The Wrong Accusation

The Wrong Accusation

Photo by Samson Katt

Marie couldn't believe her eyes when she came back from her neighbor's house with a jerrican of water on her head. The door to the kitchen was opened and Sammy, her cute dog, who was known to be one of the fiercest dogs in the area was right there seated at the front of the door. "Sammy what happened here"? she questioned the dog as though it could talk.

It looked at her and made a funny sound while wagging its tail. That made Marie more angry. She rushed into the kitchen and the whole food she cooked was gone, the pot was right there in front of her and opened with nothing left inside.

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Marie spent some time in the local kitchen that could not be differentiated from a store having three stones for fire, a small window, and some goods packaged right behind the door, surprised.

She looked at the Old wheelbarrow leaning on the wall many times as though there was something hiding inside it, she moved closer, checked it, and went back to the place she was standing when she came in, twice.

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Her eyes kept revolving through the room, wondering what happened, just as she was stepping out of the kitchen, she heard the sound of a bike outside the compound. She deliberately refused to check it out knowing fully that it was her mother because Sammy didn't bark.

"Good Afternoon Mommy", Marie Greeted when her mother came inside the compound. "Afternoon my dear, what did you cook? I am famished", the mother replied.

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Marie kept mute, lacking what to say because her mother actually called her some hours ago telling her to cook before she got home.

"Hello! I am talking to you, hope you cooked?" The Mother asked again. "Mom, I, I," Marie stuttered.

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"You what Marie? I have told you severally to get rid of this lazy attitude to cooking. You are a woman for crying out loud. No man would love to Marry a lady who is too lazy to cook," her mother queried as she went inside the house

Marie's disfigured face, her eyes looking like they were closing with her mouth pushed forward as if it was going to push the wall as she walked behind her mom into the sitting room.

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"Mom, you should have heard me out before using those harsh words on me", Marie expressed herself after she noticed her mom's anger had subsided.

"What is there to listen to Marie? You don't like cooking, it's so obvious," the mother replied.

"Not so Mom, I cooked the jollof rice you asked for, then I went to the neighbor's house to get some water. I couldn't even use the wheelbarrow because the tire was deflated.

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I don't know what caused it, I had to fetch water in just a jerrican. Arriving home, I saw the kitchen opened with Sammy seated at the door, when I went inside, I saw the pot of food I cooked empty." Marie replied.

"Hmm! That's strange, did you feed Sammy before leaving the house?" The mother inquired. "Yes, I did mom, you know I always do," Marie replied.

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"Don't act like you love that dog, you never liked her since I brought her into this house, anyone could tell that you esteem even that old wheelbarrow in the store above Sammy" the mom responded smiling, while looking at Marie with one eye half closed.

Marie's anger suddenly vanished, "Don't give me that look Mom, fine, you know I don't love dogs, but let's say you managed to make me love Sammy." Marie replied.

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While they were still conversing, Sammy started barking loudly, then they heard some noise in the kitchen, it was as if something was scattering things in there.

"Did you hear that sound?" the mother asked, frightened. "Yes Mom, I did. Don't tell me you are scared. The sun hasn't even set," Marie teased her mom.

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"Well, it's obvious I am, you know how unsafe the world is right now, please let's check it out," the mother suggested, after chuckling.

When they got to the kitchen's door, two goats ran out instantly. Sammy tried to chase them but one of them turned back and made attempts to attack it with its horns, immediately Sammy gave up the fight and let them go their way.

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It is now obvious that it was the goats that ate the food and not Sammy. Marie and her mom checked the door, and they discovered that it was not properly locked, the hook on it went bad, and any little pressure from outside could make it open.

Marie walked straight to Sammy after that discovery, rubbed the curly dark fur on her back, and said "I am sorry for accusing you wrongly". Sammy kept wagging her tail, sticking her long tongue out, obviously if she could talk, she would have said something.

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