High school was more than just chewing books, dodging the
discipline master and struggling through afternoon chemistry lessons. There were
students and then there were students one can’t forget. They were as memorable
as burning exercise books only for the ministry of education to announce there
was a leakage and the exams had to be repeated. Some students overslept, others
overate, and some were sellouts, while others were diehards. Here are some
characters you must have met in high school:
1. The crook-in-chief
They were always on the verge of
being suspended for skiving school via the panya
routes. They were daredevils treating school rules like kindergarten commandments’;
being spotted with them was enough to get you punished for no reasons. They were
also the certified school thieves; you later hear they reformed and are in
priesthood!
2. The sicko
They were the school weakling with
pale skin; they were always at the school dispensary when not getting bed rests
for colds, headaches or stomachache. The sickos were exempted from sports,
manual work and punishments. But surprisingly, the sicko never missed meals.
3. The party animal
They knew hit songs from Popcaan
and gossip about the Vybez kartel murder case. They were potential
entertainment prefects, from how they operated the school’s musical system,
beside their collection of all the latest music and movies. They taught you all
the latest dance moves. They also doubled up as hype masters when girls from Kapnyeberai came calling. They were also very good with the opposite sex,
besides serving as ushers during school events.
4. The Holy Joe
They prayed until you thought the
second coming of Jesus was nigh. They spoke in tongues, led worship teams and
were the heart of the Christian union as they quoted verses verbatim from the
top of their heads, but ironically, most never passed CRE and were later very
agile at drinking in pubs and clubs in Kapsabet and Eldoret
5. The ogre
They were the prefects who behaved
like deputy principals, brooking no nonsense with school rules, ensuring the
rules were followed to the letter. When they spoke during parade even teachers
shook in their boots and high heels. These hearts of the devil were also
sadists with punishments bordering on uprooting 100 year old mugumo trees!
6. The brain box
They were always in the staff room;
you would have thought they were part time teachers. They often had small talk
with teachers who trusted them, as most were organized, smart, obedient, and
religious and the brightest in class.
7. The anti-shower
These ones and water were like a
man and his mother-in-law. They never mixed freely. Bathing was a rumor and
foul smell wafted from their corners on hot afternoons in class. They were
friends with perfume though.
8. The invisible
They rarely spoke or played games.
They were rarely in class and were commonly found at dormitory corners playing
games or gambling. They woke up late, dozed in class. They were the opposite of
the brain box. They dubbed all exams, long after high school they have to remind
you that they were your classmates
9. The special one
They were in glasses, always
walked majestically even when the bell rang. They ate ‘special’ meals, when the
rest scrambled for ‘murram’ and even the school cooks knew them by name.
10. The know-it-all
They were never beaten in any
topic from chemistry to physics as they were also the masters in politics,
sports, music and entertainment and current affairs. They were fun to be with
as they made you look smart. They were also the school
photographers/Shylock/hawker and loaf peddlers when there was shortage of bread
