Life has strange ways of teaching you lessons. I learnt a valuable lesson the very first day of school.

It was my very first day at school and I was excited. Transitioning from a Kindergarten to the big school is a thrilling feeling for a 5 years old and I couldn’t stop grinning as I left home in my new uniform, new shoes and new water bottle. I felt very grown up as I settled down in the front seat next to my dad and gaily waved goodbye to my mum who was standing at the door . She looked a bit apprehensive and that worried me.  I was quiet on the way to school and looked out of the window as the world sped by. I clutched on to my dad’s hand as he walked me into class. Would I like this new adventure?

But Mrs. S was a kindly old lady who patted my hand and reassured my dad that I’d be fine and led me into the classroom.  I took one last look at him walking away and hung my bottle next to the others along the wall.I stared in fascination at the colourful charts pinned to the boards with shiny brass tacks and  sat at the desk the teacher assigned to me. I don’t remember much of the day but I do know that I was fascinated by the golden tacks that held up all the charts along the wall. They glistened every time I looked at them and I kept imagining how they’d look stuck up inside my cupboard, or perhaps on my headboard or may be even a felt board on which I could stick things, if I could persuade my mum to get me one.

When the bell rang at the end of the school day, I looked once again at the charts on the wall and said a silent goodbye to the golden tacks while intoning  “Good afternoon and Thank You Mrs. S” with the rest of the class.

I gathered my things and was joining the line to go down to the school hall where we’d be picked up by our parents, when I saw something glistening in the corner. I couldn’t believe it when I realised it was a tack and it wasn’t just one but five of them: 5 Golden Tacks!

“Don’t take things that don’t belong to you,” my mother’s words rang in my head as I reached out to pick them. But I ignored that little voice and buried the tacks in my pocket.

I was pleased with my little secret and hid the tacks in my cupboard as soon as I reached home.

That night, I felt a sharp prick in my foot as I was getting into bed. I turned my foot over and saw a golden tack gleaming maliciously at me. I quickly pulled it out and watched the blood ooze out. The pain was killing me and I flung the tack into a far corner. The next morning I put the 4 tacks inside my pocket and quietly took them back to school.

I’m linking this post to Write Tribe’s #MondayMusings