When I was much younger, my mom used to put five packs of Coaster biscuits in my lunchbox to school because that’s my favorite biscuits and I couldn’t go a day without having a taste of it.
Then, when I get back from school, instead of taking the regular food that everyone eats, I prefer taking Coaster biscuits with milk. I was just a Coaster addict who led my mum to buying cartons of that particular biscuits at home.
One night, my siblings and I were still at mum’s shop but preparing to go home. As a little girl who cares less about every other thing as long as her favorite biscuits is available and she has her mouth dancing all the time, I went to my mum who was sitting on one of the bags of Rice which she sells.
She didn’t seem to be in a good mood but little me didn’t care. I just wanted to munch on something.
Mummy, come and give me five Naira. I want to use it to buy coaster biscuit from Abubakar (a mallam who sells groceries very close to us) I said to my mum while I placed my head on her two legs joint together. She was a strict mum and I knew how to get my way around her. Kneeling to beg her may be encouraging, I thought.
No! You have eaten about five packs of Coaster biscuits since you got back from school. Moreover, I don’t have any money, my mum saying that to me got me heartbroken. My dad wasn’t around as well and there was no other way to get five Naira or buy my favorite biscuits.
I got angry and started stomping my feet on the floor. I was just so little and my parents have always made sure that I get whatever I want so I’m used to it and whenever I’m not able to get it, I become heartbroken.
While stomping my feet on the floor, I sighted my mum’s bag. The bag’s zipper was slightly open and I sighted one thousand Naira note. That means there will be lower denominations in that bag, I thought.
But mummy said she doesn’t have money, I reasoned. If I could sight a thousand Naira note in her bag, it means she has five Naira. That even got me more angry and I started to think that my mum doesn’t love me anymore.
I took a close look at everyone and made sure they were not looking at me. Slowly, I headed to my mum’s bag. I sat beside the bag acting like I was playing with some stones around shop. Sharply, I searched through the bag and picked a ten Naira note. I didn’t even wait to take permission from my mum before leaving the shop to buy the biscuits.
I left the shop immediately and ran to Abubakar’s kiosk. My heart was beating very fast while running to Abubakar’s kiosk and I started to pray in my mind hoping that my mum doesn’t catch me and my siblings do not search for me.
My Iyawo kekere(small wife), you want to buy Coaster biscuits, right? Abubakar asked. He knew that was the only thing I buy from him and if he was to dash me anything from his kiosk, it will definitely be Coaster biscuits.
I jumped up to collect my biscuits from tall Abubakar and I sped like a rat to the back of my mum’s shop. That’s where I planned to eat my biscuits and I’ll clean my mouth then go back to the shop like nothing happened.
As I opened my biscuits, putting a cookie in my mouth, I could not eat it. The biscuits tasted like one that has been abandoned for over a year. It was giving a rancid smell and I could not eat it.
I didn’t work for the money so I wasn’t pained at first until I opened the second pack of Coaster and it was giving a rancid smell as well. It was even worse than the first one I ate.
What was the point of stealing my mum’s money to buy the biscuits and I still didn’t enjoy it? I thought. Karma really caught up on me so fast.
Raising my head up, I sighted my mum.
Did you steal my money to buy the biscuits?, I’m not used to lying. I didn’t remember when I nodded my head to say the truth.
To my surprise, my mum didn’t spank me. Instead, she warned me not to ever do it again and I got home to eat as much Coaster biscuits as I wanted.