On That Day

CHAPTER 10 - IN THE BEGINNING

I ENTER now, a momentous period. At least, the beginning. I might seem to look on it with nostalgia, or might seem to miss the supposed "good old days", in this Book – but, Remember, I recall these with hesitation; I look upon these as a Book containing such a grievous memory so as to call for its destruction.

Let me begin my story:

The class was restless on the 1st day of the 1st term, Primary Two. I had to "jack" two or three people; push three or four others; step on four or five more, and walk over five or six, to get into my throne which, If I recollect correctly, was at the back of the class, at the right-hand-side or the center.

"Draxler!"

I turned my throne around

"Draxler!"

I beheld Nister

"See, Draxler. The boy has come!"

"Come?"

"Come! He's now in our class, in Primary 2A! I'm going to bring him!" and he dashed off

Now, I was in disorder, trying to arrange my books, bag, water bottle, and so on, so this piece of intelligence only worsened it. At length, I saw a boy wearing a sinister expression, clawing his way through the crowd – behind Nister, who was also twisting and cursing – and heading for my direction.

"This's him" said Nister: "His name is Katherin –"

"Shush!" he turned towards me: "My name is Skaiter"

I expected to hear "yours?" but was disappointed. But Nister dint shut up:

"Hey, Skaite, what about his name? Don't you want to know his –"

"No, I don't want to know his name" he walked off.

"Hmmm. . . " I put my hand to my chin: "You got Competition" and smiled

"Tell me, who's our new Tutor?"

"I don't know. I think it is one Broom-sounding name like that" said I

"Okay, her name is Broom?"

"Tink so"

In class.

Now we sit. I can't stay still, 'cos I have to notice everything that goes on. Many others aren't like me, for I can see them dutifully working on their classwork; but, I catch the eye of a few, like King and Yusef, who are two perfect dunces, as at this time

Here is Nister, North-East of me. For once, he is serious. Classworks don't take him time. So, he soon is grinning at me. Here is Monday, two seats away from me, towards my right: he is looking up and scratching his head. I know the meaning of this: he has been caught in a net in his Arithmetic.

Look, from any side of the class, and you can't fail to notice the very center of the class, where three sat: Mistral, Luth, and one other. The three of them always wrote exactly the same answers in their class works, so that in the end they had their marks reduced

Here I am, now, settling into my body. And here I truly am now, for the Tutor has called "All pens up!" – and I have not even started my work!

Everyone submits their notebooks

After some uncomfortable minutes of jerking in terror, my name is called out:

"Draxler! Who is Draxler?"

I raise up my hand, or finger, to be specific

"Why didn't you do your work?"

"No – no – no time"

"But can you solve it now?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. . . What's seven plus six?"

("Thirteen")

"Thirteen!"

"Good. . . Eight minus five?"

("Three" whispers Nister)

"Three"

"Correct . . . Four divided by two?"

"Two"

"Yes. . . Nine times six?"

("Twenty-seven!")

"Erhm . . ."

("Thirty!")

"Thirty!"

"No. that's fifty-four. Now, hardest question. Here, you have to use logic, and I don't expect anyone in the class to get this right. Listen"

Teacher says:

"For the moment, this is solely to you. Draxler: If there is a school, it has classes –"

("Why not?")

"– in one of the classes, there are ten students, but – listen well – there are only three boys. Now, how many girls are there?" the Tutor looks up in triumph

What can I do? How on earth, or in heaven, am I supposed to know how many girls there are in a school when I don't attend the school or even know its name!?

I look around the class, quite idle mentally, by now. Can Nister help? He shrugs his shoulders. No, he can't.

"Seven, Draxler: SO DUMB!" says the new boy, Skaiter

"Correct!" the Tutor stands up and applauds: "This, is, a budding Genius!"

Soon, I find myself among those who are clapping, clapping so loud as to rouse Ma K from her throne in the office.