By I was just thinking back to my high school days and one Saturday, in particular, stands out vividly – the day my brother and I were both suspended from our respective schools. Talk about a household full of trouble!
My dad, bless his heart, looked like he was about to explode. It was my first suspension, so I think he was still processing that, but my brother? This was his third time, and the look my dad was giving him was pure disbelief – like, “Did I really father this child?” Knowing my dad, if Mom hadn’t been around, my brother would have had a very direct, albeit painful, conversation about discipline that day.
So, Saturday morning, during breakfast, Dad suddenly announced, “All you two do is eat and cause trouble.” I swear I almost fired back with “So you don’t want us to eat?!” but then he continued, “That food you’re eating is what I was going to eat tomorrow if you hadn’t caused problems at school.” That made me put my slice of bread right back on the plate, sweating bullets.
Thankfully, Mom, ever the protector, jumped in. “They’re your children, what’s the big deal if they eat your food?” That was the cold water Dad needed to calm down. He ate his breakfast, still glaring at us like a dog guarding its food.
After breakfast, he told my brother to go for a walk with his “friend” for a chat. They left, and Mom wasn’t happy that it was just my brother. A few minutes later, she turned to me and said, “Let’s follow them.” I was surprised, “Why are we following them?” She just insisted, “Just put on your shoes, let’s go, no questions.”
It was like she knew exactly where they were going because she walked straight to the police station. As we got inside, I heard a voice say, “Young man, take off your shoes and trousers and give them to me.” I knew it was the police at the reception, but what really got me was hearing my dad add, “I’ll pick you up in the evening.” I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing because I knew that was my brother being told to remove his trousers!
Mom raced into the room, and I followed, ready for the drama. “Kevin?! Kevin?!” she called. “Yes,” I heard my brother stutter in response, and there he was, standing in just his boxers and a vest, crying.
“Let him sleep here tonight so he learns his lesson,” Dad told Mom. “My son is not sleeping here!” Mom screamed, snatching the trousers and shoes from the police officer, then yelled, “Kevin, put them on, we’re going home!”
“Mothers spoil their children, sir,” the officer claimed. Mom, in true Mom fashion, retorted, “Do you have a child, or what are you even talking about?” The officer shrunk back like he had no clothes on in Limuru. My brother quickly got dressed, and we left, leaving the “disciplinary chairman” at the station.
It’s a story we still talk about to this day!
