The warning
Early Monday morning, after we have done morning devotion, my mummy assigns every one of us to our respective morning duty. I was told to fetch water from Ayedaade River which is not too far from our house, my elder brothers Sola, Jide and Ade are to work in the garden while my elder sister is to cook the food the whole family will eat.
My younger sister Ayomide who is eight years old has no work to do every morning than to play with sand, clay and run after butterflies. This always annoys me a lot I wished I was the last born because I wanted to be pampered just as my younger sister Ayomide is been pampered. She eats the leftover of daddy and mummy everyday, even she will be the first person to sleep and the last person to wake –up. `With such envy I went to fetch water from the Ayedaade River for the use of the whole family.
After fetching thirteen pots of water, I was very tired and I decided to rest a little under a gigantic tree whose name is Dongoyaro tree.
Dongoyaro tree is one of the common trees in our village, I enjoy the breeze coming from the tree, I inhale the sweet smell it gives, as I was resting under the tree there came a lovely bird singing such a melodious song. I pay undivided attention to the bird and the melodious songs it was singing. I don’t know the name of the bird neither have I seen it before.
The bird has such a nice colours all over its body, blue wings and touch of red and yellow across its body. It has a nice looking and along beak.
As I moved my eyes from the bird I saw my elder brother Ade coming towards me and holding a slim long cane called atori.
So I stood up before he will notice me, I carried my earthen pot and quickly fetch water from the river. Perhaps when he sees water on my head he will not beat me again.
I placed the pot of water on my head and I walk toward him, my brother who was boiling with anger, roared at me as he said what have you been doing you this small rat I remain mute because his eyes are already red.
He rain abusive words on me as we go but I remain silent because I don’t want him to bounce on me with such anger. When we got home my mother and other member of the house were so worried and I knew it because it was written all over their faces.
I gather some courage and I place the water pot around a corner in the kitchen, as I enter the kitchen I could perceive the nice aroma of the vegetable soup my sister cooked. I wanted to open the pot to take a look at the soup that its aroma is gushing out of the pot with such manner and before I could lay my hand on the pot my mother called me and I quickly find my way out of the kitchen and I answered, yes mother.
She asked me angrily that what kept me that long at Ayedaade River, I pretend as if I did not hear what she said because I don’t know what I can say in particular and am not even good at lying. When she asked the second time I have no choice than to tell her the truth.
As I open my mouth to talk my siblings remain focused as the look in their eyes can make somebody to fall. So, I manage to explain to my mother that I was very tired then I decided to rest a little bit under Dongoyaro tree. After I explained, my mother scolded me for staying alone in that lonely forest and she asked my younger sister Ayomide to go and get pankere which is under my mother’s bed for her. I knew I am in soup and I started crying while waiting to be flogged, my younger sister who is full of pity pleaded on my behalf and for the first time I am please my her and I looked at my elder brothers and sister like I should slap them because the were ready to laugh at me.
Finally, my mother said that I pardon you today and warned me not to do such thing again. My elder brothers and sister were put into shame.
My mother instructed my elder sister to serve us our food. It is rice and vegetable soup which assorted fish were crying upon. I was very happy and I almost bellyful with the aroma of the food, I was swallowing my saliva over and over again .when Bimpe my elder sister is through with the serving we are to carry the food according to our age. Since my father has travelled to Calabar on a business trip, my mother is the eldest so I was told to carry my mother’s food to her after which my brothers and sister carry their food that was when I felt as if I should be the first born perhaps I would have be the first person to carry food after my mother and if I happen to be the last born I would have been the one enjoying the leftover of my mother and father everyday, I was really lost in my thought when my sister shouted at me that I should carry my food .
I think within myself it is really a punishment to be a middle born, I carried my food and eat silently. After we all finish eating my elder ones find their way to their room and I was instructed to pack the plates to the kitchen and shortly after my mother went to market and I also go to play with my friends.
Adebayo Victoria Tobiloba 