The Two Short Straws.
There is no single teacher in St. Lawrence schools who ever prays to be transferred to the other branch somewhere in the village areas of Lagos State.
Even though they are teachers and usually seen as people who are too holy, they still want to remain in the bubbling areas of Lagos. Due to this, over four teachers have dropped a medical report that they can’t live in the village areas because of the bad water and other medical conditions that they’ve got.
“Since Mr Alex, Mrs Obobo, Miss Joan and Miss Titi are not fit to go teach at the village area, let’s pick some teachers from the secondary arm. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to appoint anyone out of their will so we’ll play a game to know who will get transferred,” Mrs Adebola, the head teacher suggests since no single teacher wants to willingly go to the other branch.
Lady Marcus, the teacher who won the best teacher of the previous session was busy teaching her pupils in class when the deputy head teacher, Mrs Dudu walks inside the class.
“Good day Mrs Dudu, we are happy to see you,” the pupils addressed Mrs Dudu as she walks into the class just exactly how they were taught by their teacher, Lady Marcus.
Seeing Mrs Dudu step into the class, Lady Marcus’s heart skipped a beat.
Something was fishy and she knew she would likely be the one to go to the village area. Mrs Dudu held her in the hand while they walk directly to the head teacher’s office.
She gets relieved after she saw Mrs Adun and Mr Akin in the head teacher’s office.
“I don’t think this has to do with the transfer that’s going to happen. They need just one person over there and we’re three here so that’s definitely not what they want to talk about,” Lady Marcus says in her mind while waiting patiently to hear what Mrs Adebola, the head teacher would say.
“I welcome you all to my office where we all will decide on the teacher to be transferred to our branch at the village area,” Lady Marcus who’s usually unlucky when it comes to playing games started to flinch after Mrs Adebola made her statement.
“What kind of game is it, ma?” Mrs Dudu walks into the store and brings out a tray full of straws of the same color. The three teachers who were likely to get transferred gazes at each other wondering what kind of game that could be.
Mrs Dudu uses a rubber to bind all the straws together so each teacher can pull out gently.
“Each of you will be allowed to pull out two straws each and anyone who comes out with the shortest straws will get transferred,” the head teacher said while she looked at the three teachers decide their fates with their hands.
Mrs Adun, a married woman who’s not ready to leave her family and start another life somewhere else. She crossed her heart three times as a form of prayer and pulled out two straws at a time. For Mr Akin, he closed his eyes while he slowly pulled out a straw at a time.
As for Lady Marcus, she hopelessly pulled out two straws with her right and left hands.
Unfortunately, Lady Marcus was the one who picked the two short straws.
Tear dropped out of her eyes because it’s never her wish to live in the village.
“Maybe my love life will end right here because I won’t get to see my man all day,” she said in her mind.
All the head teacher and others who were present there did was embrace the courage of Lady Marcus and gave her a warm hug.
After a week’s break which was given to Lady Marcus for her preparation, on getting to the village school, Lady Marcus was given a warm welcome and hugs as she got to the school.
“We know how difficult it must have been for you to decide to come here. For that, we’ll double your salary, give you a car and rent an apartment for you,” the head teacher of the village branch said.
Surprisingly, Lady Marcus screamed and was so happy. Only a few people get such offer from St. Lawrence school.
Afterwards, Lady Marcus lived a good life and visits her man every weekend.
When all the teachers in the main branch heard about Lady Marcus story, they all applied to be transferred to the village branch but they were all denied.
Hmmm! Teaching job is not an easy journey, let alone to be done in the rural area. Where you will have to explain times three of what ever thing that you teach, unlike the urban area.
I am glad lady Marcus was well treated for sacrificing her comfort to help and teach kids in the rural area. She became the envy of every one in the school after she got a car, an increased salary, and an apartment to go with it.
Beautiful read. Well done
Beautiful and inspiring story. That's why I consider teachers as heroes, especially teachers who are assigned to teach in remote areas.