You were on a bus to school. Three boys sitting next to you in the last row were giggling and the next moment, they took out a marker and began scribbling on the back of a seat.
I woke up to the merry chirping of birds. It was half-past six in the morning. I got out of bed and changed into my school uniform. After taking my breakfast, I walked to the bus stop to wait for the bus to go to school.
About ten minutes later, the bus arrived. As I was early, the bus was not very crowded. I found a seat at the last row and sat down. That was my favourite spot as I enjoyed observing people on the fifteen-minute journey. After two stops, three boys boarded the bus. They were from my school and I recognised one of them as Nick, a Primary Six boy who loved to tease the Primary Four pupils during recess. The three boys sat next to me in the last row. At such early hours, they were making a din. Many commuters turned to cast angry looks but the boys were oblivious to their surroundings. They continued laughing until someone said, “Shh! Keep quiet!” They fell silent for a while and then began giggling again.
I shook my head and then moved nearer to the window I did not want to be associated with them. Every now and then, I cast furtive glances to see what they were up to and I was horrified when one of them took out a black marker from his bag and they began taking turns to draw pictures and scribble obscenities on the back
I knew I alone, would not be able to do much so 1 made a note to see the discipline master first thing when I reached school. When the bus pulled up at the stop outside my school, 1 alighted quickly and ran all the way to the General Office.
Fortunately, Mr. Ng, the discipline master was already there. I told him what I had witnessed on the bus and I told him one of the culprits was Nick from Primary Six. I could see him seething in anger and then he thanked me before storming away.
During assembly, Mr. Ng came on stage with the three boys tailing behind. All of them were looking down and one of them was sobbing away. Mr. Ng told the school what the three boys had done. As vandalism is a criminal offence, the three boys would be caned and suspended. He said that the bus company had been informed and the three boys would have to bear the cost of removing the graffiti.
As I walked back to class, I kept thinking of what had happened. If only the three boys had thought carefully before they acted. They would not be in this plight now.
