Boi Ni Bully! – Keeping Up With Boi
(It’s 4 pm and the pupils at Roho Safi Primary School are playing in the field.)
“Wewe Brayo! Leta hiyo sweater yako ama hutacheza na sisi!” Boi said in a gruff voice.
“Boi! Wacha hizo…si last time nilikupea lunch box yangu? Wacha tu nicheze na nyinyi woiye…” Brayo pleaded.
“Sisi ni ma-first body! Leta sweater yako kama unataka kucheza na sisi,” Boi insisted.
“Eeee! Peana hio sweater yako kama unataka kutujoin!” His friends incited.
“Saweni tu!” Brayo sobbed as he gave Boi his sweater and ran back to class.
“Nkt! Brayo anakuanga msofti! Ata ana bahati ni hometime. Ningeendelea kumchokoza! ” Boi said with a shrug of pride.
“Lakini wewe Boi pia hungechukua sweater yake. Atavaa nini akienda home?” One of his friends asked reproachfully.
“Nye nye nye nye nye! Pia wewe umekuwa msofti? Ah! Mimi naenda home. Tupatane kesho,” Boi swaggeringly wrapped his new sweater around his neck as he said goodbye to his friends.
( Later on…it was a quiet evening at Boi’s home. Baba Boi was reading a newspaper, Boi and his siblings were watching Bob The Builder on Akili Kids! TV and Mama Boi was folding clothes when she noticed something peculiar)
“Boi! Hii sweater ni ya nani?”
“Eeeeh…Mum unasema?” Boi replied cluelessly.
Then it dawned on Mama Boi…
“Aiyaya! Boi, usiseme hii sweater ni ya Brayo! Eh?”
“Mum sikuelewi,” Boi tried to downplay his mother’s revelation.
“Mwalimu wako amenipigia simu leo jioni kuniambia ulichukua lunch box na sweater ya Brayo by force. Nilidhani mwalimu maybe ameku-mistake na kijana mwingine lakini! Kumbe ni ukweli?” A disappointed Mama Boi replied.
At this point, Boi was feeling quite nervous, his palms were sweaty and he kept fidgeting.
“Maa-aaa–m ni-ni-ni-nilikuwa nataka sweater yake juu-juu-juu…”
“Ju ni nini?” Mama Boi interrupted.
“Ju ni smart na najua ningekuambia unibuiye kama hio ungesema hauna doh.” Boi stammered.
“Ata kama Boi. Hufai kuchukua vitu za watu! Na nikikuambia sina pesa, hufai kukasirika. Si sisi husave tukitaka kununua kitu?” Mama Boi asked.
“Ndiyo mum,” Boi replied with guilt.
“Isitoshe…jana tuliwatch na wewe My Better World. Unakumbuka Abi akihurumia ule kijana mwenye hakuwa na chakula? Alafu, akampeleka kwa hoteli akule?” Mama Boi asked.
“Yes, mum.”
“Mbona hukuhurumia Brayo venye ulichukuwa sweater yake? Unajua aliskia baridi akienda home?”
“Pole mum,” Boi bursted into tears.
“Haiya, fanya aje, kesho nataka urudishie Brayo sweater yake. Uta-apologize to Brayo, Mama Brayo na Teacher Jack, unaskia? Nastaki kusikia hii maneno ya bullying tena, Boi! Tuko pamoja?” Mama Boi said with a stern voice.
“Ndiyo mum,” Boi agreed as he wiped his tears.
“Boi, nataka uniskize kwa makini…ni vizuri kuwa na huruma na kuishi na amani na watu. Ungependa mtu akuchokoze ama achokoze akina Keni?”
“Apana mum,” Boi whimpered.
“Si poa kuchokoza mwenzako ata kidogo! Usirudie tena, tumeelewana?”
“Sitarudia, mum. Promise!” Boi replied.
Since then, Boi has learnt the importance of empathy and now, Boi and Brayo are good friends!
Parents, what do you do when your child is a bully?