The First Grader Page #4

are giving me money for Maruge.

He threatened me.

What did you say to him?

- I told him to leave.

- Oh, Jane.

You must be careful.

You're butting heads

with powerful people.

What did you expect me to do, Charles?

You should be in Nairobi with me.

I can't protect you

when you're there.

OK.

I'm coming home.

I'll cancel my meetings for tomorrow.

Thank you.

Charles?

I'm sorry.

I love you.

OK.

Yes?

Charles Obinchu?

Yes. Hold on a minute.

Yes?

Do you know how your wife spends

her evenings when you're not there?

Maybe you don't mind

if she has a boyfriend, eh?

We know those newspaper people

gave you some money.

We want a share.

What money?

I have no money.

- Old man...

- Leave me alone!

Go to the school and

teach Maruge a lesson.

Make sure and make no mistake.

Scare him away from here for good.

No mistakes!

You don't hurt the children. Am I clear?

- Yes.

- Today we are doing it.

Yes!

Who are the lions on my team?

Yes! Who are the elephants

on Maruge's team?

OK, are you ready?

Are you set? Let's go!

OK, quick, so we can beat...

Get away from the window!

Get away from the window!

Sit down, everybody. Sit down!

Francis! Get away from the window!

Get away! Get down!

What's going on here?

You think you can

do anything to me?

What can you do?

What can you do?

Let's go, let's go. The old bull is crazy.

Let's go, let's go!

Leave him! Leave him!

Let's go, man. Let's go!

- Go away!

- Stay there, Kamau.

You can do nothing.

This is getting out of hand, Maruge.

We are alright. It's nothing wrong.

They won't come back.

I'm OK. I'm alright. Just a few people

I've just annoyed. It's OK.

- Are you OK?

- I'm fine.

"Long neck,

"tummy fat,

"number 5 wears a hat."

Can you imagine that, Kamau?

A man with a long neck

and a big tummy, fat,

and wears a hat!

"Long neck,

"tummy fat,

"number 5 wears a hat."

Good. Now I want you to try it.

"Long neck,

"tummy fat...

"...number 5 wears a hat."

Very good, Kamau. Very good!

Want to try it again?

Yeah, good.

"Long neck...

"...tummy fat,

"number 5 wears a hat."

Great!

You sure you can do it?

- Are you sure?

- Yes.

Yes, I know you can!

And I knew you could!

Yes.

- For me?

- Yes.

Thanks, Jonas.

- I can't believe this.

- Hmm?

He's transferred me.

What? Where to?

Turkana is 300 miles away from here.

How are we supposed

to see each other?

You're not taking that transfer,

and that's clear.

Well, I'm not resigning, Charles.

I refuse to give Kipruto the satisfaction

as a matter of principle.

To hell with principle!

They are throwing bloody rocks

at the classroom.

They transfer you.

I'm having problems at work.

Can't you see what this thing

is doing to us?

So, what do you want me

to do, Charles? Hmm?

Go quietly and shut up,

like a good Kenyan woman?

"Women must be seen

and not heard," is that it?

You are seen, trust me.

You are seen!

Seen?

Are you accusing me of something?

Jane,

people are beginning to talk.

I get phone calls day and night,

telling me things.

That you're having an affair.

Are you?

Are you having an affair?

How low can they go?

How far are you willing

to take this, Jane?

Why are you risking everything

because of this old man?

Just let it go.

Let it go.

You know what the simple

answer is, Charles?

I just don't have any way

to turn him away.

I'll go to Turkana.

But I'm not resigning.

I'm not giving in to them.

- Karibu.

- Asante.

Tell me your mind.

I go with you to Turkana.

I'll go to school there.

No, thanks, Maruge.

I don't want any more battles.

Turkana is far.

What about your husband?

He'll stay in Nairobi.

He's very busy.

We've been apart so much

we're used to it, yeah?

You're suffering because of me.

No.

It's my decision.

I think I'm too old to learn.

My father had a saying.

He wasn't an educated man.

He was a fisherman.

But he said,

"Learning never ends until

you have got soil in your ears."

What was your father's tribe?

Kisii.

From the lakes.

Good people.

Wow!

That was a long time ago!

A handsome man, Maruge!

And your wife, she's very beautiful.

Yes.

Thank you for the tea, Maruge.

I will see you tomorrow for my last day.

You know, my mother

never went to school.

But she said to me,

"Jane, you must love education,

"because I want you

to be better than me."

Now, I am your mother,

and I am telling you all

you must love education...

...so that you can be better than me

and all of us teachers here.

- Si ndiyo?

- Ndiyo.

Good.

Some of us have bought gifts

for Teacher Jane.

Can I see them?

OK, Faith. Would you like to start us off?

Oh!

A bracelet! Thank you so much.

These are just for you, Teacher Jane.

Have you seen Maruge?

No, I haven't seen him.

- Good morning, children.

- Good morning, sir.

Children, I am Mr. Kipruto,

and I'm pleased to announce the

appointment of the new head teacher,

the new mwalimu mkuu,

who will take the place of Teacher Jane.

The new head teacher has shown

loyalty and dedication

to the education of children

and we feel is greatly deserving

of this promotion.

I expect you to show your full support

for Mrs. Grace Muthumba.

She'll be joining us this afternoon.

So in the meantime,

I'll be standing in her place.

I used to be a teacher.

So we'll have fun, right?

Yes.

Alright, children. And then you've got

class. And then you've got class.

No running! No running, no running,

no running, no running.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

I need to go to the city.

You're going to the city? Let's go.

- That's my fare.

- What?

What am I going to do

with a goat, Maruge?

You can breed more goats.

- Oh, come on, Maruge.

- I've got to get to the city quickly.

That's not fair. Maruge, next time

you need to get hard cash.

Free education is

messing you up, Maruge.

She's here!

Hello! So many faces.

Come on.

You get the padlock.

Faster, faster, faster.

Move back!

Go back. Go back, go back.

OK, throw. Throw!

We want Teacher Jane!

We want Teacher Jane!

We want Teacher Jane!

We want Teacher Jane!

Teacher Jane!

Maruge, your damn goat

is peeing on everyone here!

Hey, what's that? You're an idiot

for going back to school.

This celebrity culture

has gone too far now!

You, stop that, now.

No! Look at them! I can't

handle such indiscipline!

They're just... little children!

They're just little...

Hey, we can take care of them!

- No!

- Grace, please!

They're just little kids!

We want Teacher Jane!

We want Teacher Jane!

Sorry!

Grace!

Grace!

Wow, karibu!

This is where everybody is.

But don't worry, we have

a better place, alright?

There's no demonstration. So many

people are doing their business, Maruge.

Watch out, watch out!

When you get lost here,

just raise your ID.

Wah-wah! Nairobi, here we come.

This is Nairobi!

Got the old guy

from the education campaign

here with me in reception.

He wants to see the chairman.

OK, thanks.

Excuse me. The chairman is busy.

Would you like to see

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