When I first saw the car, it attracted a lot of attention from the people in the village. I knew this was the third time the car had come to the mayor’s house. I decided to follow the car and see which house it was going to. My curiosity got the best of me, and I even forgot about delivering the miye for my sister. Today, I was determined to eat at Baba Gaje’s place, and I didn’t want to waste any time.
I continued to follow the car, and I was so engrossed in watching it that I didn’t realize I had reached the mayor’s house. I suddenly snapped out of my daze and remembered that I had a task to complete – buying miye for my sister. I quickly rushed to get it and planned to eat at Baba Gaje’s later. Sometimes, I get distracted easily, but it’s not always a bad thing.
After buying the miye, I decided to take a detour and pass by the owner’s house to see if I could catch another glimpse of the car with the young man from the city. I spotted him in front of the house, talking and looking quite different from the villagers. It was as if he emitted a certain aura. He eventually got into the car and drove away. I couldn’t help but watch the car until it disappeared.
I finally headed home but made sure to check if the car was locked. As I was about to enter our compound, I saw Baba Gaje finishing her meal, and the pot of soup was sitting by the stove, which meant the food was already prepared. Baba Gaje spotted me and scolded, “Why do you come back so late? You lazy boy, nothing can stop you from being late today, can it?!”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I pleaded, “Please, Father, forgive me.” Baba Gaje continued to berate me, and I couldn’t escape the blame. Our family had a tradition of arguing and bickering, but it was often directed at me. Nobody apologized because they all knew how strict Baba Gaje could be. She was the breadwinner in our family, selling various goods like kuli nuts, peanut butter, rice, beans, and cocoa. She was respected in the village as the provider for all.
As I stood there, trying to hide behind the barn, my father continued searching for me. I eventually came out of hiding and cried, explaining that I had lost track of time while looking at the car. Baba Gaje’s scolding and the chaos at our house continued, but I knew this was just another day in our lively village.