His first day at the university revealed yet another secret. This is where the real meaning of freedom was viable and put to action. Unlike in high school, here there were no uniforms for the students. That was one barrier broken but it did mean something else too. The fact that there was no uniform was yet another sign of every man for himself and God for us all. James was fine with that. This he could handle perfectly.
Having spent the last year depending on himself was a jog to his memory that he was no longer the mother's boy. On the other end, university life can be traumatizing for those without proper cause of joining it. This is where the laws of nature are defied most for its only here that you find the daughter of a minister and that of a peasant sit in the same room in battle with a common enemy, illiteracy as they say.
James could not get bored with this. To him, having an opportunity to meet this diverse group of people and to be an engineer was all he dreamt. Finally, it was all happening.
Once again, the hero has regained his fame. James' parents were once again bending to his will. The university pass had just gotten him a free pass to real freedom away from freedom. How good had life started to be for James!
Off the semester started and as usual, it was time for the freshmen to be introduced to campus life. Unlike the secondary school where the orientation was a much different experience, here things were different.
In campus, apart from the orientation that the freshmen were getting from the tutors, there was to be another orientation from the old boys. Once again, it was the old boys in play. One thing James and his friends knew for sure was that the old boys did things that no human in his normal senses was meant to enjoy.
This is what James and his friends thought of the fresher's night posted all over the campus in posters. Though they were curious about how this was going to be, they still had the fear that it could be like the ones in high school.
Back at their minds, they had no clear thought of how this night was to be but from the vast experiences they had from high school, they had a clue. Back in high school, this day was a day like no other. It was not that much could change from the normal routine but things did change on this day.
Normally, during the other days, the Monos could wake up at six o'clock to begin the day with cleaning. Definitely, they were school wheelbarrows as the old beasts call them. On this particular one, they could wake up at four o'clock. Instead of the normal dining and dorms cleaning, it was time for a different taste.
Since this used to take place in the first term of the second year in high school, James was not lucky. It was the term with most ball games and James having joined Warume School, one of the schools that hosted the games every time, it was time for him to scrub the basketball court.
This was no easy touch. No, wonder the binaries are the most ruthless group of people in high school. They always have a reason enough to be ruthless. This event was followed by a number of others that got one completely exhausted at the end of the day.
Unlike this experience in high school, this fresher's night was different. Unlike the waking up early to do the cleaning to the most awkward places in the school compound, this day was meant to show the real picture of freedom.
It was during this fresher's night that James heard the loudest music system in his entire life. It was the day he saw most of the artists he normally saw on television live. It was a real deal!
For those that loved to dance, it was time for them to twist a bone or two and get their bodies into motion. Indeed, campus it was; every student's dream in high school. With the way things had started here, indeed it had to be and is every student's dream.
Far from this, the freshmen get the rules of the campus but not from the tutors this time, from the old boys. These were the group of people that had dedicated their life to making campus life 'better', 'easier' and with maximum freedom and full of fun.
After the reading of this manifest and the entire fan during this night, it was time to get down to business. It was time to get to books. Unlike the high school where the compound was much less, here, there was a whole lot of change.
The lecture halls in the university were kilometers apart. The very first task for these freshmen was to know which lecture was where. This was again made much harder for the lectures were fixed in such a way that from one lecture to the other, the students were supposed to trek almost a kilometer and all they had is a ten-minute break.
This campus had started with a race but it was worth it. From this day, James' life became better each day as he came closer to his dream.
James toiled to get the strenuous sums into his head and finally the first semester into campus was through. Upon return back home, he was very much welcomed by his parents and by the principal of Munyari Secondary School where he was the teacher just to motivate the students to work harder to join the universities.
As James was home for his holiday, he happened to meet one of his aunts who claimed to be happy about his success and wanted to know more about his school. James was kind enough to explain to her how he found campus life and how his studies were going.
"Hey James, how are you my most favorite nephew? How is campus life taking you? I heard that you want to be an engineer. Is this right?" asked Sofia.
"I am very well aunt. About the school, it is taking me quite fine although some of those sums are a handful. About the engineering, I am aspiring to be one and I am proud to have started the journey to achieving my dream," said James.
"I am proud of you. Actually, we as a family are proud of you. Just keep up the spirit and get away from those things that can make you not achieve your dream," said Sofia.
"Of course I will aunt. About other things making me not achieve my dream, there is not any that I have in mind that I would like to do other than eat those books," said James.
"Well then, all the best in your endeavors and keep your cool. Don't spend much time with those girls, they can mislead," said Sofia.
"Of course I will do all that you have said aunt. Thank you for your word of hope and encouragement. See you around." said James as they parted.
As always, one may think that James' aunt was asking all this because she loved James but that was not the case. James did not find out about his aunt's mission until after he got back to school.
After James was back to school, the aunt had her way with James' parents and she was in a position to tune their minds as she pleased. A few weeks later, Sofia went to visit her sister. On arrival, she inquired about James and his progress in college. They told her that he was doing fine and that he was working very hard.
On hearing this, she busted out in laughter. They were all confused about why she laughed about that. She made it clear that they had been fooled by James. She told her that she visits James' campus often and contrary to what he had been telling them, he hardly attends classes. They were surprised by this news and wondered how and why James could have lied to them.
"My dear sister, forgive my manners but I could not help but laugh. You mean, James tells you that he studies hard in school! This is too bad. Actually, I thought he might have told you so and that's why I came." said Sofia.
"Sofia, what is the meaning of all this? I do not understand a word you say. Come clear sister." said Debbie, James' mother.
"It is quite clear. What do you not understand? Your son does not study. He only drinks and spends time with girls on the campus. Let's pray to God for he might be even HIV positive," said Sofia.
"No! This is not true. Why would James lie to us? After all, I have seen his results and they are wonderful. How could all this be lies?" asked James' mother.
"It is simple my sister, James fakes the results so that you can think he does well in school. And about cheating you, he has to do it so that you can keep sending him money to take care of his alcohol and women," said Sofia.
"How on earth could I not see this before? How could we be fooled like this?" asked James' mother.
"You know sister; I could never sit back and watch you pay the school fees for no good reason. I had to make sure your money is not wasted," said Sofia.
"Well, my sister; I do not know what I could have done without you. I am grateful for your concern. Thank you for bringing this to light. If it were not for you, I could not have found out about this. I have to find the underlying cause of this matter. It is a good thing that you have come early enough before I waste so much on him," said James' mother.
"Okay then sister, I have to be on my way now. In addition, remember; handle this with a lot of caution. James is a clever young man. He might dodge this if he suspects that you know about it. If possible, do not do it via the phone. Just wait for him to get home next holiday." said Sofia.
As Sofia walked out of the house and left, James' mother could not help but wonder how all this was happening and she had not a clue whatsoever. On the other hand, Sofia was very happy that she had succeeded in ruining her nephew's life and more so, her sister's family.
For many years, Sofia was jealous of her sister's family and could do anything to have it break down. This time, she was very happy that she had a way of ruining it without suspicion of her involvement. James' mother could not think that her sister could be jealous of her family and therefore never thought she could do anything against her. She believed all that Sofia told her and waited for James to get home during the holidays.