I was so excited! It was the day I had been waiting for, the morning of our end of year party/prize giving day. I was in primary 3.
I had laid out my clothes on my bamboo bed the night before—a silky chocolate dress with a shiny silver belt around it, and then my brown "Bata" leather (shoes) with silver buckles, which had been polished until I could see my reflection through them.
They were new, from the village market, bought on the last "Afor" market day. I dreamt of the dress and the shoes, I imagined myself being the envy of my classmates as they stared longingly, wishing their Ma could have bought them the same.
Though I was not the richest pupil in my class, I was one excessively indulged by her Grandma. As soon as I saw the dress and the "Bata", I wanted them, even if they cost a whopping "20 pounds" at that time.
So I was set to turn heads.
But that morning, disaster struck.
One shoe was missing. Not both, just one. The right one.
I searched everywhere, under my bamboo bed, scatterd my room so much that I got so angry, because I hated seeing my room look like that!
Grandma's room was not left out, behind her big metal trunk, and all the old cabinets. Even in the smoky kitchen and in all the baskets and basins. Nothing. I turned the house upside down, my Grandma even joined in, mumbling, that I was too careless to have misplaced it.
We checked the goat pen. The goats looked askance, they didn't understand why they were being disturbed. We checked the well and then we checked the big pots used to ferment cassava. Nothing.
I cried so hard, I had like an hour left for preparations, time was running out and I didn't know what else to do. I wondered if someone had come in at night to steal it while we slept.....no....they would have stolen the both, except if the person was just being mischievous.
"But who could it be? I rummaged through my brain as I stood at the back of the house, defeated, one shoe on my left foot, the other foot bare, when suddenly I heard a sniffing sound behind the kitchen.
It was Butu, our dog, wagging his tail and chewing something. I looked closer — there it was! He had been playing with it!
My right shoe.
Wet, chewed, totally destroyed.
I screamed.
Grandma came running. As soon as she saw the mess, she took a big stick and started chasing the dog around. Butu who thought it was "fun time" seemed to enjoy the "show" as he held on to the shoes with his mouth, refusing to let go. I just watched in limbo as they ran around. This was unbelievable! I was wishing that I could give Butu a good spanking so he could feel every pain I had felt.
Then stopping to gasp for air, Grandma raised her head, and simply said, “Wear slippers.”
“Slippers? To school party?” I asked in dismay.
“Do you want to stay at home then?” she asked.
So I went to school that day in my silky chocolate dress with a shiny silver belt around it, and a pair of bathroom slippers.
Everyone laughed. I was so ashamed that I refused to dance.
But when it was time for the prize awarding ceremony, I carted off all the major prizes. Then, I no longer cared about my shoes, no one cared about my slippers, their loudest applause was for the standout primary 3 pupil.
They clapped. They cheered.
I was walking on air and when I saw Grandma in the crowd smiling, I knew I had done well.
I gladly forgave Butu!
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