Wolf pups

Auntie, what is JJL? Thandi asked Noli. The conversation she had at school with Mandy was playing over and over in her mind. She did not want to look stupid in front of her desk mate.

Jabu Jobe Logistics, why do you ask?

What is it antie? Thandi still did not understand.

Noli looked at her niece  with curiosity. Tell me why you want to know first, she said.  Her niece was very focused on her school work, she hardly paid any interest on anything else.

My stupid rich desk mate asked me about it. Thandi could not help but get angry when thinking of Mandy.

Who is this desk mate and why is she stupid? Noli was puzzled. Thandi  was a  respectful child, calling someone stupid was unlike her.

Thandi realised that her aunt was disappointed with her for speaking in such a manner about her desk mate. She dropped her head ashamed and apologised. She related her two days of school to her aunt.

Mandy Jobe is your desk mate, she said.

You know her! Was she’s the only one who didn’t know who Mandy was?

No silly, I know her mother, Mrs J. She’s the principal at my school. Her husband is Jabu Jobe the founder of the JJL. He use to be a teacher too, you know. When South Africa attracted international trading, he resigned and started the company. Many did not think he will make it but he did exceptionally well. JJL has has more than a thousand employees and does a lot of charity work. 

Mandy has been causing a lot of trouble lately. She was expelled from her previous school. Mrs J talks about her all the time. It’s just a stage, it will pass. 

She’s mean! interrupted Thandi.

Sweetie, not everyone is as smart as you. You can’t go around calling people stupid, that’s not how you were raised. Maybe try understand her before you judge her. Noli spoke patiently to her niece.

Thandi did not want to argue with her aunt. Her mother thought her to respect her elders so she agreed and carried on with her chores.

The next day at school Thandi was impressed with Mandy’s calculations. They were all correct and she was not struggling at all.

She’s not stupid after all, antie was right I did judge Mandy too early, thought Thandi. 

She tried her best to be nice to Mandy not matter how mean she got. 

School days went by fast. The desk mates did not quarrel but also did not talk much to each other. During lunch breaks Thandi would go and chat with Cindy and Sthe. The three of them had become good friends.

Mr Q was very impressed with this years 9a group. They were focused and really good in Mathematics. He didn’t know that the classmates had decided that the rest to the class will answer his questions but when they got difficult they chose Pretty, Cindy, Mandy and Sthe to answer. Thandi would come in when everyone failed. The strategy worked and Mr Q always left their classroom with a smile.

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been 4 months since I had to fetch the sjambok for anyone. We were sheep but now we are Wolf pups. We can not be devoured! Pretty as the class representative said this speech standing in front of the classroom.

Yeeesss, cheered everyone. Boys whistled and girls were ululating. Even if they made Mr Q angry in the future and he used his sjambok, it would still less than he has ever used it compered to other grades. Indeed 9a pupils were Wolf pups and the were envied by other grades.