Christmas is approaching and everyone is trying as much as they can to put resources together in preparation for the celebration.
My brother and I, Joel, weren't expecting much from our dad like we used to get because the man had been sick for two months without energy to ply his trade. The burden of the whole family was squarely on my mother who was busy moving from the shores of the river to the market. She trades in seafood.
My community, Etahi, was a riverine community where the popular profession for men is fishing while that of women is buying the fish at the shore and taking them to market where buyers come from far and near to buy them.
"Joel, we need to go to the river to fish in order to raise money for our Christmas clothes. Let's help ourselves and help our parents." I said to Joel.
My kid brother was very lazy. I don't blame him because my dad spoiled him being the lastborn. When I was growing up, I started following my father to the river from age 6 and by the time I was 12, I started joining fishermen to fish. My two older brothers who are now in college, away from home, did the same before me. However, here is Joel, 18 and he doesn't know how to go to the river and fish, something that I was doing independently at that age. My dad least expected a time when he would be bedridden for more than two months, otherwise he would have trained Joel the way he trained those before him.
As expected, Joel frowned at my statements. It was a bitter pill for him.
"This is a bitter pill and you have to swallow it. You need to pity our parents. We are going to the river together. If you can't fish, you will stay at the shore to monitor any fish that I catch and perhaps monitor my food against those ravaging birds."
He nodded his head in agreement but the facial expression was like someone swallowing a highly fermented carbohydrate.
The following morning, we prepared and left for the river early in the morning. We bought bread and bean cake, akara with some sachets of water.
After a few minutes, I was walking about 300 meters ahead of Joel in a journey that we started together.
"If you like, be walking like a snail, I mustn't get to the river before you. Lazy brat." I looked back and told him.
He knew what I could do and just as we were about some meters to the river, he ran and caught up with me.
The river was already bubbling with fishing activities. You could see some fishermen arranging their fishing nets while others are cleaning their storage boxes where the proceeds of the fishing are kept before being sold to the traders.
We went straight under the shade of our tree. Each family in the village has at least a tree identified with them for selling their fishes.
I arranged my nets and changed to my fishing dresses.
"Fetch water and wash the box." I instructed him before moving into the available canoe to start the day's activities. The job of the canoe is to transport you round the river while you engage in fishing. At the end of a trip back to the starting point, you pay the canoe man.
"Joel, please look after our bread and akara against those birds." I shouted on top of my voice when I remembered that the birds ate my food the last time I came fishing. It destabilized my plan that day to the point that I couldn't stay till the time I used to stay. I had to leave by noon when I was hungry and had no food to eat. I don't want a repeat of such an experience.
The canoeist started paddling while the four of us onboard threw our nets into the river for the first catch of the day. We backed ourselves in pairs and faced either side of the canoe.
My first attempt was awesome. I caught a reasonable amount of fish. By the time we rounded up the first trip, I poured the fish in the box which had already been half filled with water by Joel. I drank water and I arranged my net for the second trip. My plan was to eat after the third trip. I also planned to go for another three trips after eating. To go six trips in a day is no child's play. I would have to reach 5 pm before finally coming to shore for the last time and might spend another two hours selling the fish to the market women before going home.
I have to do this to make my dad happy. One of his health challenges was high blood pressure and he was advised to stop disturbing himself with too much thinking. One of the things that can aggravate his condition is seeing us left behind among our peers during the Christmas celebration. I didn't want this to happen and I matched my wish with actions.
I was in the canoe, paddling towards the shore from the third trip when I saw a colony of seagulls flying from under the three where we had our storage box and our food.
I was perplexed. I was furiously waiting to get to the point to see where Joel had gone.
"Why did you leave your properties unguarded? You are lucky that I came here on time. I saw the birds rampaging your properties and I threw stones at them to scare them away." Kunle, whose tree was just a few meters away, explained to me.
"Thank you so much my friend." I appreciated him.
"Where is Joel for God's sake?" I asked myself as I watched the damages caused by the birds in a matter of seconds. My bread and akara were gone. All that were visible were the nylons used to wrap them and some pieces.
I transferred my fish into my box and stood up to look around to see if I would see my brother. I saw him laughing and discussing with Rukky, a teenage girl who had always been a distraction to Joel anytime they met at the river.
I was deciding on what to do, possibly to get someone to help me secure my fish so that I could go and meet him.
He saw me immediately and he left the girl and ran to meet me.
"Joel, why do you do this. Why are you thwarting my efforts to help our parents? Don't you want dad to get better? Go and call the market woman, let's sell the fish and return home. I am disappointed in you."
The woman came and we sold the fish to her, paid for the canoe services and we left for home immediately. I was boiling inside.
As we were about to enter the house, Joel held my legs and was begging me to forgive him and that I shouldn't tell our parents.
"I won't do that again, please. Give me another chance." He pleaded.
"For how long will you be pleading for another chance? I am tired of your behavior. Do you know what we would have gotten if I had gone for another three trips of fishing? You sacrificed all that for a girl. I wouldn't want to tell dad anything to make him angry in his situation. I forgive you for the last time."
He hugged me and we entered our house.
My dad was surprised at our early return but I told him that we experienced some fatigues and we decided to return home to rest.
As promised, Joel turned a new leaf in our subsequent trips to fish. We indeed made some reasonable amount of money and that helped our family to have a lovely celebration.
My dad was happy with the whole thing. He was proud of us and he kept praising us for helping the family when he was down.
A few weeks after Christmas, his health improved and he got back on his feet.