A Little Guy with Big Dreams That Are Soooo Totally Not Gonna Happen

By Ernest Antwi

This is the coming of age story of a tall lanky boy with knock-knees who tried to find his place in life by trying to write like his favourite author. The story journals his mischievous escapades and shenanigans, his awful shyness of girls, and his general social awkwardness. It also recounts his emotions and the incidents that happened around him before, during and after he wrote the book, including his brazen efforts to get it published, although he was told it was never going to happen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ernest Antwi
• Release date: Sep 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463852774

Ernest Antwi

At the age of thirteen, Ernest wrote his first book. He never stopped writing, and, currently, he has a number of books, plays and poems either ready for publication or in different stages of development.Ernest holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Science in Refugee Studies. He is also the founder of a charity organisation called Refugee Aware. He presently lives in London with his wife and three sons.

Book preview

A LITTLE GUY WITH BIG DREAMS THAT ARE SOOOO TOTALLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN

By Ernest Antwi

Copyright © Ernest Antwi - 2018

Copyright Notice

No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the Ghana Library Board, and to my siblings: Emmanuel, Elizabeth, Philip, Samuel, Solomon, Lilian, and Priscilla, as well as to my aunt, Esther.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

To all my friends and members of my family who encouraged me to write when I was only thirteen years old. Also, to my English teachers at Accra Academy, who read the script and pushed me on to do better. This book was only the beginning of an awesome journey I would embark on later in life. Without writing this, I may not have written anything at all. Lastly, to my wife and sons: my muses; you inspire me every day. Thank you.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CAPTAIN’S LOG 1: MISCHIEVOUS, CREATIVE, AND SOOOO SILLY

OH, SOOOO NAUGHTY

LANKY AND OH, SOOOO NERDY

SOOOO UTTERLY DREADFULLY SCARED OF GIRLS

BOY, THAT’S SOOOO BAD

OH, THAT’S SOOOO ENID

THE STORY: ADVENTURE IN MCWOOD VILLAGE

CHAPTER ONE: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

CHAPTER TWO: A PICNIC AND A SURPRISE

CHAPTER THREE: OFF TO MCWOODS VILLAGE AND TWO FRIENDS

CAPTAIN’S LOG 2: PROUD, DETERMINED AND SOOOO FOCUSED

MY SAFE HAVEN; SOOOO NOT GONNA GIVE IT UP

SOOOO NOT GONNA LET ANYTHING STAND IN MY WAY

THE STORY: ADVENTURE IN MCWOOD VILLAGE - (CONTINUED)

CHAPTER FOUR: ENCOUNTER WITH MR. GRUFF

CHAPTER FIVE: A NARROW ESCAPE

CHAPTER SIX: A SURPRISE FOR MR.. GRUFF

CAPTAIN’S LOG 3: EXCITED, DEJECTED BUT SOOOO UTTERLY HOPEFUL

I’M SOOOO WALKING ON AIR RIGHT NOW

DEFLATED, ELEVATED, AND BOY, SOOOO DEFLATED AGAIN

INVEST £2000 POUNDS IN ME; YOU’LL SOOOO NOT REGRET IT

THE LAST STAND: SOOOO NOT SURE OF WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CAPTAIN’S LOG 1: MISCHIEVOUS, CREATIVE, AND SOOOO SILLY

***

OH, SOOOO NAUGHTY

I waited till everyone had left the classroom. I was scared out of my wits and was already feeling very guilty because I knew that what I was about to do was wrong. I took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching me. Although I was by then alone, I was afraid of being surprised by someone who had, as it often happened, forgotten to take something they needed and had come back for it.

I run to the door, noticing for the first time how close the desks were to the blackboard. I could have sworn I even heard the whispering flutter of a moth's wings as it flew over my head in search of an adventure of its own. How I could hear that, and more so over the thunderous rhythm of my heartbeat, I do not know.

I glanced sweepingly around, and almost satisfied I wouldn’t be surprised, run back to my desk. My heart continued to thump madly, and my mouth felt quite dry. From a perch on the ceiling, the moth occasionally fluttered its wings and seemed to be watching me. I ignored it.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh God, I thought. What on earth am I doing?

From where I stood I could see Fred’s knapsack sitting on his chair and leaning against the backrest. It seemed to call to me.

I gingerly weaved my way through the columns of desks and chairs, some old, some new; some rickety, others steady, but almost all plastered with some form of doodle in pencil and ink. I didn’t know why I was being careful and slow since the need to be quick on my feet was absolutely important.

When I got to Fred’s desk, I grabbed the knapsack, unzipped and rummaged through it till I felt the glossy hardcover of a book. I snatched it, putting in its place the one I carried under my arm. I zipped up the knapsack again, and this time, sauntered back to my seat, trying hard to look innocent, in case someone walked in.

At my desk, I grabbed my own knapsack and was out of the door in seconds.

This is no theft, I said. I left my own book there, didn’t I? I will return it tomorrow, won't I? I repeated several times to myself as I hurried out of the school, half expecting someone to yell my name and challenge me. I felt guilty, I must confess, but I also wanted to read the book badly. So very badly.

***

LANKY AND OH, SOOOO NERDY

I was thirteen years old and in my third year of secondary school. I was fairly tall for my age, taller than most of my mates – I must have stopped growing at fifteen because most of them either caught up with me, almost did, or even worse, grew taller than me.

There goes my height advantage,