LETTER

I slid it across the desk,

Slowly.

Cautiously.

Consciously.

Praying no one would hear as my heart beat against my ribcage.

The new girl was still bent double, tying the laces of her ‘cortina’ sandals.

I slid the paper under her N.O.E.C. textbook and ran out of the classroom before she could notice.

I hid under the stairs waiting for the world to come to an end.

One part of me prayed she would not read it,

The other part prayed she would read it quickly and spare me suspense.

10minutes…

20minutes….

30minutes…

No shouts! No angry crowd screaming for my head!

Not a soul looking to find me in my hideout.

I returned to class, to be a man and face the music.

One step after the other, I walked nervously into Primary 5S.

There she was! Talking to the teacher!

I made a U-turn to dash out of the room!

ADEGBOHUN!

Mr. Biney, our Ghanaian teacher called out.

The class suddenly went quiet as every attention turned to me.

‘Take her to the proprietor’s office’ he said in his characteristic harsh voice.

I looked at the desk.

The textbook was still there.

I deduced that she had not seen it.

I made up my mind to collect the book from her as if I wanted to check

And quickly remove it from the textbook.

‘You forgot to pick your NOEC from the table’ I told her on the way out of the classroom.

‘It’s not mine’ she replied.

Suddenly the world still as I paused.

I ran back into the class to retrieve the book

Alas! It was gone! I could almost say it disappeared.

It was there a few seconds before.

What happened?

Suddenly my mind told me I was in a very deep trouble…….. (to be continued)

O’seunfunmi at his very best!