QUASHED DREAMS Eringu Etonu (EI Africa Regional Office)
Afare woke up that morning feeling very light-hearted. He whistled while he took his bath in a bathroom he would now call his own for he did not share it with another person. All his life he had shared bathrooms. At home where he grew up everybody shared one bathroom - his father, mother, and four siblings. He attended day schools for both primary and secondary, so he had never had the opportunity to see another bathroom. The bathrooms in the teacher training college were always busy especially early morning and in the evenings. The story telling while the students waited for their turn to use the bathrooms made the occasions entertaining. “Anyway, that was all gone” Afare reminisced, as he smiled inwardly. ”I am now a qualified teacher preparing for my first day in school as Mwalimu Afare as everyone else would be calling me soon”. Moments later he was dressed in the white shirt he had reserved for this occasion when he would show the world he had joined the noble profession, where not even the meagre salary would prevent him from getting the reward that awaited every teacher in heaven. At 8 O’clock sharp, he was at the headmaster’s office. He knocked on the door and entered when he heard the words, “Come in”. The Headmaster was seated behind his desk and looked at him from above the rim of his glasses. “Good Morning Sir”, Afare Chanted gleefully. “I am Mwalimu Afare.” “Good Morning Mwalimu”, The Headmaster responded as he got up and turned towards the cabinet behind him. Then calling over his shoulder he asked; 102
