Mindviewers Stories

Saturdays were always for farming. Our parents would wake up by 5 am, prepare everything we needed, and then wake us up to join them. By the time the roads were clear, we would all head to the farm together, ready for a day of hard work. It was a routine we had come to know so well.

One particular Saturday, we got to the farm and were shocked to see that wild animals had destroyed part of our crops. Some plants were uprooted, and others were just scattered all over. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but it always hurt to see our hard work ruined. We got straight to work, trying to fix what we could and cleaning up the mess.

As we were working, we suddenly heard strange sounds coming from the lower end of the farm. Out of curiosity, I went to check what it was. There, I saw the culprit; a wild animal trapped in a pit with two of its legs stuck in the mud. I quickly called my brothers, and they came running. They tied the animal up and pulled it out of the pit. I felt pity for it and wished we could let it go, but my family was upset about the constant damage it caused to our farm.

Instead of releasing it, we brought it home. That evening, it was made into dinner. While we ate, my father said it was justice for all the trouble the animal had caused us.

It was one of those days when a simple task turned into a long adventure. My friend asked me to join him in towing a car from a nearby village back to the city. It sounded straightforward enough (a 3-4 hour journey, max). Since we left early and had no time to eat, I packed some rice and stew with a bottle of water to keep me going.

We hadn’t even reached the car we were supposed to tow when our own vehicle started acting up. Out of nowhere, it just stopped in the middle of the road. We got down, struggled with a few things, and after some time, we managed to fix it. Relieved, we continued the journey, laughing about how we couldn’t afford any more delays.

Barely thirty minutes later, the car battery gave up on us. My friend, always the joker, laughed and said, “Are we sure we won’t need another towing vehicle to tow this one?” At the time, it was funny, and we laughed it off. Little did we know that his joke would become reality soon enough.

Sure enough, the car completely broke down before we could even reach the village. We had no choice but to call for help. Another towing vehicle came, but instead of towing the car we originally came for, it had to tow ours to a nearby mechanic.

What was supposed to be a 3-hour journey turned into a frustrating 10-hour work. By the time we got home, we were exhausted, dusty, and hungry.

For the past two weeks, the Harmattan season has been harsh, with its dry and dusty air making me prefer staying indoors. Since I traveled, I’ve barely stepped outside the compound. The weather makes it difficult to even think about going out, but today I have no choice. There are important things I need to buy before school resumes and academic activities kick off in full.

I already expected prices to be higher than last year, so I wasn’t shocked by the inflation. I had prepared my mind and my budget, which made the shopping trip less stressful. The real challenge, however, was finding a store that was open. Most shops were locked, and my brother and I had to walk a little farther than usual to find one.

Eventually, we found a small store that had everything we needed. We quickly grabbed the necessary items and wrapped up our shopping in about 20 minutes. On our way back, we greeted neighbors and exchanged cheerful “Happy New Year” wishes. The walk back felt much shorter as the streets were lively, and the festive spirit was still in the air.

Now that I’m back home, I’m thinking of frying some of the fish I bought for lunch. Breakfast time is long gone, and I’m starting to feel hungry. A plate of fried fish might just be the perfect way to reward myself after braving the Harmattan and completing my errands.