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When I was in 6th grade, I showed some sign of
greatness.  I wrote an essay about democracy and got
the highest grade of the whole school.  As any
Thakekian knew that Ecole Charite was the best
elementary school in town.  Of course, it came as a
surprise to me because there were so many brighter
students than I was.  To make matters worse to all
bright students, the teacher read my essay aloud in
front of the whole class.  He even quipped that if I
were to run for the state assembly, I would be elected
for my words were so eloquent that he wondered if I
would be able to keep my promise to the voters or not.
 Yes, that was my only big moment in that school.  You
know what? Later than year, I didn't even pass the
exam to the 7th grade.  Telling you the truth, I
daydreamed into the testing day.  Vividly did I
remember that I wrote an essay completely out of the
subject.  By failing to make a reasonable grade in any
subject, I put myself out.  I (in fact, it was my dad)
found out that the only reason I didn't get accepted
to College Thakek was of a poor grade from that essay.
You got to remember that there were hundreds of sixth
graders from all over the province competing for less
than 60 of vacant slots.  Of course, most of those who
passed the test were from my school.  That didn't
bother me much because I knew that many of them were
far more intelligence than I was.  What ticked me was
that one of my acquaintances who didn't fare as well
as I did got accepted to College Thakek.  Worse, he
lived next to my house.  His mom and mine always liked
to compete in whatever they had, namely the dress. At
times, it went as far as who got the best kid. 
Failing the College test ensured his mom that she got
the best kid.  Fortunately, I didn't live in Thakek
long enough to endure that shame.  Right after the
exam, we moved to Thadeua, Vientiane.  That was
another story.


(to be continued)