Stephen And The Chicken Change

When I was in primary 4 I had a best friend who was a bully in every sense of the word. He bullied younger students, his classmates and even some senior students. 

I, his best friend was not exempted too. He often bullied and coarsed me to dash him my stuff or allow him copy my assignments. 

If I told you he bullied some staff of the school too, you'd think that I'm making this up,  but it's the truth. 🙄

Our school was a mission school ran by Catholic priests who made sure morals and high standards were upheld with utmost seriousness. Despite all that, Steven was subtle and had his way around. 

There was a Saturday we went to school for drama rehearsals and after it, we played football until we became tired and hungry.

 

When we got to the school's main gate, Steven greeted the security on duty and told him to give us money to buy biscuits and zobo. just like that? 🤷

I was amazed at Steven's effontry. He demanded the money as if the man were his parent. 

"Get away small boys or I will lock the gate and flog all of you" the stern looking man in his late forties warned. 

We all ran out, except Steven. 

I heard him making a sound like a chicken and before I knew it, the man angrily dropped an old 50 naira note on Steven's hands and told him to get lost. 

The money was used to buy biscuits and zobo. We were all satisfied and hailed our hero - Steven. 

When I got home that afternoon, I tried all I could to unravel the mystery behind the chicken sound but I couldn't. The following week at school, I sneaked to the security post and made my own demands too. 

"Oga Sunday! gimme money make I buy two yoghurts. one for me and one for my friend." I queried. 

"Kookoorokooo......" 🐓I clucked 

The security man didn't only flog me, he also reported me to the discipline master for begging and I was punished. I regretted doing that and wondered if my Kookoorokooo..... 🐓

wasn't melodious enough or dramatic to attract some naira notes. 

After school at same day, Stephen angrily dragged me to the school's gate to see Oga Sunday.

"Oga Sunday give my friend money to buy rubber yogurt. You must give am oh because you don make head teacher flog am." 

The security man hesitated but surprisingly, Oga Sunday gave me the money after Stephen did three good 

👇

"Kookoorokooo......" 🐓

in your opinion, what is the mystery behind the chicken change? 

© Samuel Thomas Jr