The Valentine Frenzy

Chapter 16

I would have debated if someone told me that my second week at Landmark would be full of surprises. With my sweet first-week experience, I'd imagined that the rest of my stay here would be the same.

Monday morning, beginning of my second week, students and academic staff shocked me with their utterances and conducts. Although the early-morning tiff in Madiba's compound set the tone for the day's activities.

As I stepped out of the hut and headed towards the exit gate, Madiba emerged from his room with a gun in hand. Surprised at such a gesture from an otherwise quiet man, I took a second look at him to be sure it was a gun. The reason for the dispute wasn't clear to me, but it must have hurt the man so much to warrant the use of a firearm.

He searched around for his brother who had upset him. As his eyes darted around, he gasped for breath and positioned the gun ready to shoot. The look on his face was hard to describe. "Why does he have to use a gun to threaten his own brother?"

Trying to play a good neighbour, I thought of turning back to mediate on the matter. Then I recalled that I had no business in their private affairs. Resolving family beefs wasn't my speciality; algebraic equations couldn't solve such.

What if a gunshot accidentally hit my chest or something untoward happened to me? I changed my mind and continued the short walk to school. Madiba must take care of his family squabbles himself.

Immediately I stepped into the staff room, I was told to see the principal. He'd been looking for me and had checked the staffroom twice already. Eager to find out if something urgent had come up, I left for his office.

"Good morning, sir. I learnt you wanted to see me."

Just then, the morning bell whirred. Students rushed towards the assembly ground.

"Oh yes. Good Morning, Mr Mutetey."

I didn't see the principal frequently while I went about my duties. Being a consultant, I should be an agent of change who knew what to do and how to go about my job.

The man raised his head and smiled at me. My back stifled, as I focused on what he had to say.

"I want to thank you for the diligent work you put in last week. The feedback was positive. I can see that students are attending your classes regularly, and they are showing interest in Maths more than before. We've never had a full class for a while now, but we recorded hundred percent daily last week, and that was the first time in eight years."

"I'm happy to hear that, sir. I'm only doing my bit. I hope to keep it that way."

He stood up, shook hands with me and nodded. "Keep it up, please. You may return to your duties. That would be all for now."

On my way out, he called me back. "And by the way, have you thought of taking a classroom teacher job before?"

He must have considered retaining me as one of his teachers, but Dekkers needed my services more in Johannesburg.

"Err...no sir. For now, I haven't thought about it. I will return to my office and see where I go from there."

"Oh, okay."

I left his office punching my fist in the air. No one could have explained to me better that I was on the right track.

Since Mr Roddak spoke directly with my bosses in Dekkers, I began to imagine my appraisal report in my boss's hands. Mr Tsepo believed in excellence. Whatever tasks assigned to any of his subordinates must be done well.

On my way back to the staff room, I readjusted my belt. This second week, I only needed to repeat my first week's activities so as to continue to be in the principal's good books. Changing a winning formula could sometimes prove risky.