My mother's death affected my life so much, that I was transferred from the Kingstown Methodli...st School to the Kingstown Prep School. In this period of the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there were no child psychologist, no school councillors, etc.
My family tried everything in their power, to help me out of the slump, I fell into but nothing worked. My sister's thought, the school was the problem. Hence the reason, I was transferred to the Kingstown Prep School. unfortunately it was not to long after my transfer, we all realized, the school was not the problem. Unfortunately, my grades did not improve, even after being transferred to the leading primary school, on the island.
I was attending a new school, now I was in Junior 1. I was happy to be in a new school, because I escaped going into Ms. Jackson's class. Ms. Velma Jackson, scare the shit out of me. She had a leather strap, which she used, in such a manner, that will be considered abusive by today's standards. Another teacher who scare the shit out of me was Mrs. Stoddard; however, Mrs. Stoddard taught Junior 4. Now I was miles away from Mrs. Stoddard and Ms. Jackson and miles away from the school where they taught. These teachers wield a strap like a samurai wield a sword; they were dangerous.
My first friend at Prep School, was a shy kid by the name of Andre John. Andre was believed to be either the son or grandson of the then Governor of St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Sir. Rupert John. Like me, Andre was new to the school; and as a result, he took some time to get started academically, and therefore he struggled academically also. Trying to get Andre outside to play, was like pulling teeth. Andre left the classroom, only, when he was being picked up. However, and unlike me, Andre soon came into his own and took off academically.
At Prep School, everyone seems to be friends with each other, I was new and did not have any friend. I had to adopt to the culture of the school, but before I could adopt, I had to learn the school culture. Prep School was the school of society's elite; Mr. This and Mr. That children attend the School. Also the children of those young and up coming, Mr. And Mrs. This and That got a place in the school. Honestly, I did not fit in at Prep School.
During School hours, the school was ran by, the principal Ms. Vera-Ann Brereton and the teachers; however, when school were out and the gates were open for recess, lunch or to mark the end of the school day; the school yard was ran by the boys who attended the Richmond Hill Government School; which was just over the width of a football field away; which was the central deviding point between both schools.
Both schools students could be distinguished by the school's uniform. The Students of the Kingstown Prep School wore short, light blue paint, with white shirt, black shoes and blue socks; this uniform made the children looked cute, smart and respectable. The Students of the Richmond Hill Government School, on the other hand, wore khaki pants, Khaki shirt, brown sock and brown or black shoes. This outfit made the Richmond Hill School students look, rougher and tougher, than they were.
Most of the Students at the Prep School were very protected, while the students of the Richmond Hill Government School, were exposed to village live in either Frenches, Soin Hill, Rockies, Long Wall, and Harlem Edge and the near by villages. and their toughness represented that.
The male students of the Richmond Hill Government school, were referred to as the Bad Boys by the Prep School students. I had no idea when and where that name came from. The Richmond Hill School male students were just the bad boys. It mattered not their personalities, family background etc.
Sometime in the history of the two schools, the Richmond Hill School students, discovered the Students of and at the Prep School, were cowards, and they were easy pickings. As a result, every opportunity they got, students from Richmond Hill School, came over two the Prep School, and they took away the Prep School students money, they took their snacks or they just beat them up. The Prep School Students, just cried and came back for more the following day.
I was not prepared to be taken advantage of by any one, even though at that stage of my life, I was never involved in a real fight. However, I was accustomed to fights. I had front row seat and I saw my sister Charmine do battle, and I was exposed to the regular fights in my neighborhood, which for some strange reason, always made its way, in front of our home.
By this time, I always reached to School late, as I walked to school, I gazed off into the stores show windows, as we did as a family around Christmas time; while we go window shopping. Every day, I made the trip across town, to my home for lunch and back to school again. One day after lunch, I arrived at school, I enter the school by walking through the gate on the southern side if the School.
Still trapped in my little world of grief, I did not noticed, four Richmond Hill School students (boys) had commandeered the area that led up the big wooden staircase, into the school, from the toilet and the pipes area of Prep School. Here we have a situation, where four boys had taken controlled of a section of the school, and over 100 or so children, students of the Prep School; stood at the top of the staircase, looking out of the door. Everyone trying to see what was happening below, but no one dear to venture out of that door; even though the boys were at the bottom of the stairs some distance away.
When I, was about to walked into the area, some of the students tried to warn me of the danger I was about to walk into. However, I was still trapped in my own little world of grief, that I did not pay attention to the events that was going on. I walked into the room, I saw the four Richmond Hill, bad boys in the area; but I thought nothing of it. I had no problem with the guys, they had never troubled me and I don't get into there way.
I was just about to jump through the big window like space to get into the school yard on the Eastern side of the school, that faced the Richmond Hill Government School. I place both my hands on the window's edge, to pry myself up as I jumped through the large propped open window space. In a show of authority, one of the Richmond Hill boys mashed my hand and said to me: "you can't pass here." It was then I realized what was happening.
All the Prep School children, still purched on the steps, all of them, trying to see through the door to get a view of what was about to happen. The Prep School students did not realized, I accidentally walked into the space occurred by the boys. They all believed, I was a badass, who were going to stand up to the four Richmond Hill School Bad Boys. This show of courage made them feel happy, at least someone is not afraid to stand up to the bullies.
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