Footsteps resonated around the classroom, followed by an ear-piercing “’Bang!” Mr Tan, the Math teacher, slammed his worksheets on the table to make his presence known. Slouching students’ backs straightened the moment they heard the stack of papers fall onto the table. Half-opened eyes that were dotted around the room immediately flew open.
The second Mr Tan started his lessons, my eyes started to shut. The monotonous drone of Mr Tan’s voice was like a lullaby. I could hear muffled yawns across the classroom, with multiple students leaning their heavy heads against their arms. When was this horrible hour and a half going to end? I wanted to go home! Millions of thoughts sprinted through my head as I imagined leaving Math lesson behind to do more interesting things elsewhere.
My eyes were now three quarters shut and my mouth started brimming with drool. Before I could react and mentally slap myself awake, I had already created a small river of drool on my dark blue table, soaking my worksheets. My arms instinctively cuddled around each other and my head rested on them. A grin plastered itself across my face as I dreamt of watching videos and playing my favourite fast-paced games. “If only my dreams would come true,” I thought.
I did not know how long I was asleep, but suddenly I heard the hoarse and deep sound of an elderly man purposely clearing his throat in front of me. Clueless to the fact that I was a pot of boiling soup, I ignored it. The man slapped his palm down on my table, and I was so annoyed and frustrated at the loud sound that I glared at him with half-open eyes and challenged him insultingly, “How dare you disturb me! I was sleeping, you inconsiderate human!”
As I finally came to my senses, I saw Mr Tan’s beetroot-red face and felt a wave of heat emanating towards me from the bubbling anger beneath Mr Tan’s skin. I felt a lump in my throat as I breathed heavily. Bulbous droplets of sweat rained down my forehead.
“Follow me to the Discipline Master’s office! You’ll find out what punishment you will be receiving.” Mr Tan hollered.
For the next two weeks, I was made to clean the canteen toilets. It was humiliating and traumatising as I had to put up with the aroma of mouth-watering food that the stall vendors sold mixed with the stench of bodily wastes. After that humbling experience, I learnt my lesson: to sleep earlier and pay more attention during class so that I would not repeat such inappropriate behaviour.
Comments