“I will deal with this when I get back from work! Stubborn girl!” Susan’s father scolded her as he angrily left for work. Susan was shaking in terror as she was scared her father would flog her early that morning. Like any other kid in her school, there is nothing as shameful as appearing in school with a tear-designed face. She had locked her fingers behind her the whole time.
Like a sure chant and magic well applied, she believed her locked fingers and recitation of “don’t flog me,” severally was going to save her from her father’s punishment that morning and surprisingly, it did.
It wasn’t her first time being stubborn or offending her dad. “You’ll always get away with it,” something would always whisper in her ears before committing her offense.
“The last time our teacher said he wasn’t going to flog us anymore, what do you think was responsible for that? I locked my fingers! Then I kept repeating ‘don’t flog us,’” Aminat proudly boasted to Susan and the other girls in their clique. Since Susan heard about Aminat’s confession, although she had heard about several superstitions, she wanted to know more. She confronted Aminat that she was telling lies.
“Better let me show you how it’s done, you know you commit offenses more than anyone in our group and this might just get you out of your several troubles,” were the words of Aminate in response to Susan’s allegation.
Like an apprentice, willing to learn, she had patiently learned the finger-locking trick and a few others from Aminat. Although she had heard that many of these ‘magic’ were superstitious, she was willing to try her luck.
The first trick she tried on her father seemed to work and she knew she had to apply another one to escape from being punished when he returned from work.
As Susan approached her father’s house, she knew her mother would already be preparing food in the kitchen. Like a thief, sneaking to the entrance of a house, she carefully tip-toed to their entrance and lifted the door mat as she placed two strands of her eyelashes underneath.
“So my dad will forget he said he was going to deal with me once he steps on the foot mat? Thank you Aminat. If this works, I owe you another chocolate,” Susan said to herself. Like a culprit who had perfectly executed a devious plan, she sighed and composed herself as she entered the house to join her mother in the kitchen.
“Mary darling, I am home.” Like a king arriving in his palace and calling on his queen Susan’s father called his wife’s name to announce his arrival and like any proud and lovely queen, expecting her king, Susan’s mother replied, “Dave sweetheart, welcome, your food is ready.”
Susan watched as the lovebirds embraced. Although she is a stubborn kid, she has a soft spot for her parent’s romantic displays. They seem to be in a world of their own and she wished to be in love like they are someday.
Susan’s thoughts were interrupted by her father “take my bag to the room and how is school today Sussy?” Susan was surprised at her father’s softness as she thought he was going to resume the scolding from where he stopped earlier that morning. She quickly nodded and replied “school was fine Dad,” and took her father’s bag to his room.
Like a magician marveling at the effectiveness of a new spell, Susan was surprised at how Aminat’s trick worked that night because her father had forgotten about the whole case he had earlier wanted to scold her for.
“It’s time to try out some very silly things and get away with it,” she said to herself as she jumped in joy knowing that all she had to do was lock her fingers or use her eyelashes.
“Here’s your chocolate, the trick worked like a spell. I initially thought it was a superstitious belief.” Susan said as he handed some chocolate to Aminat. Aminat smiled, “don’t worry, I’ll teach you more as time goes on,” she said. Susan was already planning her next mischievous move she knew she had to do more finger-locking so she wouldn’t lose all her eyelashes.
That weekend Susan’s father was at home as usual. Mary, Susan’s mother looked at her daughter and opened her mouth in shock “Susan, what happened to your eyelashes?” Like a person used some rope to tie her breath, Susan was shocked and had a pause in her breath for a few seconds.
She couldn’t believe that her mother could notice her eyelashes. She quickly locked her fingers and placed them behind her back as she whispered in her heart “don’t flog and don’t punish me.”
Before she could complete her statement, her father left where he was and repeated his wife’s question, “didn’t you hear your mother’s question, what happened to your eyelashes?” Before she could answer, his father said the least of what he expected.
“Yesterday I wanted to dust the door mat, I saw several strands of hair under it. Go on your knees, Susan. I’ve been trying to pardon you all these while but you always find a way to provoke me.” Dave said.
After getting punished at home, Susan was so angry and was ready to meet Aminat with some fight but she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw her friend.
Aminat’s face was filled with tears, she had been punished for an offense she committed before coming to school. Susan said to herself “I think I need to get some good manners.” Like Aminat could hear her thoughts, she nodded in agreement, as she walked shamefully to join her colleagues in class. “It was all superstition after all,” Susan said.