Do you fear me now?

Today was a regular day, but according to feedback from my American readers, even regular days are interesting to read about.

I finally got to join in on the orientation of first years.  Immy and I had the task of orienting about the library and ICT.  We thought this time would be best spent talking about rules and procedures.  To do this, we did some skits of non-examples.  Immy and Nora (HOD Science) pretended to be bad students who came in the library loudly, disorganized books, shuffled their feet and dragged chairs all over the place.  We added Mr. Oketch, SST, who unbuttoned his shirt and stuffed books in, then left.  Oh goodness the students laughed.  My role was being the pissed-off librarian.  It was difficult because Mr. Oketch was hilarious, I couldn't help but smile.  I talked as slowly as possible, and I think it was effective, because the students responded quickly.

     After that, I was putting some things away in the library.  In front of the library, and down the hill a bit, is the field.  The students from MM Wanyange Primary School were there practicing for the upcoming inter-house athletics competition.  MM Wanyange is my zone school, so I've had a lot of time to counsel these student teachers.  I was saddened to see that they were carrying around sticks.  They weren't using them, but it's hard to herd 100's of kids when the certified teachers have sticks and they don't.  Or so was their excuse.  I nonchalantly walked over (at this point, the Wanyange children are pretty used to me) and I collected the sticks, one by one.  After they were released, the student teachers came to the library to greet me.  I explained that they can't even be seen carrying sticks, because it's like holding a loaded gun--holding it leads to using it.  Also, if their alternative methods are effective, they don't even need the threat of holding a stick.  I picked out one particularly nice stick--it was about a meter long and the width of a thumb.  I joked with the student teachers, "Ah, so children will fear me now, ay?"
     One replied, "Ah but madam, they know you don't cane."
     I carried it home with me, twirling it around and around.  One primary school student flinched when I turned to say hello--conditioned to fear sticks!  Even though 'they know you don't cane.'  Hmm...
     On my way home, I stopped at Stephen's furniture stand.  I need him to make this odd contraption that I'll use to make straight lines on the chalkboard.  More about that later.  Anywho, while talking to him, I was playing with my stick, not thinking much about it.  While I was waiting for Stephen, a little boy, not more than maybe two years old, toddles over.  He sees me, his eyes get big, and he goes into the wood shop.  I continue to twirl my stick, waiting to explain my odd chalkboard thingamajig.  The boy toddles back, dragging a panga that's as tall as he is.  It was quite a sight.  
     "Ah!  This boy wants to kill me!"  I say, backing up.  
     The adults around start laughing, as someone took it away from him.  I still don't know if it was me being a mzungu, or if it was the stick.