It another graduation season and everyone is getting ready for their various presentations.
on hearing the word "graduation" I know that everyone will think is a normal school graduation but no it isn't,
After normal school graduation, during the holiday season all the children in our neighborhood will gather ourselves, tutor our selves for just two weeks and then plan a very big graduation ceremony,
When I say a big celebration, I mean we all have to contribute a certain amount of money. some will get rice while others will get tomatoes. we will cook enough food for all our invited guest and ourselves.
We will get a big speaker for Playing both western music and cultural songs. it's like a real graduation just that no award is being given to anyone. in the end, we make good money out of it and share it among ourselves.
Our Guests are our parents, other neighborhoods, older siblings and distant friends.
On these special graduation party, we had set our plans as usual. everyone has started rehearsals on their different areas of specialization.
The females among us has already planned the list of food items to be bought from the market and the type of food to be cooked
The dancers are read, and the musician had planned on who was getting the speaker and other musical instruments. it was going to be hot and better than other graduation parties we've done in the past.
I was opportune to be among the chefs and dancers (I can't dance like those days now 😁).
A day before that day , we realized that we didn't have enough fund and everyone has exhausted their income strength but the celebration must go on without the help of our parents (we can't allow our guest to sponsor us),
We thought of ways to complete the money but no results and then I made a very dangerous promise that landed me into a very big trouble,
I promised to provide the money though I knew I don't have it with me (I was going to get it from my mom's purse).
That night I brought the money and the celebration went successful,
We prepared two different type of rice (jollof and fried)
and everyone eat to their satisfaction, our guests enjoyed their selves and everyone presented their parts very well, we also realized a very good amount of money from our guests.
Then something happened, when it was time to share the money,I requested that the extra money I gave them be refunded to me before sharing the main money but they refused which lead to a big fight,
One of them ran to my father and told him how I brought the money for the party, it was then I realized the danger of that particular action that I took on that night before the celebration.
I felt like running from home, I felt like the world was about to end,my heart kept panting up and down , I was lost in thought and didn't know what next to do but one thing was sure I was in a big mess and I was definitely going to be dealt with no matter the move I make.
With that In mind I decided to go to my father and beg him then just maybe the punishment might be light but I was wrong,
My dad was already waiting for me with a strong face and his hands ready to execute the things in his heart, he wasn't going to look at my pleading face nor was he going to beg my mom for me.
On getting to my dad, he grabbed me and gave me a hot slap on my face then throw me to my mom who gave me another slap on my other chick and throw me back to my father, (all my life, I've never seen my both parent angry to that extent),
I couldn't do anything but beg for mercy with tears in my eyes.
Finally they decided to let me go after a long beating and shouting.
I wailed all through the night thinking about myself,
I don't know what pained the most whether is the beating or the betrayal,
I couldn't eat even when my food was presented to me by my mom , I only laid down and cried my heart out .
That night,I made another decision ....
Never again will I take something that doesn't belong to me to please another and these party will be the last graduation party i would participate in these neighborhood
Thanks for reading till the end.
Yours faithfully
yummycruz1
First Image source source