Today they found some chocolate sticks in my bag. I bought it earlier because I was feeling lousy and sick, and thought I needed a sweet snack to keep myself going. This time, he asked me if he could take it. I said...its mine...because I really did feel like I sorta need it..and I said you can take one but I need the rest.  In hindsight I don't know why it was such a big deal...maybe automatic response to rightaway reject because they always try to take things they see. He left with it to help me put my bags on my table. I went back to the table and it wasn't there. They took all of it, I thought. Oh well, I thought...at least this time he asked. I thought back to the times he took my stuff without asking. And the times he seemed to take it lightly when I talked to him about it. At least he asked this time, I thought. That's progress .

It wasn't until layer when I was about to leave for the day that I saw it...The box of chocolate sticks, in my bag. They left it back there after all.

...

I've been thinking I should journal our journey together, me and him, Sasi. I first had him last year, 2013 in my remove class. He was so difficult, maybe my most.difficult student at first. Couldn't sit still. Ran around. Head of pack he led the others to disruption. Loud.

Maybe about four or five months into the year, he stole my blue tac and chewed on it. I had to ask him to spit it in my hand. I was out of my wits with him.

Once I talked to him at the balcony.  Then I realised his bm or English was poor....A lot of times it was that he couldn't understand or communicate with me more than anything. I asked him about his background. ..His father had died, about a month before. He was real then, I could see the sad in his eyes. It was then he became to me a human, not just an annoying kid.

I noticed how he liked drawing,  colouring. He became much better towards the end of the year.

Somewhere mid year I trusted him and he took my token gifts...silly little key chains that were meant for them anyway. I thought incredulously. ...why would you.steal something that we meant for you in the first place? Word got out and he got caned for it, and his friends.

I took them bowling,  then to read at my house. McDonald's for him for the first time. First time I saw his home. I thought. ...This is the epitome of the student we had joined to serve. Capable,  smart, with potential...but underprivileged.  Lacking opportunities.

He was one of the 8 in class who got the minimum 20 I set on the mid term paper...A difficult paper. I took them to KFC. ..frost. time for him. He asked for three pieces of chicken and only ate one. A few days later I asked him if he went home and ate the other two. He gave it to his mom. I knew it.

Sasikumar is the reason why I will stay texting next year.  I don't want our friendship to end.