Crossing the red line

WO: THE TU

more often than not made her demands. Her mother caught us chatting a couple of times but like her husband, she couldn't believe

lances when Ameria rushed to help me arrange dishes on the table. Francis definitely put on his glasses, a thing he always did when puzzled. Bu

he expression on her face. She was smiling at me and at the same time calling me a fool. I was amused and nearly laughed. Her quick ac

t night, she apologized. ' You didn't take me s

with the dishes', I said. ' The way

said.' I really don't know why I did it.

l,' I said. ' Maybe they

,. ' she said. The

a always had a reason for being near me. When I was weeding the flower garden, she would tell her parents that she wanted to c

excuse would give her a ticket to the kitchen where she would join me and help me wash the dishes. Meanwhile, we would chat under

ransportation of my mother toungue. Instead of saying, ' I failed in my exams,.' I invariably said, ' I fell down

furthering your studies?

now. I can't go

he suggested. ' There are correspondence

elessly. ' I am not the type that can stud

thing is possible if there is devotion an

ks. Then I started wondering why she was

of your future. Without good education, the prospects for your future are

hadn't thought about the betterment of my future before.

avail myself to you in case of difficultie

will enrol with a correspondence school a

studied all sorts of funny subjects: Geography - how cold it is in Greenland, why the earth is round and not flat like tray; why the sun looks like a small lump yet it is bi

th other atoms to make molecules to make compounds; how those compounds could be dangerous if not wel- tethered. Ge

orced lessons. Although the tutor encouraged me with fake correct marks, I rarely got the minimum pass marks. After four months of day and night studies, I gave up, but kept on f

?' I asked in a

old you before, but I was scared and I wasn

we do now?

me quick thinking. Something had to be done fast. This was cri

out of the place before her parents got to know what was going on. But I couldn't imagine life without Ameria around. Despite the complications of the the situation, I had developed a strong love for her. She had given me a sense of pride. Sh

s place at first available chance.' 'How dare you?' she protested. ' Can you possibly walk on me and leave me to face my parents alone?' ' But

n my appeals. She seemed to think para

the initiative. If she suggested it, I thought, then I could investigate the possibilities

they notice it. We'll keep it a secret until it is no longe

s nothing I dared more than facing Francis to explain Why Ameria was p

with her. It would be an endless argument wit

e up my mind to resign the next day. She would be in school when I tendered my resignation. What a surprise she was going to have, when she came back from school to find me gone! And me

rose from the bed . I hadn't slept a wink. My eyes were sore after staring

kirt and white blouse, she looked so innocent and delicate that I felt a spasm of guilt at imagining what was coming to her. She entered the car and looked towards my direction, as if she was awar

He gave me the usual casual look, half hostile and half godly. 'Sir, I am resigning,' I s

. ' What is so wonderful about home?' he asked at last. ' I want to do some farming.' A gain he gave me a hard stare. He was wondering how a cheap

ught I deserved some credit. These rich ass-holes, I thought furiously. They never give a damn about what a poor man has done for them even when it is their turn to command. I was abashed. ' I thought I should bid you farew

, humiliated, unwanted and valueless. I ins