Class trouble that strated from the rugby pitch

One of the most controversial incidents of 1980 took place in a third form maths class with sodium. There was actually a scuffle between him and Big Jim (BJ) that some like to refer to as a fight. But the whole thing actually started on a rugby pitch and so that’s the right place to start this tale.

It was virtually impossible to beat Mumia on Ridge One which they considered their home ground being only a heart beat away from the house of men. And so before a game against Mumia in the inter-house Junior rugby 7-a-side that year I helped give a pep talk that got us Kirk guys really psyched up and ready to attempt the impossible. Still the game went predictably with Mumia taking an early lead even as we fought back ferociously and somehow held the score down.

Then some of the Mumia players did what you never EVER do to a ref. The truth is that Sodium was not very conversant with rugby rules but you still do not make careless comments out of anger. Mumia with a comfortable lead that they just needed to hang onto made that fatal mistake. Sodium lost it and promptly gave us a totally unwarranted penalty about 25 yards out. Mumia kept on grumbling and without hesitating he moved the penalty to about 5 yards from the Mumia try line. To be fair to Mumia it was actually supposed to be an indirect free kick but Sodium did not indicate whether it was direct or indirect, which I deviously took advantage of (my sincere albeit belated apology goes out to Mumia).

BJ and his ferocious brother stood right in front of me and those who knew the terrible twins will know what I am not exaggerating when I say that this was an impenetrable wall that probably only a tank would have had a chance of going through. And so charging over the line was out of question. I would be lying if I said that as I held the ball to take the kick I felt confident.

It was the dying minutes of the game and so I decided to take a huge risk. I tapped the ball and swung my arms as if I was going to make a long pass. To my utter relief Big Jim and his bro moved in the direction of my hands and I went over the line for a try which Sodium awarded. I believe the conversion went over but what I am certain about is that we won that game very narrowly.

Livid is a weak word to describe what our Mumia opponents felt as the final whistle was blown immediately after the conversion.

The next day in the Maths class Big Jim was still fuming over what he must have felt (quite rightly) was a victory stolen from them. When Sodium walked into the class it did not take him long to realize it. He asked BJ to stand up and get out of his class which he refused. And that was when he completely lost it and attempted to push him out. Now BJ was extra-ordinarily strong. We went on to play rugby with him at many levels and I saw him many times do things to people who were twice his weight that you and I wouldn’t even manage with people much lighter. And so Sodium’s best efforts yielded zero. It would have been funny if the possible consequences of what was happening were not so grave. A few guys who were close to BJ intervened and tried to persuade him to obey. He did not budge. Sodium threw what was supposed to be a punch but BJ easily intercepted it and held his hand. Luckily BJ suddenly opted to walk out in disgust and Sodium followed him out of a shell shocked class.

I don’t quite remember how the matter was settled, but to Sodium’s credit BJ was not even suspended although such a case would have warranted an expulsion.

And it all began on a rugby pitch.

I am grateful that I got to know BJ fairly well in the years that followed and discovered to my shock the soft side of him. I know if he were to read this he would have looked at me with that mock threatening look I still see and said something Like; “You, Jaha, I’ll beat you.” I miss him like so many people who will read this thread do. RIP BJ.