While returning from buying
eggs and sardine for breakfast that Saturday, I fantasized devouring my share
after its preparation when I heard someone calling out to me. It was my friend
Wasiu who lived next to my house. I rarely spend time with him as I was hardly
allowed beyond our balcony's railings. We exchanged pleasantries and after a
brief talk, I told him I had to go in as we were already in front of our gate.
Just then, he made it known to me he would follow me in; I defiantly refused,
but he seemed resolute. I entered and started whistling as if we had a dog which
was to heed the ominous call. Unaware of the trick, Wasiu, like lightening,
disappeared from behind me. I consumed the fruit of happiness which the trick
served me.
Upon entering, dad asked me why
I whistled. Confidently, I explained how Wasiu wanted to follow me in and how I
deceived him with a mythical dog. After my explanation, dad went in, brought
out four strong wires, strung them together and started flogging me. To him, I was
a lazy liar who had been an apprentice of the devil for a limited time. He
flogged me blue-black.
After 45minutes of thorough
flogging, he commanded me to go down on my knees with my arms up. As I did, I
noodled on what happened and why I got flogged to that extent. I could not
rationalize the link between the punishment and the offence. Coincidentally, a
radio sermon was on, and the cleric made a statement, 'Tell the truth and it shall set you free', and in my demoralized
state I burst into tears, answering to myself, "No, it didn't set me free".
Biography
Makinde Oluwadamilola Peter,
a first year student of communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan,
takes delight in writing, singing and reading.
