MY TIME TO SHINE LIKE A DIAMOND

The kids in school don't play with me. Yesterday, the teacher instructed the kids in my class to shout 'shame at me'. My classmates excitedly shouted 'shame'. It was terrible, and I saw Angel laughing so hard. Obiora told me during break time that the battery in my head was dead and that I did not speak to anyone in class because I could not speak English. I felt bad, but I did not cry. I've seen Mama cry many times only because she was weak and helpless. I choose not to be weak.

During English class, my teacher asked me to spell the word 'INFORMATION', but I kept mute. I shook my head, and the kids in my class laughed. I picked my secret notebook and wrote down the word 'information'. Immediately I was done, I heard my classmates clapping, and I spun around and saw Obiora grinning. He had spelt the word correctly. My teacher instructed me to go to the front of the class. 'Are you happy being the Olodo of the class?' she asked.

'Yes,' I replied. She looked at me strangely and asked, 'Do you think being an Olodo is a good thing?' 'I am happy,' I affirmed. Lips pursed, eyes squinted, she stared sternly, while the whole class laughed. Obiora's laughter was the loudest. Then, I heard someone humming the Olodo rapata song. Tears brimmed and ran down my face. My classmates only laughed harder. It was then I understood that even my teacher doesn't know the meaning of happy. I wanted to explain to all of them that I knew how to spell information, but I couldn't, that I understood everything my teacher taught in class, but I couldn't explain them. I heard my teacher chuckle and say, 'you are happy indeed'.

I wanted to tell her that the word 'happy' had changed its meaning and that I recently discovered this. Last week, I heard Mother say to Aunty Bisi, with a glint of disguised pride, 'I am a happily married woman.' It had made me ponder what she meant by this. Does happiness mean crying on the staircase with a bloodshot eye or coming back from work looking exhausted and arguing with Grandma? I could conclude that Mother was lying, but she doesn't lie. She taught me the doctrines of our religion and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Emeka has called her a woman of virtue, integrity and patience. All these are good words that affirm her honesty. All these words are true because a man of God like Pastor Emeka said it.

Once, Mother told me that the English language evolves and that words can change their meaning to a novel interpretation. I'm going to prove my teacher and my classmates wrong, especially Obiora. This is my time to shine like a diamond.

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