THE REAL FLEX
As I walked into the classroom, everyone were gathered around Timi. I didn't need to ask what they were huddled over and watching, brca I figured Timi must've made good on his promise to bring his new game to school.
The occasional ooohs and ahhhs punctuated the silence in what would have otherwise been a noisy classroom before we got on the assembly ground.
I wasn't one to be jealous, but in that moment I wished I was the one getting all that attention and if I wasn't the one, then Timi's game should develop a fault that would take the attention away. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I immediately clamped down on it, wondering why I had even thought of something like that.
Apart from his otherwise pompous nature, Timi was a nice guy and I knew that without asking him, we'd eventually get our turns at playing the game. But like a slithering snake, the crazy thought had already snuck into my mind and try as I could, I just couldn't get it out of my mind.
The bell to signal the time for the morning assembly soon rung and grudgingly all my classmates trooped out of the classroom, but not without me noticing Timi put the game into his bag.
If I hadn't been sure of my jealousy in the morning, by lunch break I was a hundred percent sure. Almost no one were interested in their lunch as the classroom was filled with shouts of MY TURN, as everyone struggled to get their hands on the game.
Of course I also joined in the struggle to get my hands on them but it seemed playing the game only increased my desire to own one and get all that attention. I usually got my own fair share of attention whenever I performed brilliantly in class, but I was beginning to realize that the attention you got as a kid from books and from games were two completely different things.
Immediately as we heard the bell to signal the end of lunch break, I watched Timi once again slip the game into his bag as everyone dispersed back to their seats. I was suddenly imagining how easy it would be to slip the game into my bag and take it home when no one was looking.
It was a fun day at school, but it was a miserable one in my heart. I wasn't used to feeling jealous, as I was usually contented with whatever I had. This game was stirring things within me, which I wasn't used to.
A nights sleep didn't seem to change anything. As I walked into the school compound, I met two of my classmates on the way to class already discussing their plans for the game for that day.
'Do you think he'll bring the game to school today?" asked John
"I don't know" I answered
"I hope he does, I had so much fun yesterday" replied Abiola, but we called him Ola.
"We're not supposed to bring games to school, do you think our teacher will notice?" John asked
"I don't know" I answered again
"My favorite was Tetris, what was yours?"
The boys continued to pepper me and sometimes each other with question. We eventually got to class and it had the atmosphere of mourners at a graveyard, without asking I immediately knew it had something to do with Timi's game.
At first I thought a teacher had somehow noticed the game and seized it just as John had asked me if earlier, but I soon got the whole gist. Apparently the boys had been overexcited that morning and didn't realize how much noise they were making until a fight broke out and somehow, someone mistakenly smashed the game on the ground.
My first thought was that I would be happy at this news, but as I looked at the dejected faces around me, I realized I was feeling just as miserable as they were.
Regardless of who owned the game, for a period of time we'd all enjoyed playing it and I couldn't deny how much fun it had been.
In that moment I realized a few things. The first was that my jealousy had been the stupid kind because I could've asked my parents to simply get me one instead of hating on somehow who was even willing to share his.
The second was that I usually got my fair share of bookish attention in class and I wouldn't have liked it if someone resented me for doing well.
And finally, I was simply ashamed. Yes, I was ashamed I had even considered stealing a friends game all because of the attention he was getting from owning one.
In the spirit of camaraderie, we all decided to contribute money to get Timi a new one. Of course there were a few grumbling voices claiming they only spent little time playing the game, but eventually everyone agreed it was a great idea.
I realized the real flex wasn't in owning one or getting the attention that came with it, the real flex was in having a whole class of friends to share it with.
Hmmmm, that was a huge lesson in the end for you. Honestly, we have felt like that a lot of time as kids because we wanted attention but as we grew, we realised that what matters is the friendship.
Friendship is what matters at the end.
What an interesting memory, @hazmat. You have such clear memories of the many emotions you experienced around your friend's game. It's great that at the end you came to understand that sharing the game was the best thing about it. Thank you for sharing your story in The Ink Well, and for reading and commenting on the work of other community members.
Thanks for your feedback as well