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The rainy season was winding down, and many farmers were increasing their efforts to finish the making of their farm's heaps before the ground became too strong for cultivation.
I was led in a similar spirit to the farm that fateful day. I woke up before dawn and got prepared for the farm. I changed into my farm dresses, picked up my cutlass, and was set to proceed on my journey to the farm. I stepped out of the door and stood still for a few seconds. I did that to engage my memory to ascertain if I carried with me all that I would be needing on the farm. I hung my bag on my shoulder and proceeded.
I was almost out of sight from the house when I heard the call of my name. I turned back and saw my mom standing by the door, gesturing for me to come back.
"Hope you haven't forgotten the box of matches," she asked me from afar as I trekked back to meet her.
I turned my bag from my side to the front to search for the box of matches that I'd thought was in the bag. I couldn't find it.
"Thank you, mom. I thought I had it in my bag," I turned up to respond to my mom after realizing that it wasn't in the bag.
"You left it on the kitchen cabinet. Make sure that you protect it against water to avoid going through difficulties in lighting the fire when you get to the farm," she responded.
I collected the box of matches and dropped it in my trouser's pocket. Trekking to the farm took me 40 minutes.
As soon as I arrived at the farm, I changed into my working attire and got to work. The morning weather was so calm for the work. I was tilling the ground with vigor. Each time I raised my head to take a few seconds of rest, my eyes were estimating the area of the land to be covered.
About two hours later, it started drizzling. I quickly harvested a tuber of yam and rushed down to the hut to prepare it and eat.
"Let me use this opportunity to replenish my body with some calories. When the rain stops, I will resume the work with renewed energy," I told myself.
There were firewoods in the hut. They were kept for the rainy day. I arranged some of the firewood in-between the three-stone local stove before reaching for my trouser to fetch the box of matches. I picked the dampened box with disappointment. It was at this point that I remembered that rain fell on me the previous day while putting on the trouser. The pocket was still wet when I wore the trousers in the morning. My muscles lost their strength when I picked a dampened box of matches. It was no more drizzling outside but raining heavily. I decided to make an attempt to light up the match, but the lead coverage was removed when I struck it with the side of the box. I tried almost five more sticks, but all my efforts ended in futility. It dawned on me that hunger would be my companion till I return home.
It was as if my stomach knew that food wouldn't be coming anytime soon. The intensity of the hunger increased. I was yawning every now and then. The rain fell continuously for another two hours. My body was almost shaking when it finally stopped raining, and I set out to trek back home. I was supposed to harvest some tubers of yam and take them home, but the energy left can't withstand such stress.
I changed my dress to the cleaner one and proceeded with the trekking.
"I wish we were in mango season," I whispered to myself as I walked past plantations of mangoes along my path.
I managed to arrive home after more than an hour of trekking.
I met my mom transferring washed beans into a pot on the fire.
"Beans!!!" I screamed from a distance.
"What is the problem?" My mom raised her head and asked me.
"Mom, I am dying of hunger. I need something to hold my soul together," I responded.
"Is this not food that I am putting on the fire?" She asked. "Go and change your clothes and take your bath. It won't take time to get done."
I opened my mouth to respond to her, but I was overwhelmed by a long yawning. My mouth remained wide open for a few seconds, and when I finally ended the yawning, all I could tell her was that I couldn't wait any longer.
"I had an ugly experience with the box of matches on the farm today. I will be telling you the details later. But right now, I need fast food to save my soul from leaving my body. I can't wait for this beans."
"I never knew it was that serious," she responded.
She sent my younger sister to get me a plate of rice from a nearby restaurant.
The plate of rice was a soul food. I rushed it like I never ate anything for days.