Lives Between Walls

I knew a tortoise. His name was Karabo. I also knew a cheetah, his name was Kaufman. Karabo had one weakness, he was very slow, but Kaufman was very fast. I was good friends with Kaufman. But can you really blame a girl? Who wouldn’t have been? There was something quite exciting about speed.

Way ahead of his time.

I remember in our primary school, he was the first to get a cellphone in our class. The boys would crowd around him till the teacher would get fed up. Mr Pig would go, “Oink Oink Oink Oink!” And the class would scatter back into their seats. Everyone wanted to be around Kaufman, he never had a shortage of friends. Actually, I wouldn’t call them friends, more like fans – and he was like the celebrity of our school.

He was way ahead of his time.

I remember, he was the first to get a girlfriend in our school. I was the lucky girl. It was my dream to be with him, the fastest boy in the school. He walked me to my class, he would carry my bags, and hang out with me at lunchbreak. I was the envy of the school. We would be nominated for the couple of the week many times over. I remember the first time he kissed me, we were in Grade 3 – we kissed behind the school locker rooms. Someone must have seen us, because the following day my friends started acting funny around me. Anna the Beetle said to me, “Tsk tsk tsk tsk.” I blushed. It would appear that the rumours had spread fast around the school, Kaufman had now become the first boy to kiss a girl in our school. That was my Kaufman.

Way ahead of his time.

I remember Kaufman became the first boy to smoke a cigarette in our school. I remember him being called to the headmasters office in Grade 5. Mr. Peterson the horse had said to him, “Neigh! Neigh! Neigh!” I had never seen him so angry. Kaufman’s parents were brought to the school and pleaded with him that he not be expelled from the school. He told me all this later at lunchbreak. I was quite disappointed in him and asked why he had smoked the cigarette in the first place. He replied, “Hrnh rrrah raahh.” I threw my wings around him, and he gently wrapped his paws around me. He knew just what to say to reassure me. I was just glad that he was not going to be expelled and that we would continue to be together. That is my Kaufman.

Way ahead of his time.

I remember Kaufman, became the first boy to have sex. This was now in high school and we had reached Grade 9. He had invited me to his house and his parents where away. I was scared at first initially, but Kaufman was the perfect gentleman – he reassured me every step of the way. My first experience was okay, just a bit quicker than I expected. He told me that it would become better the more we did it. I was happy that my first experience was with him. It was over now, and at least no one would find out about it. I remember a few weeks later I had a slight conflict with one of Kaufman’s friends. “Arnie, would you please stop making a noise – we are trying to work here!” I was somewhat of an serious student and I hated it when the class kids became rowdy when the teacher was out. Arnie the chicken retorted, “Cluck cluck bakaaak!” The class was in uproar over his comment about me sleeping with Kaufman. My face was burning up, I felt so ashamed as I was surrounded by a see of giggling and shocked faces. I had done the only thing I could do, I ran out the class. Kaufman on the other hand, got his award, the title of the first boy to have sex in our school.

Way ahead of his time.

I was so angry at him. “How could you tell everyone about that Kaufman?!” He had looked at me with a smug expression, and replied “Hnrh harrgh raw!!” I was shocked and hurt. Was he really asking to break up with me?! “Are you being serious right now? I should be breaking up with you!” He was staring at his paws, as the realisation dawned on me. “Oh my God! I don’t believe this. I am going to be the first girl to be dumped by Kaufman!” He smiled, revealing his fangs. “Is this what it’s all about to you Kaufman? External recognition? When are you just going to live your life and stop trying to be a celebrity?” I cried out to him. “Hrnh rah!” Was the last words he spoke to me, before he trotted away, leaving me to pick up the pieces of my broken heart from the floor. I was quiet in class from that time forth. The class felt sorry for me. Kaufman however, had become the first boy to break a girl’s heart in our school.

Way ahead of his time.

Then I noticed another boy. I had literally never seen him before. His name was Karabo the tortoise. Its funny how I only noticed him when my own frequency changed, and I had become quieter. This guy was so shy and timid, and he was the last to achieve anything. He actually didn’t stay too far away from my house, so I started hanging out with him and we became good friends. We got closer and closer till eventually we started dating towards the end of our final year in varsity. Karabo was the last boy to get a girlfriend from all the guys in our school. We are in a steady relationship to this day. Everyone keeps pressuring us about getting married, but we will not give in to that pressure. I didn’t mind us being the last to get married, because I know life is much more enjoyable when you live it at your own pace. I recently heard about Kaufman. He had just been on the cover of Forbes, as the first young male from Orchiville to create a billion dollar business. That was Kaufman, a mover and shaker. His Facebook statuses always spoke about that how one should create wealth, and that one needed to always be thinking up new business opportunities and all that. That was not the life for me though. Trust me, the front row seats to life where not as glamorous as they were made out to be, and they were quite costly.

This morning I read an article in the local press, Kaufman, had become the first male from our class to commit suicide. I remember my heart broke, “Oh Kaufman, why?” But that was just him.

Way ahead of his time.