BOUNCING BACK

After kukataa kusoma as some chops put it, I stayed home for some time. A neighbour, Mr. Mayienga had advised my dad to give me time, and he took it upon himself to make sure that I would overcome my fears and have great dreams again.
I had disappointed so many people, friends and family alike. I had been uncle Joshua's favorite but all that ended when he tried to convince me to go back to Saints and I unexpectedly told him that I would rather drop out completely than go back there. Yala was a great school, at least for many, the fact I personally dont deny. In fact whenever someone asks me of a good school in Siaya County Saints never misses in my list. Saints is one of the few schools that have consistently produced almost genuine results...even when most schools were posting fake A's...no wonder they disappeared in the thin air when other schools came to post extraordinary results. Saints had some great teachers too...Mr. Abayo was very strict but had students welfare at heart, he was the boarding master by then. There were even great big boys like Geoffrey of F4 East I guess, whom I later met at the University of Nairobi and thanked personally. He was a role model, the most humble human being I have ever met, may God bless everything he puts his hands on. I cant forget to mention Odeny the borehole prefect and his friend Titus Atuto the footballer, Samuel Ochiel, Dennis Jagem and their friend Obed Nyarenchi, and the likes. But a school that did not protect its Form Ones would end up killing a few dreams if no one never cared. I used to visit a younger friend, Geofrey Odhiambo, there during the reign of Mr. Awiti and there was a lot of improvements. I am confident that the current head who was our once no-nonesense deputy, by then, is going to make Saints great again. ODB will.

I had never dreamed of finding myself at Ambira High School...

My dad and I were going to look for a chance at St. Mary's Ukwala but we passed through Ambira to visit my twin brother, Jackton. I don't know how it happened but Jack somehow convinced us to drop the Ukwala idea. He wanted a situation whereby we would protect each other the same way we had done throughout primary...Jack had been difficult to handle, for many, but he seldom went against my wishes.

We met His Highness Mr. Wanga, a gentleman who seemed so jovial at first sight; and I left Ambira that day with an admission letter.

I was admitted to Ambira a few days later, I guess it was on 10th June, and was enrolled with admission number 5710, a tag that would replace my 8240 for the next three and a half years.

I don't want to imply that Ambira was a perfect institution...it was far from it in terms of discipline and performance, specifically. In fact I found a society where a small beef between a F4 and a F3 would erupt into a war that would disrupt everything in the whole school...but the teachers were patiently patient with the boys and Ambira was recovering well.Ambira had been known for being, and some people still believe that it is, a school for thugs. After two big strikes in 2000 and 2001, Ambira still had a long way for recovery, and understandably so.

My first day at Ambira was good; just like when I joined Saints, students from my former primary school were there to receive me. This reminds me of the great guys who welcomed me at Saints whom I forgot to mention: Steve Koduor, Perkins, Mwanga, Wambas, Paul Ochieng, Osoro, Gabby, Leslie and every other person whose name hasn't featured here.

Apart from Jack, I met Thomas Otieno,Apindi, Neddy, Awich, Murai, Ragen Ogopa, David Allan, Owiso, Ray and many others with whom we had come from the same primary school. Thomas had even come to visit me in hospital before. And Kennedy Owino aka Neddy (may your precious soul continue resting in unending peace) took his time to tell me how starting afresh was going to be hard but encouraged me that it was possible and he would see in to that, which he did in the one and a half years we shared in Ambira.

I joined F1 Blue but was immediately transferred to Yellow since we couldn't share a class with Jack...we had shared a desk before, at Pal Pal Primary School up to primary 4 before joining Township; I didn't see anything wrong with it sharing a stream again. Coincidentally I met him at Odiado Dormitory, where Thomas and Lameck who were the dorm heads made an arrangement for Jack and I to share a bed.

Ambira family moulded the heart I have today. I expected much more bullying in Ambira, but I was shocked. There were a few elements who really wanted to know why I had left Saints and some even demanded for the information...but that is a strory for the next episode....loading