School Dinner

Looking back now I can’t remember the exact reason for sitting in the head teacher’s office. It was probably for fighting. He told me that I was being excluded from school for 1 day. This was the first time something like this had happened.  Although looking back now, I don’t think I was ever in the running to be student of the year.

I don’t think the head teacher really understood me. I recall one day when he was covering for our teacher as she was off sick. We all sat down while he took the register and money for school dinners. I handed mine in as I did every week. 

“Its empty?” he said with a puzzled look.

“No, it’s got a cheque in it, my mum always pays with a cheque”

I could feel everyone was looking at me. When he proceeded to open up the envelope and tip it upside down in front of the class it made me feel like a thief. An embarrassed thief as the class was now laughing. 

I didn’t eat my dinner that day. I hadn’t paid for my dinner so I didn’t deserve one in my mind. If anything being hungry for the rest of day made me feel better, it was a punishment I had given myself that I felt I deserved.

Turns out I was on free school dinners. It says it in the register next to my name. Why did I take an empty envelope in every week? My mum did it to protect me from being bullied for being “poor”.