CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: ENVIRONMENTAL
"BANG! BANG! BANG!" There goes the hostel prefect banging at someone's locker "Everybody wake up!" Urgh!
As soon as I heard that, I went to get my wrist watch from my school bag to check the time and Gosh, it is just five in the morning
Why waking us so early on a Saturday morning?
I thought Morayo told me that, the hostel prefect wakes everybody up as late as seven in the morning
"The house mistress said that, there won't be water for some hours because of the generator is under repair, the solar won't be allowed to pump water for the main time till in the afternoon and, you all know that, there won't be light till in the afternoon. She said that, in order for you to get water and bath at the appropriate time, you have to wake up right now" the hostel prefect informed
Gosh! The only thing I don't like about Nigeria is the light. Nothing else, I love Nigeria for everything but, the light is the issue
I always have light at home so, it actually varies in some places and states
In some place, there is always light. In another, there is not always light. So, it varies here in Nigeria anything apart from it, there is nothing
"Are you going?" I asked Victoria as I tapped her
"Yeah and no" she answered
"What do you mean?" I asked confused by her answers
"I am not because, the queue will be long and, we are going to cut grass" she answered immediately
Cut grass?
I almost forgot my brother telling me that Saturday is environmental for every students in this school.
Almost also remembered that, in some states in Nigeria, there is this rule that environmental takes place on Thursdays for everybody
But, since all students go to school on Thursday, environmental has been shifted to Saturdays for boarding school students
What needs to be scrubbed will be scrubbed
What needs to be brushed will be brushed
What needs to be swept will be swept
What needs to be wiped will be wiped
Lastly, grasses that needs to be cut will be cut
I swallowed my saliva almost immediately
"Let's just try our luck incase we get dirty later after environmental" I suggested to her
"Nah, I can't ignore this precious sleep just to stay on the queue. I will regret it later" Victoria said as she turned to the other side of the bed and slept off
Maybe, I should listen to what she said
I went to lie down back. The noises of some students footsteps as they left to fetch water, disturbs me
I tried to sleep back
"BANG! BANG! BANG!" there goes the senior again "Everybody wake up" she shouted
I opened my eyes gently and I saw that everywhere is bright, it must be seven.
I tried moving my body to sit on my bed
"Everybody come outside, the house mistress is waiting for you girls" the hostel prefect informed
"That must be our call for us to cut grass and other portion. If you are lucky enough for the house mistress to put you to do hostel portion then, you got to count yourself super lucky" I heard a student say as she walked pass my bunk with another girl
"Yeah, I am sure the grass will be as stubborn as a goat since, rain didn't fall this week at all" the girl said
"I always wonder why the school doesn't use the lawn mower sometimes. It is so annoying for us to cut grass" the other student said
"I heard that, they want to train us to be a better person without the use of machines" the girl said as the both of the left the room
Lawn mowers? Wow! I remember seeing many of them. I only saw some men use it on the school field
I don't really like the idea of cutting grass.
"You are already awake" Morayo said as she stood in the middle of Victoria's bunk and my bunk
"Yeah" I answered as I removed the blanket on me and folded it. It was actually cold over night
I turned to face Victoria and I saw that, she is also ready
"Let's go before, the senior starts counting" Morayo said as I got down from the bed, the same as Victoria
I once experienced that counting when I forgot my socks in my room
I was then part of the last people to leave the hostel, the senior told us to crawl as we leave the hostel. It was so annoying
As soon as we got outside of the hostel, we saw a queue. We went to join the queue
I turned to see that other junior school hostels are already awake
The senior school girls are not even cutting grass at all. They are busy walking and enjoying themselves
One day, I will be a senior too
The queue started moving as the house mistress distributed our chores for us
I was given the front of the hostel to sweep and cut, Morayo was given inside hostel to wash the bathroom with some other students
Victoria portion was beside me
My side of my portion doesn't really have grass but, have a lot of dirts to sweep
Victoria own is the same
Morayo is actually lucky because, not everyone uses the bathroom especially today that no one used it, I guess
"Which one are you taking?" Victoria asked as she picked hoe and waited for me to pick between hoe and cutlass
"I am picking the hoe as well" I said as an amateur in cutting grass
"Come, I will teach you how to cut grass" Victoria said as I followed her and watched as she cut her side of the portion perfectly
I tried and enjoyed using the hoe. I wonder how the cutlass will be when using it to cut grass as well
Guys, thanks for the sudden comments and votes
I still need more from others to encourage me
Any questions or sudden reactions, you can comment it so, I can know you guys are following
Point of correction, cutting grass is not a punishment. It is like a training
I have done that before so, I know how it feels
No worries, follow up the book and you guys will understand how fun it is to be Nigerian boarding school student.
Don't forget to comment. Thanks @temi_lolu_wa for the comment, it actually made me smile to see you love the book