5/18/2002:
this morning when i rode up to my principal's place to get her keys and get her to sign my annual leave she seemed quirkier than usual. kept going on about how she left school early on Friday b/c she had work to do. that she didn't have to stay at school all day / all week by herself. that she had responsibilities (school tasks) outside of school.
you see, i made it to school on Friday just before midday and passed her on the way. no one (none of the administrative staff) where at school and, thus, i couldn't fill my marks. that's what i just finished doing up here in her office. i assured her that i didn't expect her to always be at school, but at least one other admin member: SG [secretary general], DS [dean of students], VP [vice principal] or even the secretary.
she agreed. said something about all of them loitering up in Bamenda and something about how i should go back and write about her as a good administrator. never gave the comment a second thought... until later today. Paul hands me a newspaper (The Herald) and asks me to read what they've written about our "mother." i.e. our principal.
the article – part of a feature named the Unexpected – ripped her to shreds. so caustic. about how evil and mean-spirited this old witch who makes everyone call her "auntie" is. about the controversy surrounding admission of students through the backdoor. and even about personal issues like being greedy, having no children, living alone in a big empty house and trekking 4 miles to school everyday. ruthless.
worst part is there must've been an insider giving up info like that. the VP and another colleague looked, at best, apathetic and, at worst, amused. although scathing articles of this sort could easily hit our VP like that some day. EASILY.
anyway... i figure that's why our principal was all worked up this morning. chip on her shoulder and an axe to grind... her poor house-help! that young woman she has living with her. has to listen to her all night.
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