Remembering an April Fool's

I never used to be as talkative as I am today. As a child before my years in primary school I used to sit in the classroom corner singing nursery rhymes to myself. I was so timid that in a play while playing Cinderella's fairy godmother, someone had to be behind the screen doing my voice overs while I mimic this fairy who looked like 'Cinderella going to the ball' was a pain in the arse.

So NOT talkative that one April fools day just a few days before I turned 6, my classmate left me a present. The 4 year old boy wearing coconut bangles who sat next to me took amusement to my name.

"You April?"

*hush*

"Me Reagan."

Kindy talk...what do you expect? I think Tarzan and Jane had more intellectual conversations than this. Anyway...back to the story.

He grins showing his young milky white canines. "Today April Fool. You April Fool."

"No. I not April Fool" I stammer making a mess of the apple mosaic I made.

"You April Fool. I talk so."

"I don't want to be April Fool!"

"April Fool. April Fool. April Fool" he taunts in the tone of 'nyeh nyeh you cannot catch me'

"Teache... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

Reagan grabbed on to my hand like a teething baby carnivore. Somewhere in between where the teacher finally got to our table and from the moment I felt his saliva spreading on my skin, I shook my arm up and down and he still wouldn't let go. He had to be yes...HARNESSED and restrained.

Like any other kid, I got into a fit of tears and screaming while my other classmates just watched with their eyes as wide as goldfish bowls.

As I was being taken to the next empty room by the caretaker I heard Sam ask.

"Was Reagan hungry teacher?"

HUNGRY MY FOOT!

Kak Ali went downstairs to fetch a damp cloth and ice to soothe the bite. After 5 minutes or so of cold compression I removed the bundle to inspect my wound. It looked like someone fired staplers into my skin in the shape of a small oval.

After that, I took a disatisfaction to Reagan...so I scribbled his distorted image on the chalkboards as often as I could.

And thus it was also from that day onwards...I never liked it when anyone asked me corny questions in relation to my name and the word FOOL.

Don't start now. :P