My younger sister can be witty, dubious and crafty. When she tells you the time is half past one, trust me, you really have to go see for yourself just to be sure the time isn't one past half. She never pulls her tricks without that glitter of sincerity in her eyes. Her tongue never for once has been void of truthful lies.
Today, I asked her to scoop me some rice to eat and she gladly obeyed, so unlike her. For someone who only shows obeisance when she has a lot to gain, I had no option but to arch my brows when she hurriedly ran to fetch me the food. She was up to some ruse, I could guess.
This girl scooped the rice and instead of bringing it to me immediately, used it to chase my youngest brother round the house. As if that wasn't enough,she got missing for a moment. I don't even know where she took the food to as youngest brother came hiding by my side so she wouldn't catch him.
My lovely sister came out of the blue with my food and a smile on her face. I knew what she was capable of, so quickly, I asked her to taste the food to be sure she wasn't hiding a cockroach in the plate. She smirked and asked me how many spoons of rice I wanted her to taste. I scowled and she began eating. The next I heard was a retch. My histrionic sister kept coughing and I just kept looking. What happened next made me feel like I was in a theatre. She brought out something that looked like a dead insect from her mouth.
'Ajebutter' like me, I screamed! I knew it. I knew she put something inside the food. I ordered her to eat everything; all of it, instantly. How could she put an insect in my food and expect me to eat it? She'd definitely choke. "Finish it! " I ordered again.
This girl told me a big thank you, balanced on a chair and ate all of it. She ate my food. All of it. Joyfully.
Later I would know that the dead insect was a bay leaf. You know those bay leaves used in cooking jollof rice? I don't know how she did it but that was how I lost a very delicious meal of jollof rice to my crafty sister.
If I had just trusted her and ate the food in peace, instead of doubting, I wouldn't have lost my food.
You know what hurt most? That loud burp of satisfaction she gave after gulping down a glass of chilled water.
Moral lesson: Don't doubt. Just trust.
