BEVERLY HIGH HEIGHTS

Luckson woke up early along with the rest of the household. Uncle Thomas and aunty Mayble were excited at the prospect of Luckson beginning the new term at Beverly High Heights. Even Tonde and Charmaine kept throwing him hints about the great time they would be having at school together.

It had in fact been one of the reasons why the previous day when they had gone shopping for his new wardrobe, had been so exhaustive and had literally taken them a good part the day. As aunty Mayble had insisted that they make a stopover at school wear stockist. An exercise that alone had taken up more time than would have been normal, thanks to aunty Mayble's attention to detail.

Luckson did not the hive of excitement over his first day at Beverly High that seemed to have gripped the entire house hold. All through breakfast they kept assuring him of how he much he was going to enjoy the new school. As though they could convince him to look forward to the first day at his new school.

Unbeknown to then he was actually quietly moaning in his heart the unceremonious way in which he been wrenched from his old school, and it's familiar environs, and friends. He was missing everyone terribly, even the school head with his usual, "..last but not the least", speeches during school assemblies during which he would rumble on. Even after giving the impression that he was done addressing the assembled school pupils standing quietly in the crowded school hall through his monologues.

Luckson felt these self important people could not understand the world of wrong they had done him or the emotional pain they had inflicted by taking decisions regarding his education without so much as bothering to consult him. They had gone ahead and his transfer from Granite Park High school. Anyway what sort of name was Beverly Heights High school.

The long drive to school through breath taking scenery helped to calm him. There was a park like feel about the entire route which hinted at a the relaxed atmosphere of the place. It seemed to have an aura, a kind of magic of it's own, that had only explanation, as Charmaine repeatedly intoned to him in her sweet voice, "it was the heights".

He wasn't sure he quite followed when she first mentioned it with her usual beautiful smile, he felt he was beginning to get her meaning. It was simply the heights there was no explaining it. The beautiful environment greatly helped to calm his mind after the debacle of the previous night, when in her haste to rearrange his wardrobe according to her taste, aunty Mayble had thrown his old clothes out of the wardrobe.

"You can leave those old rags on the floor dear", that hateful word again had stung at Luckson's heart like a slap in the face. She had said it so matter of factly as tough it were the most natural thing in the world to say. "We 'll burn them tomorrow in the backyard". A wave of rage swept over Luckson and he would have angrily shouted,

"You will do no such thing!!"

Again aunty Mayble showed mastery in controlling others emotions by quickly adding, "We need to make room for your new clothes" in a conciliatory tone . "They all can't fit into the wardrobe, we have to be practical and only keep what you need", she went on glancing into his eyes once as she orderly packed Luckson's new clothes, which he was proud of into the wardrobe.

It suddenly made sense for him to let go of his old clothes and happily thinking of his new clothes, he instantly felt ashamed for getting angry at aunty Marble.

"Aunty", said Luckson.

"Yes dear", said aunty Mayble pausing from packing to give Luckson her full attention.

"I was thinking..."

"Yes dear", aunty Mayble encouraged.

"...instead of burning my old clothes, we can donate them to the poor in the community".

"Everyone in Beverly heights is loaded, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would want those around here. Even the domestics in the area dress better than that", aunty Marble remarked with a bemused smile.

"It's simply the heights darling", chipped in an amused Charmaine light heartedly, who was standing by the entrance.

The incident had served to remind him of the class difference between where he was now and where he had come from. Looking out the window of the passenger door in the Mercedes Benz as uncle Thomas drove him, along with Tonde and Charmaine to school it longer matter. It had been a storm in a tea cup, that was gone with the wind, like yesterday's news.

The Mercedes turned into a driveway with an arch hanging over it, boldly inscribed at the top with block letters proudly announcing, "WELCOME TO BEVERLY HEIGHTS HIGH. Then in small letters directly beneath, "REACHING TO HIGHER HEIGHTS.

There were boom gates over a wide demarcated road split into two even halves leading into the school. On side of the road the boom gate was tagged entrance only. While the boom on the our side of the wide tarred road was labelled exit only. Smiling guards stood at either end of the boom guards smartly saluting the cars as they went past.

Beyond the road lay the school buildings with a car park , one side of which was reserved for staff. Arrows led to the administration block which positioned as the first port of call for visitors. The school hall lay a bit further on along with the tuckshop.

Luckson was impressed inspite of himself. He was already taking a liking to his new school as he stepped out of the Mercedes in the car park, along with uncle Thomas, Charmaine and Tonde. The school was already a hive of activity as pupils and teachers proceeded to their various classes.

A siren went off to announce the beginning of the new learning day.

Tonde and Charmaine hastily said their goodbyes and disappeared into the bustle of activity with their satchels on their backs.