When it comes to dishing out punishments, African parents are very talented at it. It is like they all went and graduated from the same school of discipline just for their children and you would never know what's on their mind until you allow your demons to take over your body and soul and just right then, you'll see the power of transformation in your life.
Growing up, I used to be a big lover of palm wine. It was a drink my parents gave consent to as long as you drink responsibly. However, as a kid, drinking responsibly wasn't in the list. Palm wine was seen as water, which needs to be taken because of its sweetness, and no one could tell me otherwise.
My friend's Dad, who is a Ghanaian, was a palm wine tapper. It was a nice thing to have his daughter as a close friend, and no one could stop our friendship. It was right from the stars. Whenever I go to her place, she always has palm wine ready to welcome me with open arms, and life was like that with a beautiful drink by my side.
However, things went bad, and a bittersweet punishment was served by my parents to me. Sweet was for them, and bitter was for me. One of my Uncle's did an occasion in our house because we have a very big compound and he grew with us. It was normal for him to do the occasion in my Dad's house, and everywhere was filled with fun. It was a special day for me as Palm wine had been booked days earlier to be brought to the occasion.
Little me with my tiny legs found my way to every table where palm wine was placed and drank from them. They are my family members and didn't know I had taken from others so they willingly gave me without question, after all, we were in a party mood. My little mischievousness went on and on until I was asked to get kerosene from the nearby filling station by one of my cousins.
The sky was already dark when my cousin sent me out and my friend and I decided to go to a nearby place to get it. There was a woman who sold kerosene in a black market form, so I told my friend and we went. It had rained a day before, so everywhere was muddy, and I was palm wine drunk. My legs were wobbly as I walked, which led my face on the muddy floor times without number, but I didn't give up.
On getting to the woman's place, I knocked, and we got the kerosene. However, things took a different turn when the palm wine settled in, and I felt so sleepy all of a sudden. I told my friend I needed to rest for a minute and decided to climb the kiosk shop in the woman's compound.
According to my friend, she stopped me and dragged me home, unknown to her that it was the kerosene keg she carried. It turned out I wasn't the only person who took excess palm wine.
The next day, it was rather early as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I stared at the sky and noticed the sun wasn't out yet. Who would dare disturb my sleep? My mind questioned. An additional tap jolted me awake only to meet eye to eye with the woman we got Kerosene from. She had found me in her kiosk shop looking so dirty because of the mud. I was unrecognizable that she took some minutes to look at my face before she remembered where she knew me. She took me home and it was then we met my parents who have been searching for me.
It wasn't funny when my parents saw me. It took them more time to be sure it was their sweet little daughter looking like a lost lamb and spent the night out. It was scary, and when they got to know what caused it, came my punishment. My school is far from home and I don't like going late to school. My parents knew that and used that against me.
I was told to sweep the whole compound every day, which meant I had to wake up earlier than usual to sweep and also do my basic chores. The presence of a sweet dream turned bitter to me as my mind was filled with waking up every day to sweep. The punishment was given for one week with no help from anyone. It was the worst punishment ever to be dished out to me. Whenever I finish sweeping, it always seems to me that I just finished manual labor which makes me more tired as I walk to school.
From that day forward, I understood the need to drink responsibly. I respect myself and never drank unnecessarily.
Images used are mine
This is my response to the Weekend-Engagement Concept by 
Still yours truly,
Balikis.
Thanks for reading.
Peace be unto those who crave it and more to those who chase it away.
