BECAUSE OF A WOMAN

Esau passed his final year examinations at primary school with flying colours and was admitted at the secondary wing of Braeburn school, which was attended by mostly Indian boys and girls.

It was quite popular among the private international schools on the Kenyan coast because students usually obtained excellent results in their school certificate examinations.

Indeed, many parents who could afford good education were always happy whenever their children were admitted into Braeburn secondary wing.

Alfredo, like the other parents whose children did well in examinations, was quite pleased. He was very proud of his son when he went to check and collect the results. His son had proved it; he could succeed as he had done.

Nothing succeeds like success. Suddenly, Alfredo began to realise his dreams were being achieved as he saw his son doing well.

Suddenly, he moved out of the company house at Nyali and bought his own mansion in the same estate where he employed servants and guards to ensure no one tried to see him without an appointment. Each good fortune seemed to attract another like a magnet.

Suddenly, he became wealthy, famous, and important in the port city of Mombasa, and there were only a few people in the metropolis who had not heard of him.

Suddenly, he began interacting with the rich, mighty, and famous and had to engage the services of lawyers to protect his legal rights, financial affairs, and the businesses he had established.

He dined with presidents, ministers, ambassadors, actors, actresses, and business executives. Jitegemee Company and Advocates were his lawyers who handled most of his business contracts.

And doors now opened up to him wherever he went. It was with such success in mind that he tried to motivate his son.

"You've shown you are very good in academics, my son. Now, I will buy you a motor bike, which you will be riding to school," Alfredo promised.

Truly, a week later, a Honda motorcycle stood at the gates of Alfredo's home as the dealer's agent delivered it. Alfredo walked out of his house up to the gate to receive it.

"Here she is! Quite a beauty, isn't she?" He beamed happily as he spoke.

Then he seemed to remember something and remarked, "As you are still young, the bike will be kept here until you are old enough to use it. Of course, you can always ride around the estate in the evenings after school."

"But dad, you said I could be riding it to school..."

"No, I have changed my mind. You're not old enough to be issued with a licence," replied Alfredo before adding after a few seconds: "It would be illegal for you to ride the bike at your age along a busy highway. As I said, you can always ride it around our estate as long as you don't go to town."

Esau's was quite pleased to have the motorbike. He was also happy he had scored well in examinations, which prompted his father to buy him the gift.

But he kept longing for the day he would ride to school and show his friends the gift his father had bought him.

At secondary school, he was as zealous as he had always been knowing he had to justify his pass at primary level and prove it was not a fluke. With that in mind, he began programming his studies and prepared a suitable reading and study timetable for himself.

He decided he would read only a single subject in the evenings for a maximum of two hours. But during the weekend, he would read two subjects for one and half hours each.

That study method, he reasoned, would ensure every subject was attended to. He was sure doing so would leave him quite an organised pupil who struck a balance in all the subjects.

Esau's first year at secondary school was quite uneventful. He only remained a studious pupil who achieved good results when he obtained the third position in their class. Seeing such good performance, Alfredo encouraged his son but also urged him to go for the first position.

"Be second to none," he told his son.

"I'll keep on trying, dad."

It was in his second year when Esau became interested in boxing. There were many clubs and societies at school, name it: Debating, Young Farmers, Karate, Christian Union, Young Christian Society, Wild Life, Science, and so on.

Esau decided to join the boxing club. The Clubs and Societies' Day at school was always scheduled for Wednesday at four o'clock.

The boxing club members would always meet and practice in the school hall for about two hours before leaving for their homes. But even at home, Esau always watched very keenly boxing matches on television. In this way, he learnt the various stances and movements, punches such as jabs, hooks, and upper cuts.

As days moved on, it was clear to the members of the club that Esau was emerging among one of the best boxers in the school. This became obvious when he knocked out one of his opponents in the opening rounds during sparring sessions in the evening.

But Esau knew a greater challenge lay ahead of him as the school boxing title championship in the welterweight category was held by an Indian pupil called Kamal Singh.

No light, heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions were allowed in school as the administration and even some students feared as they viewed boxing as a very dangerous sport.

Esau's boxing ability was to be tested on the school parents' day when the club patrons, their teachers, and school administration asked pupils to demonstrate whatever skills they had learnt. Indeed, various clubs and societies were to present their demonstrations on this day.