It was a chilled Thursday filled with excitement in our annual Winter Walk at Sherwood Primary School. We were all ecstatic about it and the best part of it was when we had stayed awake. Naledi Mbatha, my dear friend, was undecided whether she wanted to go. We begged and begged until we had a solution, a naughty one but we needed her there, we came up with a plan.

“Good day, Mr Sithole. Is it possible for Naledi to stay over tonight?” I asked.

“I’m not sure but surely there is something we can do,” he responded, scratching his head with the index finger

“Sir, uNoma paid but she isn’t coming, I’d fill in for her and repay her when she comes back,” Naledi added. I nodded in approval.

“Let’s call her mom so we can ask,” Londi suggested.

“Hello is this Noma’s mother?” Mr Sithole put the phone on his ear.

“Yes, how are you Mr Sithole is everything okay?” Noma’s mouth could be heard on the other end.

“Yes I’m okay. But we’d like a favour from you. Since Noma won’t be coming to stay over and she has already paid, her friend is asking if she could please fill in for her. She will pay you when she sees Noma.”

“I don’t see a problem there. Actually if she’s a dear friend of my child as you put it then she doesn’t have to pay!” she said.

“Thank you so much mam, we appreciate your generosity,” Mr Sithole hung up with a smile hanging on his face.

“But you’ll need something else…Your parent’s permission…”

“I’ve got a plan,” Naledi chipped in. We almost got busted that day. It was home time for those who weren’t staying over and Naledi’s taxi driver was there to fetch her first load. We got in the taxi and the driver dropped us off at her place.

“Is Gogozi home to sign the form,” I asked.

“She surely is,” Naledi responded but we found out she wasn’t home. So I offered to call with a phone we got from Naledi’s neighbour.

“Arghh she’s not available, what are we gonna do? We are stuck in Bonela. We are supposed to be at school, the teachers will panic and nobody’s home,” I mumbled.

“Let’s try Terrianes mother to sign it guys,” Naledi suggested. We knocked on the door and entered the house and greeted them. We told them our story and Terrianes’ mother wasn’t interested.

“What is Naledi going to wear and what will she sleep on? I mean her sleeping bag and pyjamas are locked up at her house. Where are you going to sleep Naledi?” she posed a question with her eyes now popping out.

We looked at each other there wasn’t time to think

“I bought a mattress with me,” Londi jumped to her rescue.

Naledi and I looked at each other, Londi was a funny person, she was so kind and she was a chilled person.

“Ayy Londi,” said Naledi.

I couldn’t help it but laugh!

We finally got Terriane’s mother to sign the form and she was just cautious because if something happened to Naledi she’d be in trouble.

We were in such a hurry, we rushed back to school and we had no other option but to walk back. We were running along the freeway, and we feared the unknown.

We made it back to school safe and sound. We entered the premises and pretended as if nothing had happened, we handed the permission form to Mr Sithole and he gave us a bad look.

We made it the best night ever together. We had a Disco night and we were dancing the night away. We watched a few movies with good food and snacks. The naughty kids at school were putting Colgate on each other’s eyes at night! That was the best day of my entire primary school life!

Tell us: What do you think of this school outing?