THE BLIND’S MONEY CHAPTER 10
THE BLIND’S MONEY
CHAPTER 10
‘Do you take breakfast at home of you eat from your food aIIowance of one hundred naira?’ Bala probed further. . ‘We eat breakfast at home.’ What about Iunch?‘
’What are you driving at, BaIa” Alice intervened intolerably. Are you going to say that one hundred naira is enoUgh for_ a groWn-up like Fola in this time of austerity?‘ ‘Madam, I’m sorry, this one hundred naira does not. represent food aIIowance according to what Fola had just said. It is not even transport allowance. I think the one hundred main is just pocket money which as far as I’m concerned is more than enough.’ He quickly added: ‘I give my chiId ten naira as food allowance and ten naira for his transport when he is going to schooI in the morning. He Walks home in the afternoon.‘ you have to compare you iII-gotten child with mine?‘ Alice asked SpitefuIIy. ‘If I gave you the
opportunity to intervene in my family affairs have I asked you to talk nonsense?-I think I have to stop the ‘
‘I’m very sorry, madam. I didn‘t mean to annoy you,‘ Bala apologised and turned front. AIice implored FoIa to be tolerant and remained patient for the remaining time he had to spend With AdemoIa to finish his secondary education. However, she promised to be complementing whatever his uncle gave him She told him to always come to her
The school time-keeper, a junior student, rang the hand hell with all his energy. It was time for morning devotion. He continued ringing unabated while the early arrivals to the school poured out of their classrooms and moved to the assembly hall. Run up! Run up!‘ a teacher who was on duty ordered the late-comers. Some other members of staff who were also on duty . this morning had positioned themselves in strategic places around the compound, also ushering the students to the Assembly Hall. They did not hesitate to use the canes on some sluggish students who could not run as expected. The school prefects, as usual, had also taken up their different assignments to complement the efforts of the members of staff. Some prefects who had no specific duties went searching the classrooms and sending out the so-called ‘assembly dodgers.’ It was a usual phenomenon in Brights High School to find some students fond. of keeping away from the morning devotion inside the hall. Those students who engaged in this practice were usually culprits of one offence or the other. While some students hid in the classrooms because they were not wearing the school badge, other did so because they were wearing offensive hair styles or were not wearing the authorised school sandals. Experience had also show that some students waited behind in their classrooms to steal from their mates’ schoolbags.
Mr. Yusuf, fondly called ‘Don’t touch it’ was in charge of devotion this morning. He stepped up the concrete platform and positioned himself conspicuous before the students. Dressed in a simpIy-cut native attire with a pair of low-heeled shoes to match, Mr. Yusuf was admired by everyone this morning. Honesty. That’s the topic of my short admonition this morning,‘ Mr. Yusuf began interestingly. What is honesty? Honesty is the quality of being honest. An honest person is someone who does not tell lies, cheat or steal. The opposite of honest is dishonest. A dishonest person tells lies, cheat or steal.
I will tell you the story of two contractors who were given the same amount of money to build a house each. The first contractor used the money he was given to buy good and quality building materials, and so built a beautiful, lasting house. The second contractor used his own money to buy bad and low quality building materials and ended up building a house that looked attractive at sight but was not -. durable. The owner of the two houses came to inspect the houses after they had finished. you know what the owner did?”
‘No!’ the students responded, highly curious.’He asked the contractors to take away the house they each built. The two contractors were very happy to become house owners. Soon, they moved into
their respective houses with their families. Not long after they had packed in the house of the second contractor was blown off by a heavy rainstorm. But happened to the house of the first contractor. children, you can see it doesn‘t pay to be dishonest.
Always be honest in whatever you do. Do take it that you have learnt a Iesson this morning?‘ Mr. Yusuf asked conciusiveiy. Yes,sir!’ . Mr. Yusuf later led the morning prayer. Then followed with the singing of the National Anthem and the recitation of the Pledge. Good morning, students.‘
Good morning, sir!’ Mr. Yusuf stepped down the platform to give way to Mr. Hastrup whohad moved forward in his characteristics manner whenever he had some information to pass across.
Mr. Hastrup, after salutation, began so feelingly: ‘l . feel so had each time I see the large population of students who come late to this school everyday. it has come to my notice that three categories of students exist in this school and these are school One students. school Two students and School Three students, I will explain.
”The School One students are the students who leave home, get to school and have their Iessons as normal
