Life is based on ups and downs. We conceive our seeds to help us in coming days, though we can’t predict their ways of living. A woman like Nandy was so proud to have identical twins which were the first to escape her womb. On Nandy’s face was the reflection of her heart swirling with happiness. I believe her husband who went to his resting place was also turning to applaud for those two boys.

The boys grew up just like the rest of us with their skinny bodies they inherited from their father. Women are so fond of always having their kids 24/7, so Nandy was a member of that group, she could not let these boys breathe freely; she was an iron woman to her boys. Those boys started schooling in the year of 2002 but she couldn’t take them to pre-school as they had an acute disease of brain cancer. So they were knocking on all doors of qualified doctors.

The boys did well until Grade 9, when Prince began getting on the teacher’s hair, while Vince’s teachers were giving him a leg up. As they were not in the same classes, one day Prince had to go to school without his pen and pencil. He knew that every Wednesday was a period of a very serious man called Mr Johnson, who didn’t take any nonsense from a learner. So they came from assembly and went straight to their classes.

The giant couldn’t hesitate to grab his books to class to feed his early birds what was best for tomorrow. When he arrived he put his books on the long table. “Good morning class, how was your morning?” He greeted and the class accepted the morning greetings.

After some minutes Prince stood up. “Meneer may I please go outside?” He said, standing on his feet, preparing himself to go outside.

But his teacher tried not to let him go without a valid reason. “It’s still early in the morning, I’m sure you had much time to pace outside.” Scholars began to laugh at Prince but Mr Johnson made the scholars shut up so he could talk to prince with no interference. “What’s the matter boy?”

He replied with a downcast face, “Nothing sir, I’m just having stomach problems.”

All the students laughed. When they lowered their voices, a boy from the corner next to Prince started to tease: “Meneer, let this boy go, I’m sure he ate expired food with milk.”

The class couldn’t hold the laugh, it seemed like the giant would not enjoy his lessons as usual.

“Before I can give you the freedom, why don’t you submit the homework I gave yesterday?”

“No, Meneer, some of the things are hard to hold for long, I’m going to waste time searching for your book and these kids will again laugh at me. So please untie me so that I can respond to the call of nature.”

It was clear Mr Johnson would regret this day. Why was this kids acting all strange, was it him or the scholars? Poor Mr Johnson, he took a deep breath, holding his waist with the left hand, and answered. “Just go boy, I don’t want to be blamed.”

While Prince was going outside the teacher picked up his books with a slackened hands and shamed face. He then went straight to his staff room, dragging his feet like an old lady. When he got there, he threw himself on the rotating chair and laid his head on the table.

After a moment, there came a well-shaped and glamorous lady who used to be a crush of Johnson.

“Geez, cheese boy, why are you looking so overwhelmed so early in the morning, are you sick?” Miss Cindy tried to cheer up this man.

But he just erected his head and said, “No, I’m still surprised and so cold for what happened earlier on in my morning lessons.”

Cindy put her back on the table and came closer to Mr Johnson. “Hey, what happened, you look so tense?”

“I was supposed to be teaching Grade 9 but just guess what happened when I got there?” He started to get irritated and stood up on his feet.

“No, no, wait a minute, let me guess it’s Prince, right? I don’t know what’s got in his head, this year he’s worse than previous years. I foresee danger with that boy, he’s still so young but behaving like a matured man.”

“You can say that again, I’ve never had this kind of class. They were all acting so strange but the root was Prince and his friend. Those two are a piece of rubbish. I don’t know why the principal can’t expel them from this school. No, I will deal with them. I can’t be belittled by those boys; they don’t call me a giant for nothing.” His face started to be scary.

After a moment Miss Cindy held his hand to calm him down and not to raise his voice as some teachers were busy doing their jobs.

“You know, John, kids will always be kids, don’t let them control you.” She said that while she brushed his beard.

***

Tell us what you think: Should Mr John have walked out of class? What can teachers do with unruly students?