Jide! Jide! Will you get yourself out of that dirty drum before I give you a crack you will never forget in a hurry!" Jide's mother shouted. She was just coming into the compound from the market when she sighted him in the company of three other boys all within his age range hopping in and out of a drum usually used to pile up dirt before the town's waste management workers come to empty in.
Jide immediately took up his slippers and slowly made for their part of the yard. Not withstanding his mother making her statement in form of just a threat, Jide new he will still a get a crack alright.
Jide was fond of playing too much and getting himself dirty almost a day round. He can be found jumping in and out of bushes, mud wrestling and tying all sort of rags when playing war scenes. He usually returned from school looking like a someone who works in a sand mine. He was undoubtedly the dirtiest boy in the school. No matter how hard his mother tried, Jide will still get himself soiled.
One day he returned from school scratching the small of his back.
"What is it? Have you received a lash on the back again today?" His mother asked.
"No Mama. My back is itching me!" Jide answered, scratching furiously at his back.
"Come let me take a look".
As his mother took of his shirt, she gave a howl as if she has seen something ghostly. Jide's back was fearfully covered with eczema!