I was in the sitting room with my parents and younger sister, we were having a little discussion that I wasn't fully involved in. My younger brother and other sister were both sleeping in their various rooms that moment. We started hearing the sound of firecrackers, it was so loud to the extent you will think it was someone in our compound that was shooting it.
My dad got disgusted about this because it was hitting our roof and that of other neighbors roof. There are young guys in the neighborhood who are rich but most of the neighbors don't know about their source of income and we already knew it were those guys that were shooting them because people with small income don't buy firecrackers, is very unnecessary for them.My dad went to the verandah shouting at them, giving them a serious warning.
"If this firecrackers burn my roof all of you will pay for it immediately!" Dad shouted bitterly. He wasn't happy about it because there's a long bush opposite the entire compound that's in one row and he expected the guys to point the firecrackers towards the bush and not on people's roof.
We were all wondering why thosw guys were engaging in such a foolish act. My dad warned them and they kept on shooting it on our roof and that of the other neighbors. This pained him more, he wore his polo, took the gate key and went outside at once.
"If my roof gets burnt because of this, you all will pay for it, immediately! I don't see any reason why you have decided to point it towards everyone's roof!" Dad kept on shouting and as soon as we saw that it was getting serious my younger sister and I decided to go outside. We also saw one of the neighbors who's a Navy officer.
"Hello sir please don't be offended, we won't do it again" One of the guys said to my dad politely and I was surprised because I thought they will want to shout at him. You know some young people no longer give older people respect because they now have money.
"I have told them that if this continues I will arrest them tomorrow at once!" The Navy officer said bitterly, he was even making call and the sound of the firecrackers was disturbing him so much. These people's compound is a little bit far from ours so I kept on wondering why they can't remain at the front of their compound to shoot it instead of coming close to our compound.
It was at this moment my dad saw their landlady and he was so surprised to see her there, he thought she was inside her house, he also discovered that she was the one encouraging the guys to point the firecrackers to the direction where other people's roofs are seen.
"We will continue shooting it, there's nothing you can do, I know you will come outside to shout at us" The irresponsible woman Kate said proudly.
"You irresponsible woman so you are the one encouraging your tenants to do this kind of thing right? Are you aware that firecrackers killed two young youths at the main junction on the 31st of December?" Dad asked this woman in a serious tone.
"You are the one that is irresponsible, why don't you mind your business for once! All you know is to spread rubbish rumours here and there!" Mrs. Kate replied confidently and what my dad said was actually true, that day two people died and some were injured. These foolish youths were pointing dangerous firecrackers towards each other while shooting it and it touched the important parts of the body of the other two that died.
"Oh you are saying is a rumour, why don't you ask others? Calling me an irresponsible man right? You are saying why can't I mind my business for once so this isn't my business? Firecrackers touching my own roof has nothing to do with me right?" Dad asked the woman furiously, the Navy man kept on observing what was happening.
"Today is also my birthday and we will shoot more!* Mrs. Kate announced proudly. This statement made my younger sister and I to laugh out loud, we were both peeping through our gate. My mum was at the kitchen at that moment but she was hearing some of the conversations outside.
"Ok you want to shoot more firecrackers towards our roof, I don't have anything to say to you again, I will wait for your husband to come back from the village first. Your husband is a responsible and good man and I don't know why he got married to a senseless and wicked woman like you." Dad said with so much disappointment.
My younger sister and I went back to the house as well as my dad who locked the gate and started expressing his bitterness in the sitting room, he kept on shouting while my mum was trying to calm him down. These people continued shooting but this time around it wasn't towards our roof and that of the other neighbors. I was happy that my dad finally cooled down after he shouted for almost an hour. Mrs. Kate who's the landlady to the rich young guys is really an irresponsible woman.
