Page 37 of I Can’t Even Think Straight

Eye for an Eye

MATT: Why did you have to lie to your mum? The truth would’ve been enough. I could’ve backed you up as well. You could’ve called me. I would’ve spoken to Auntie Irína. I was there and I know you didn’t swear directly at Mr. Ndour. And I saw how your chair fell over.

KAI: He lied about me first. He said I swore at him and threw the chair across his classroom. So, he’s getting a taste of his own medicine. My mum’s taking tomorrow morning off work. And she’s coming into school to speak to Ms. Sarpong.

MATT: You went too far to say you think he’s targeting you for being gay. I don’t think he was being homophobic.

KAI: You don’t know for sure, do you? You’ve not come out, so you don’t face the discrimination I do.

MATT: You’re weaponizing your sexuality to get your way. What if Mr. Ndour loses his job?

KAI: He’s not gonna lose his job.

MATT: How do you know for sure?

KAI: I don’t care. He lied about me.

MATT: An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind.

KAI: Are you seriously quoting the Bible at me?

MATT: No, it’s Mahatma Gandhi.

KAI: I’m not launching a campaign for India’s independence from British rule. I’m just trying to get one teacher off my back at school.

MATT: You just googled Gandhi, didn’t you?

KAI: Yes, I did.

MATT: There’s still time to tell your mum the truth.

KAI: Which is?

MATT: You didn’t swear directly at Mr. Ndour. And your chair fell over when you stood up to leave the classroom. You don’t know why he lied about it. But you have no reason to think he was being homophobic.