BEN JASPER

Ben was a little boy. His parents felt that he was lonely because they did not have another child. Ben’s parents took his cousin Leah to live with them. Leah used to call Ben’s parents aunt and uncle. Due to this, Ben grew up knowing that he was Leah’s brother, and a nephew to Susan and Jasper who were his real parents.

One day visitors came to their home and Ben was called to greet them. ‘What is your name?’ one of the visitors asked Ben. ‘My name is Ben and I have a sister called Leah’. ‘What are the names of your parents?’ the visitor asked again. Ben did not answer. He quickly ran out of the room and continued playing with Leah.

When Ben reached five years old, his parents took him to school. Ben always avoided the question ‘What are the names of your parents?’ To him he was a brother and a nephew. His classmates used to laugh at him for not knowing his parents’ names. Others thought he feared mentioning older peoples’ names.

One day after the schools re-opened, Ben’s class teacher came to class with a register. She called out the names of the pupils who had paid their examination fee. ‘Mary James, Joseph Mwilu, Ben Jasper and Jennifer Mutua.’ The teacher called all who were called answered, ‘in madam’. Ben did not answer. The rest of the children were supposed to go home immediately and bring their examination fees.

The class teacher was surprised to see Ben walk out of class. ‘Ben!’ the teacher called, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘I didn’t hear my name madam, Ben said. ‘Go back to class and I will call you tomorrow’, his teacher said.

The following day, during the physical education lesson, the class teacher called Ben as promised. ‘Ben!’ the teacher started after they sat down under a shed. ‘Every one of us has parents. My names are Josephine Mwathi. Mwathi is my father.’ ‘But I only have a sister, uncle and auntie. Ben cut in. ‘Ben, this is the truth, whom you call your aunt is really your mother and who you call uncle is your father. Leah is your cousin that’s why she refers to your parents as auntie and uncle!’ Ben was shocked! ‘From now on you will respond to Ben Jasper. Those are your names in the register. Jasper is your Father and Susan is your Mother. Do you hear Ben?’

Ben was overjoyed and thanked his teacher for telling him all that. From that day he always addressed his parents as mom and dad. Ben’s father bought him a bicycle to mark the end of being called uncle and aunt, which he rode to school everyday. His classmates were happy and nicknamed him, ‘Ben Jasper the Cyclist’.