As you all know, we, the members of staff of Kent High School, only give an award to the best student for each session. Without much ado, I’d like to announce the best student of the school in the 1998/1999 academic session. He is in the person of Spencer Hill! Spencer, come forward to receive your reward!” Spencer hurriedly left the seat and moved at the pace of the sounds of ovation by the invitees, including Ken Moore to receive the prestigious Best Student Award from Mr. Mark Fisher, the anchor of the school’s organized End of the Year ceremony.

Spencer came from a family of educators. His mother, Jane Hill, was a lecturer at the University of Middleton while Charles, his father, was a professor in the university’s faculty of law. They both had shares that would last them a lifetime and the life of Spencer, their only son. From the cradle of childhood, Spencer had been made to believe all there is to life is all about acquiring degrees upon degrees. His parents taught him how to prioritize above any other concerns academic education.

Ken Moore, a New Zealander by origin, was born to Victoria Moore Australian, and Jim Moore, New Zealander but was bred in London, England. His parents moved to London when they were in their twenties. Working as seamstress and a carpenter respectively, they both channeled their resources to ensure their son stepped into and came out with qualifications; from primary to the tertiary levels.

Since high school, Spencer had always had an edge over Ken. Spencer was very good at Mathematics, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Economics. While, Ken, who was referred to as ‘a very slow learner’, by Mark Fisher, his class teacher and the anchor of the yearly End of the Year Ceremony, was never good at any subject! In Fact, he failed all the subjects he took part in! Though he enjoyed reading articles that explained the business of gold, he didn’t find his bearing academically as resultant poor grades in all his subjects he sat for with Spencer and his classmates were nothing to write home about. It was no surprise seeing Spencer come out in flying colours in all the subjects he wrote, be it in examinations or tests.

To be honest, Ken was a dullard. His ability to intelligently interpret what he was taught in class was very poor. In one of his Physics class, Mr. Mark threw an open question to the class when he asked: “who among you know what is light?” Two students raised their hands; Spencer and Ken. In trying to make a jest out of Ken, he asked him to stand from his seat and answer the question. He felt sorry for himself when he answered; “light is anything you can see through”.

“You’ve been in my class for God knows when. Yet, you can’t define what is light is, in a scientific sense. You’re a misfortune to mankind!” The words uttered by the ragging Mark. Instead of expressing remorse, the rest of the class poured laughter on Ken’s scientifically baseless definition and Mark’s remarks on Ken’s answer to the asked question.

“Light is a form of energy”, said Spencer when asked the same question, “that causes a sensation of vision”. A resounding applause was made by other members of the class and Mark, who couldn’t but admire his brilliance. From then on, Ken would never be the same.

Ken was kept at arm’s length from relating with others after classroom hours. During break hours, he was left wandering about the school premises unattended to because there was a spread everywhere that no student should relate with him because of the notion: “He’ll infect the individual with a virus of dullness”. The rumour also had it that dullness runs in his family. Even Spencer, whom he saw as his academic mentor and friend, surprised him the most as he wanted his company with this shocking statement: “Success, like me, has many friends. But a failure, like you, is and will be an orphan”. Spencer had no idea that someday the nemesis of what he’d said would torment his conscience and take away the gift he cherished the most.

The year 2002 was a period where Spencer, Ken and the rest members sat for the Advanced Level of the General Certificate of Education. Six months after, the results was released. And as expected, Spencer came out tops with four A-Level passes with three A’s in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and a B in English Language. Others had comparatively average grades but Ken’s case was different; he had the poorest result! He had an E in all of his subjects he sat for.

Ken decided to call quits with education. “Since I failed in all subjects I sat for, Spencer was right: I’m an outright failure! For this reason, I have no business with academics because I just can’t cope with the rigours associated with the system. If I’m an Failure in academics, should that make me an Failure in life? I have to go seek for the other side of education; the business of gold.” He said to himself.

Later, Ken discussed with his parents about his intended gold business. His mind was made up. So, no matter how hard they tried to encourage him to pursue his education, he was head-bent on carrying out his agenda. Left with no other option than to succumb to Ken’s ambition, his parents made an arrangements for his departure to far-away South Africa to learn the business under the watchful eyes of Brian Butcher, a gold merchant and a family friend. Ken’s journey started.

It was rosy for Spencer who was admitted to the university where his parents taught and offered Mechanical Engineering, a course which he did apply for. As usual, he excelled in all his courses from his first to his final year of study. He won the Most Creative Mind award, Best Brains prize for Mechanical Engineering, swept the Best Mechanical Engineering Student and Student of the Year award from his first to the final year of study. He graduated with a First Class from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and became the best graduating student. Under the school’s scholarship, he went for a Doctorial Degree in Mecharonics. He was employed by the university authority as a lecturer. Spencer’s ‘Oliver Twist’ disposition towards his colleagues didn’t make him stay long; he got a well-paid job at the British Petroleum Oil as Head of Maintenance.

After a long period of close observation, Brian Butcher showed Ken the ropes of the business. Seeing that Ken was not only humble to his fellow colleagues who worked in Brian Butcher’s The Miner Oasis company and passionate about the business of gold mining but also was a fast learner in the act, he took him under his wings and showcased him to the big-guns of the South African Gold Mining Industry. A certain Van Kris was interested in Ken’s services. From then on, in his company, Ken briefly worked as the mining unit manager. Popularly known as Mr. Van, he was and still is a respected authority in the field of gold mining and has chains of companies in Saudi Arabia. On evaluating his productivity since joining the company in 2003, a year after he working with Brian Butcher, Mr. Van, decided to send him to Saudi Arabia to head his companies.

Spencer was doing well as the maintenance head of British Petroleum Oil. He was, as a matter of fact, being awarded the Staff of the Year award for three years. Despite his ‘full of self’ attitude, the management was pleased with his performance. His partying, excessive smoking and drinking lifestyle would cost him his saving and worse still, an impending danger!

Al-Raheem and Ken got along in the company Ken was sent to head operations. Al-Raheem was a very strong influence in the company with lots of experiences. But what thing was lacking; he wasn’t approachable. His subordinates had previously launched incessant complaints of his unfriendly disposition. However, Ken dealt with the attitude by showering him with relational strategies that he’d never seen in his entire life! Together, for the next five years, they generated for the company a whooping sum of forty five billion dollars! It was his close relationship with Al-Raheem that he learnt investing in gold stood the test of time.

He invested all his money in gold; this would keep his above the waters of the insolvency to come. After a successfully completed six-year committed to service to making Van Kris’ The Miners’ Forte company an A-list gold-mining in the world, Ken officially wrote Van Kris if he would allow him establish a mining company in his native New Zealand. Mr. Van did not more than just granting him what he asked; he settled him with a sum of one billion dollars!

Ken invested the money in gold and in no time, became one of the richest men in New Zealand. His Mining Company, The Gold Ore, a gold-importing outfit, employed over a thousand New Zealanders and still had more vacancies for foreigners, especially the maintenance section. Vacancies were launched all over the world, inviting foreigners to occupy the position under certain criteria; Degree certification, at least, three years of working experience and good sense of communication. The New Zealand government licensed The Gold Ore Company to be the sole importer of Gold throughout New Zealand. Ken became super-rich!

Spencer taught work was going to his favour when he was handed a letter of resignation by the company’s secretary. In the letter, he, together with over forty members of staff had to be sacked because of the economic crunch. As a result of this shocking development, there was no compensation for the affected staff members. Spencer didn’t believe his eyes! “Were do I start from? I’ve got no money in my account!” He said in utter disbelief. Inquiring from Scott, the broker who kept the stocks and bonds his late parents’ joint stocks and bonds, he was shocked; everything had crashed because of the crises! Scott, Mark’s friend, managed to sneak the information to Spencer that Mark Fisher was dead. Spencer took what he said by deaf eyes, although he heard him clearly. This was in 2010.

Days ran and months flew. Scott consoled Spencer for the huge loss of his finances but questioned him on his extravagant spending during his hay days at the British Petroleum Oil. Being someone who kept his ears on ground, Scott informed Spencer about the vacancy displayed by The Gold Ore, a New Zealand-based gold-mining outfit with a strong backing of the government. This was a vacancy Spencer couldn’t refuse. He tendered his application, containing his Curriculum Vitae to the company via post mail. A week later, a received a letter posted to his Essex home address that his application had accepted! He had no faintest idea of the person he would meet! Scott footed his travelling expenses on grounds that he’d be paid back, since he was sure that Spencer would get employed.

Spencer arrived at the Wellington International Airport and was received by a representative who took him round the city. They got to the company. Spencer was directed to the office of the company’s chief executive officer and who did he see? The least, he thought of all expected persons, Ken! He felt like being swallowed by the ground! Ken went ahead to discuss his salary payment, accommodation and other incentives. They got along and Spencer carried the aura of his peak performance and arrogance with him. In no time, Ken’s company was ranked number five in the world’s best gold-importing companies.

Ken taught Spencer would be comfortable in New Zealand, considering the magnificent duplex he was leaving in, 15-million-dollar-per-annum salary and other special bonuses. Ken, a man with a large heart, had given Spencer his direct number for easy communication. During summer of 2011, three months after his employment, Spencer asked Ken to do him the favour of granting him a three-week leave of absence. Ken obliged, with the thought he’d be back after three weeks. He was wrong!

Two days later, Spencer’s Air France airline arrived at the Heathrow International Airport. Spencer boarded a taxi headed to his Essex home. He somehow stole a Silent Pistol gun at the Mills Gun Collector store, few buildings from his home, because the owner, Mills Jr., happened to be his neigbour during his teen years. Spencer visited him briefly by instructing the taxi driver to wait briefly, not minding the extra cost. He got away with the pistol kept on his desk while he was ‘completely absent’, attending to some military clients of his. Observing that the store had to monitoring camera, he hid the gun stolen and said: “I’m going. See you later, Mills!” and got into the taxi. Mills was still in busy mode! He arrived at his apartment, sat down and something suddenly happened: some minutes after he was greeted by his neigbours, they gun shot from Spencer’s apartment. As they got in, they found his lifeless body lying on the floor in blood.

Months after, Ken had about this incident and had mourned him for a long time. After the mourning, he got back to work.