TONS AND THORNS OF GOLD

JAMBITE!

more than four feet. In spite of his diminutive size, Fred noticed that he had a goatee, which must mean that he could not be less than sixteen; no doubt aware of his shortcomings, he must have decided to sport that ugly goatee and the scanty moustache around his upper lip, so that people might not mista

Jambite! Are you deaf or something? I want to sit on th

Not since his Form One in Police Children Secondary School had anyone dared to bully him; least of all now that he was nineteen, more than a six-footer and a very fit

ht in the evening; there were about ten or so other students scattered around the place, who were either reading or socializing. To avoid distraction, Fred had tucked himself away at the farthest corner of the Common Room to complete these all-important forms. He was ordinarily a meticulous person. He had completed a lot of forms in his lifetime but none had been half as important as these ones, and so he was really taking his

s and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination, become a freshman in the university and qualify to be called a 'JAMBite'. His long-awaited dream had come true and he had secured admission into Lord Lugard Memorial University ('Unilords'), the country's most prestigious university; now, ironicall

and everything. So, I moved up to her and said in a very lecturer-ish voice: "Hey, girl, where did you spring from? Can't you even greet? Are you not one of my new

aid, screaming with laughter. 'I hop

no sa

oint of "no-return". Ha-ha-ha! I tell you, this is the best time for a guy to catch his babe: during this "October Rush". Just give those Jambi

ts of both sexes into secret cults. His grandmother always said that a disease which came ringing a warning bell ought not to afflict the wise and vigilant. He had adequately been warned about what to expect in his first semester on campus, and he was prepared. He had promised both God and his mother, Nkem, that he would not f

erie and causing the other students in the Common Room to turn

ng about the midget tickled his fancy

aise his voice. 'As you can see, I'm very busy. If you do

h melodramatically. Then he breathed in noisi

d, beating hi

and found hi

are you

answer; but to his surpris

wenty-

shr

e. Unfortunately, your brain - just like y

this time, his sh

the little fellow was not alone; he was undoubtedly a kind of bait, with his cronies now watching from the background. So

"briefly summarized". Yeah! Believe me, I don't have time f

an yelled as if

round him like a TV wrestler willing the spectators to note how he would soon pitch his opponent. Puffing his cheeks, he moved with lightning

reached out to grab him. He parried, taking adv

r with you?' Fred raged. 'N

re to call me a r

meet him. Fred overbalanced and fell back onto his seat. It happened too quickly for hi

ES

se to his throat. He got up in slow motion, like Incredible Hulk, a

ough-looking boys rushed forward and plan

you want to fight him, huh? Do you want to

nd their protective human barricade. 'He's fought me! In fact, he is fighting me! He-i-i-i-i! He-e-e

d the two boys and yelling at the top of his voice that he, Fred, had slapped and beaten him. He fe

stout middle-aged port

been slapping me and kicking me... and slapping me... just for

o, no dey shout again,' the

me. I didn't touch him,' Fred said in a small

hting, no be so?' the porter asked them.

h him, porter

e of the two to

a follow me. U

just hold on while I pic

his folder, Fred straightened up and followed the por

carry una go straight to Student Affairs Office. Make dem expel una so dat una go go

ot even yet attended his first lecture in the university! He thought of his mother and the pride and joy with which she had bid hi

work, he told himself. He knew that the two rough boys, who had him sandwiched between them as they walked, would catch