Levi Harris: A Guide to Middle School

Episode 2: Arusha

EPISODE 2: Arusha

September 19th 2008, Mr. James

September 19th was jotted down as one of the ultimate funny days in my life. There are some people in this world that you can never take seriously. Mr. James is one of them. He placed his rear-side on the farthermost point of his chair, bent his back and in a gay accent spoke these words “Hey! Do you understand the meaning of silence, tsk!” I broke up into laughter in front of

Him, “Hey, Keep quiet in the class!” he snapped, Several huge cackles rushed out of my mouth and I was gasping for air, my head went dizzy and I slammed my head onto my desk, I gasped for air and as I lifted my head up, his strange, orangutan-like face, was literally 60cm away from my face, he screwed up his face in the largest frown and he observed my facial expression. My smile widened from ear to ear. “Hey, You boy! Do you have any manners? Do you have any respect?” his voice carried with it the foulest smelling odor I had ever come across. I held my breath, my chest rose up and he took it as a challenge, He rose to his full-height and stared at me, I couldn’t hold my breath any-longer, I kept my mouth sealed for 3 more seconds and then it happened….

Rule 2: Never laugh at a teacher

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!” it all escaped, my brown face reddened. I gasped heavily, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” I couldn’t help it, and that’s how I earned my first detention. I didn’t mind though, It was all alright. After speaking to Mrs. Shindika (Principal), and explaining to her that I couldn’t help but laugh at Mr. James’s accent, she excused me from her office and I went to join Mustafa and Godfrey. “Oi, What was goin on in that French lesson? I mean, I could’ve laughed but I held it in like a man,” Mustafa said, “Yeah whatever man! I could hear you cracking up in the background and I only got a detention anyways!” I said, a cheeky smile arose from Godfrey, I searched for the reason of his smile and I noticed straight away. A tall, skinny Indian boy was in meters of us, a strange cheeky smile sprawled across me and Mustafa’s lips. “Oi, Wha’s your name?” I asked, the squeakiest voice emanated from his mouth,

“Ali, What are your good names?” he replied,

“I’m Mustafa, this is Levi, and that’s Godfrey,” “Very Good names, can I join you guys?”

“Yeah…. Sure” I replied.

“So… I’m guessing you guys are not from hear,”

“Nah, were...” I pointed at Mustafa and me “Are from England and Godfrey’s from here,”

“Yes, Yes I have understood you, I am from India unless you didn’t know,”

“It’s Kinda obvious Paki,” retorted Mustafa.

Ali just smiled, a really cheeky smile.

    Detention was horrible! I had to sit down on a wooden chair and grade year six papers! I took the red pen and started grading Lisa Joseph’s paper. I picked up the mark scheme and started to work. Every now and then I would look up to the clock, hoping the time was almost done but the clock didn’t seem to change much. I was pissed. I fell asleep and shapes formed in my head, after a while the shapes formed into a blurry face, and after a few more seconds, the face turned into the girl I’ve been thinking of, her face was perfect, her face was round and shaped perfect, her hair fell into her shoulders and her smile glowed in front of me. She leaned forward towards my face, her eyes slowly closed as her lips formed a kiss and I leaned towards her, I slowly closed my eyes and I felt nothing. I slowly opened my eyes and another scene had formed, there were a bunch of girls around my lady, they were all laughing. Some of them looked at me. My feet kept on marching towards her, I sensed something bad was going to happen, and it was destiny. I felt butterflies swarming in my stomach. I didn’t recognize the landscape, it was different and we were wearing casual clothes, not the crappy old uniform. She looked at me one more time and her group excused her, I was a meter away from her face.