The writing on the wall

In one of the many schools I attended (don’t judge, I get bored easily), there was some idiot so bored that all he (maybe she) would do was write silly things on the bathroom walls. Now that may seem fun and entertaining—especially when it is not your name on the wall—but I can assure you it’s not.Catherine (not real name) was a new student who pretty much kept to herself. Imagine her shock when she found her name scribbled on the wall accusing her of writing love letters to a certain boy, two classes above her – a boy she had no idea existed! Eyes followed her everywhere she went, because if there is one thing that kids lived for, it was juicy gossip! The boy she apparently wrote the letters to didn’t seem quite bothered about it – in fact, to his other mates, he was a hero! I got the itchy feeling he must have scribbled it there himself.One girl had to leave school prematurely after she found out that the whole school thought she was a fake virgin! So depressed she was, that she started dodging her classes and ate close to nothing. By the time she called her parents to come and pick her up, she looked anorexic! If your school is anything like the one I went to – you are in trouble because the words only get worse. This inoperative lad (I had the strongest feeling it was a boy) went as far as accusing another innocent girl of having an affair with a teacher – a teacher almost 40 years her senior!It was at that point where a general assembly was called and the culprit was asked to surrender or the whole school would be punished severely, that kids started to take it seriously. It didn’t help knowing I had nothing to do with it – we were all in very serious trouble.They finally got the scrounger, it was a boy as I had suspected. His friends apparently weren’t willing to suffer on his behalf and snitched. Smart move! After his expulsion, if you entered the bathroom with so much as a stone, you were finished! Some kids think that by behaving inappropriately, they are seeking recognition and therefore on the way to being liked. Cheap popularity – it’s called. You will get recognition alright, but about being liked – let’s just say that if you are anything like the boy in my school – all you’ll get is a ticket out of the school – and not one ‘fan’ will walk out with you! The best reputation comes the right way.