Everything happened like a movie. I was really young but I remember it as if it happened yesterday. In this part of the world, the very common thing to experience is your Liquefied Petroleum Gas finishing when you are in the middle of cooking. Some people have backups but I know that majority don’t. We were part of the majority that day. As soon as my mom put the oil on the stove, the fire went off. I wasn’t a kitchen girl so I was somewhere in the living room watching TV.
My brother was the kitchen type not because he wanted to help but just to get the largest meat at the end of the day. The only option was for my mom to use a Coal pot. Even though I had been called severally to come help but I really made up my mind not to go near the kitchen.
So you see how no matter how empty a gas cylinder is, there’s always a little gas in it? My mom had sent the cylinder out from the kitchen and of course, my brother followed her.
Both of them were outside trying to make fire in coal pot with the cylinder about just 2 meters from them.
After struggling with the coal pot for so long, my mom went to the compound to look for something to aid her in making the fire in the coal pot. I came out to see what exactly was happening because my mom and my brother were having a really interesting conversation about “only they know what” and laughing so much. I was feeling left out.
Just when I opened the door and walked towards the cylinder, I saw my mom jump like a lion and push me away. Fortunately or unfortunately, my brother was behind me so as my mother pushed me, I also pushed him down.
It happened that my brother was playing with the lighter and lit it up facing the gas cylinder. If you ask me how my mom knew the cylinder was going to ignite a wild flame, I promise I have no idea.
The flame caught the window outside and we put it out with a fire extinguisher. Whenever I remember the distance between where I was and where my mom was and how she was able to save us, it feels like we were acting one action movie with her as Rambo or commando.It felt like my mom was a superhero, I mean she is but you know what I mean, the one in movies. I will forever be grateful for what happened that day and that memory will live rent free in my mind forever.
When my mom was a child, she was hospitalized for about 6 months due to severe burns so up till now, she always talks about how grateful she was that we weren’t hurt that day. Oh and from that day, I started running to my mom anytime she called for me. She didn’t even have to mention my name twice. Thank you for your time.
All images are mine