We all have news that spreads throughout the neighborhood like wildfire; some of this news is true, and some is nothing but lies and can actually leave a dent on someone's good name and image. News like this spreads like wildfire to the point even kids in the neighborhood hear about it, and then tell other kids, and all of a sudden kids begin to fear and avoid somebody who is actually supposed to help both emotionally and academically. Growing up in my neighborhood, we had news like that; it was one of the first things we were told when we got to the age of moving around on our own. We were all told this news as a warning from when we were little, and we grew up avoiding an innocent man.
We had a young man we all knew as teacher Paul growing up in the neighborhood; he was still quite young but had gray hairs all over his head. As kids, we were told to avoid him at all costs and not go anywhere near him for any reason, as he was believed to be crazy and mentally unstable because it was believed that the mathematics he loved so much and spent so much time studying had affected his mental health, but from when we were little until we became teens, he never hurt any of us or even made an attempt to; instead, he was really nice and bought us candy whenever we asked and sometimes even before asking.
Over time he started inviting us over to the front of his house, where we sit down under a big tree and he teaches us mathematics and helps us do our homework. Our parents tried all they could, but as kids we had seen a helper and could not stop going to him for help on every subject we had difficulties with.
With how nice he was to all of us, we started questioning the story we were told about him; we were told he was mentally unstable and could hurt kids, but it has been years, and he has not hurt a single person, nor has he attempted to, nor has he hurt anybody in the past, but yet the story about him being mentally unstable keeps growing momentum and spreading like wildfire. After school he gathers all the kids and helps us do our homework as well as explain mathematics in a way even our teachers in school cannot. Our parents kept shouting and warning us to stay away from him, but we had already gotten too close and are now very comfortable and free with him.
"We should ask him why he is not trying to correct the narrative that he is mentally unstable. I can't even believe I actually believed that story. Let's ask him." Bello suggested
"How do you think he will feel when we ask him a question like that?" I asked them.
"I think we were all misled by other adults in the neighborhood, and I wonder how it must have been for teacher Paul." Sam said with a sad face.
"At least we need to hear his side of the story, and maybe from us we can change the narrative." Philemon jumped in, "Maybe that way we will have something else to believe in." Philemon added.
"That is true, but how do we go about asking the question?" Bello, who just wants to hear from teacher Paul, asked.
While we were contemplating whether to ask the question or not, and if we should, we did not know he could hear us from where he was sitting in his room, as this conversation took place under the big tree in front of his house, where we usually have our daily teachings and get him (teacher Paul) to help us do our homework like always.
"We should just let the matter be and not make him feel uncomfortable." I suggested, as I started to walk towards the house, to let him know we were outside and waiting for him.
"Agreed." Philemon said as he faced another direction, showing he was no longer interested in the conversation.
After a few minutes of waiting, teacher Paul came out with his shorts and singlet.
"Good evening, sir." We all chorused.
"I am not crazy." Teacher Paul said without even responding to our greeting.
"So what happened, sir?" Bello, who has always wanted to know the full story, shouted from the back.
"I have always loved math and talked to myself when solving mathematics. The story started years ago when I used to study under this very tree, and people saw me studying and talking to myself, so they concluded I was crazy. I tried all I could, but for the fact that many people had seen it happen, it was very easy to get people to believe, and that was how it all started." Teacher Paul said as tears dropped from his eyes.
"We also believed the story until you proved otherwise; we are sorry." We all chorused as we tried to make him feel better.
