Ungrateful woman by Abushet
It's a few days remaining. He sits on a stump carefully placed at the entrance to his compound. His toe drawing unimaginable on the ground. Chin pillowed on his right palm pondering on whose door he'll knock to borrow.
Umar is a well-established businessman. Unlike previous years, his shop now is half-stocked. No money to order stocks as his business partner refuses to send him on credit. His major customers have resorted to patronizing the next shop that almost provides what they need.
He can hear his wife, Yafati, conversing with her sister, Amira. "it can't be in my house" says Yafati. Sister, you've been married to Umar for fifteen years now. He never misses a year without sacrificing a ram sometimes two during the Layyah. Why worrying yourself if he misses these years?
Would you keep your mouth shut? Yafati yelled. Nearly slaps her sister. Our neighbour slaughters a ram and a bull. Why doesn't he complain?
I'm not his wife. Can't answer that, Amira replied. She pouted and slings her bag and left exasperatedly.
Baba, Baba, Baba ... his little boy ran to him. What is it? His response and creases on his brow nearly scare his son, Ahmad. However, he manages to speak thus: my friend's Papa bought a big ram with big horns.
When will you buy ours? I want ours to be bigger than my friends. I'll feed and birth it, Baba. His father giggles and stylishly wiped his eyes. I'll buy you a big one tomorrow, he patted his son's back.
A good samaritan gave Umar twelve thousand nairas considering his business backwardness. On Imam's advice, he goes to ram market and happily buys she-goat at eleven thousand nairas.
Mmbeee mmbeee ... the she-goat notifies her arrival as she was dragged into the compound.
******
As the bleating she-goat caught her attention; Yafati, straightened her height but remained rooted and her mouth agape.
Placed her dovetailed hands at the back of her head staring threateningly at her husband, who is dragging the goat in. Halfway, he stopped and shrieked at the handful of children trotting behind him.
Yafati's thumb and a pointing finger placed on her nose "Ye yarrai" she let out an ululation like a bride been ushered into her house.
Took her headscarf off. Girdle and slapped her thigh "it can't be possible" not in this house. She finally uttered.
Umar who had been grateful to God for not missing this year's layya. Walked briskly towards his wife "you should be happy to embrace what I'd brought". Started to cut verses from the Holy book on what kind of animal should one sacrifice...
Before he finishes, she bundled her belongings and left for her parents' house.
"Kamuwaso ajabba"! Meaning: Women are ungrateful. He mumbled.
At her parents' house, Yafati's father had no hope for sacrificing a goat not to talk of a ram. He hadn't been receiving his pension for the last five months due to a biometric verification exercise...
His eldest son, a Npower beneficiary, who had been helping them with a little token, was disengaged by FG recently.
Sister, Amira called. "You've to free your mind from the burden of accumulated ungratefulness". I advise you to quickly return to your husband's house before the sunsets. If you don't want to, take that pillow and there is your room. Pointing below a bed.
1 Comments
Beautiful and impressive
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