Chapter 9: Knock Knock — Trouble at the Door
After the mad dog Olympics, I came home, locked the door, and promised myself:
"No more wahala today. I'm resting till tomorrow. Full stop."
I stretched myself carefully on the bed like a retired footballer after a tough match.
Within minutes, my eyes were closing.
Sleep was sweetly entering my body like chilled sobolo.
Then — KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
I jumped up, heart racing.
Another KNOCK! KNOCK! — louder this time, as if the person was trying to break the door.
I dragged myself to the door and asked:
"Who's there?"
No answer.
I frowned.
"Hello? Who is it?!"
Still silence.
My tired mind started imagining spiritual attacks.
Maybe it was ghosts.
Maybe it was witches from the village.
I hesitated for a second but finally opened the door... small.
Standing there was my neighbor, Auntie Maggie, holding an empty cooking pot like a trophy.
She smiled sweetly and said:
"Oh Samuel, sorry to disturb you... but please, do you have small salt for me to borrow?"
At that point, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or faint.
This woman had banged my door like police were doing a raid — all just for common kitchen salt?
I forced a tired smile, told her to wait, and dragged my sore body back inside.
I looked at my tiny salt container — it was almost finished, just two sad grains looking up at me.
But I knew refusing would make me the "wicked neighbor" of the area.
I sighed and poured the little I had into a paper for her.
When I returned to give it to her, she smiled again and added sweetly:
"Oh, and if you also have small oil, I'll be grateful..."
I nearly collapsed at the door.
End of Chapter 9