February 20th, 2000 was the day my Dad brought home a huge fairly-used fridge.
We all couldn't contain our excitement at the sight of the fridge. It was unbelievable.
My Dad was the first tenant to ever buy a generator (I pass my neighbor) in that house, and now he had done it again with another huge acquisition.
The news spread through the neighborhood like wildfire, and doubtful neighbors had drew nearer to see things for themselves.
So after we had carried the fridge into the living room, my Dad called us together for a briefing.
"Make all of una listen to me!" He began in a serious tone "You see this fridge? it can be a blessing to you and it can also be a curse"
"How!?" My Mom had asked curiously
My Dad then brought out a piece of paper from his pocket, opened it and began to read aloud.
"Number 1!" Dad began "Don't touch this fridge with wet hands, wether there is light or not!"
"Number 2!... Always wear slippers or shoe before you open it!"
"Number 3!... Don't ever sleep near this fridge, because if your body touch it hmmm..., sorry is your name"
"But daddy, why?" I interrupted
"Shut up there!" Dad snapped back
"Number 4!... Pray without ceasing"
So after a long sermon from him, we all prayed together and began assembling the fridge. All that Dad had said was true, because no day ever passed since that day that we didn't receive one shock or another.
"One day this fridge go kill us o" My brother would cry out to me after getting shocked
So, weeks later, this Aunty of ours came visiting from the village. She had come to spend the Christmas holiday with us.
Moments after her arrival, we decided to brief her on the DOs and DON'Ts of our fridge but she wouldn't heed to us.
"See this children o" She would say mockingly "You think this is my first time seeing a fridge? taah! y'all go and sit down"
Well, we always let her be, and each day she reaps the consequences - Back to back shocking.
One night, something incredible happened.
We were all busy sleeping on the livingroom couch when she had left the couch to lie on the floor due to heat.
Somehow, she had slept off and rolled up to where the fridge stood. What we heard next was
"Yeee! yeeeee!! yeeeeeee!!!"
We all woke up to the aroma of roasted meat. Our dear Aunty was sitting on the floor sobbing.
"Aunty! wetin happen?" We clustered about her.
"See am! E don shock me again" She revealed, showing us a big scar on her arm.
I began to giggle, unnoticed.
"Wetin I do una?" She voiced amidst tears "Una wan kee me because I no get husband?"
Dad and Mom immediately walked in, demanding what actually transpired.
"Even when light no dey, fridge dey shock" Her lamentations continued "Which kind fridge be dis?"
My Dad then tried to console her.
"Tell me! This thing na fridge abi na transformer?" (Tell me! Is this thing a refrigerator or a transformer?) She finalized and burst into tears
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.
