”If you know that your name is Becky, cross this line on the ground”. That was Amaka, a neighbour's niece calling me out on a dare. As I looked at her, my blood was already boiling at a 110 degrees Celsius and every fibre in my being was just saying ”go, go, go”. Was I the bigger person who ignored or did I take the bait…? Read on to find out.
This scenario occurred when I was twelve years old. My mum had gone to buy more goods for her store and she had handed over ”managerial duties” to me. My mum sold household consumables, ranging from beverages to fresh eggs, tea bags, bread, raw rice and beans, soaps, seasonings and more.
I had a knack for damaging one sachet of Milo or any other beverage, just so that I could lick it since it can't be sold to customers. Mum was unaware of my ”skills” and anytime she asked why there was a shortage of one, I would blame it on all the rats in the neighbourhood 😁.
For a while, mum's store dominated until one of our neighbours (Amaka's aunt), thought it wise to also open a provision store right opposite ours. Mum was not bothered at all cos she had gathered enough strong customer base and business carried on as usual.
One day, Amaka while helping her aunt man their store, saw me licking Blueboat powder milk. When she asked me how I got it, I lied to her that someone bought it for me. She begged me to give her some but my stingy self refused. I wanted to enjoy the milk alone. I never knew that my actions caused her to harbor anger towards me.
Some few days later, the day mum went to the market and I manned the store minding my business. Amaka crossed over to meet me and she showed me two sweets in her palms. I asked her who gave it to her and she said that she bought it herself. ”That is a lie” I yelled at her because I had never seen her with money.
”Ehen,you are calling me a liar abi?” She asked and I responded with a sound ”yes”. I even threatened to report her to her aunt. She looked at me angrily and walked back to her aunt’s store and that was when she began to rant. Her rantings displeased me because even though we were age mates, I prided myself in being a city girl while she was brought from the village. ”How could a village girl compete with me?” That was the thought that ran through my mind.
I quickly warned her to stop insulting me and ranting over there but she increased the volume of her anger meter and said these words ”If they born you well,point that finger at me again?”
I don't know what came over me or what gave me the courage but I repeated the act of warning her. I could literally see her swell with anger and it pleased me. Then she said ”If your name is Becky, cross this line on the ground” She said this while using her pointer finger to draw a horizontal line on the ground.
That act did it for me. I disliked being dared and the urge to prove the one who dared me wrong surged within me. I walked over to her aunt's store. I crossed the line and asked her in Pidgin”Wetin you go do, I don cross the line”. She made to rush towards me but I had already figured out what she wanted to do. Standing still while she rushed at me, I set my leg which caused her to stumble and very quickly, I sat on top of her. I began to offer her some good slaps to her face and she also tried to touch my face but I had the upper hand.
After a few minutes of girl fight on the ground, I used my palm to pick up some dirt on the floor and stuffed it into her mouth. That was a sign of absolute victory back in the day and I showed her who's boss. I stood up from on top of her and warned her not to dare me again. I left her there while I walked back to the shop. Secretly, I thanked my stars that my mum didn't meet me in a fight with her because I would have been scolded seriously.
Amaka stood up from the ground, dusted herself and went to sit down inside her aunt's store. She didn't speak to me for two weeks and I didn't bother myself with her either. We later reconciled and I would use that girl fight as a teaser most times.
Looking back at this memory now, I can say that it was the craziest thing I had ever done in my life all for a dare. I don't fight but please don't dare me 😎.
Thank you all for reading... Shalom
Images used were imagined with Meta Ai.