‘I disobeyed my mum, ate in a neighbour’s house’

Ruth Soma

The naughtiest thing I have ever done happened when I was in Senior Secondary Two. On that day, I came back from school drenched to the bone. The rain started when I was already half way home. I couldn't board a bus because I was scared of falling. Also, the road was slippery because of the downpour.

When I got home and banged on our gate for someone to open for me, I discovered that it was locked; there was no one at home. I felt like crying. I was hungry, drenched and cold. Yet it was still raining. What I did was to stand on the entrance of the gate holding the padlock. I wished that miracle could happen and it would gently open. It wasn't long that a neighbour drove into his premises with his wife. They saw how I was shivering and took pity on me. They beckoned on me to come and join them in their car. I did because I had no option. They drove into their compound; I sat in the back seat. They asked me to wait for my mother in their apartment. I used to admire the couple before that incident and somehow trusted that they never meant any harm for me.

When I was taken to their living room, I was asked to sit down. His wife gave me a towel to clean my body. Suddenly hunger struck. Momentarily, my mother’s warning voice flashed back in my memory. ‘Don’t ever collect food or drink from anyone, not even a neighbor, no matter how nice he/she is’. The man’s wife quickly gave me a cup of tea. While I was busy stirring it with a spoon, she asked if I wanted preferred bread to biscuit. I asked for both. She smiled and brought them without hesitating. I consumed them.

As I was taking the last bite, my mother tapped on the door. Someone might have told her I was there. Immediately I saw her, I wiped my mouth and started explaining to her even when she didn't ask me how cold I was and how I was begged to take tea and bread. She looked at me piercingly. I alone understood that look. While I was following her home, I had already started apologising pledging not to disobey her.

-ADAEZE AMOS