Tokunbo

A POT OF SURPRISE

I woke up with a start the next morning in my clothes, in a strange bed. 

It took me some minutes to remember the events that had landed me there and I had to rush to brush my teeth and hurry to the kitchen in search of a broom. I found something I could use to sweep the glittering tiles and thankfully, I did not need to wake Madam up for that. 

I finished cleaning and she still had not come downstairs so I returned to my perch on the stool where I had fallen asleep the previous night and I finally allowed my mind to wander. I was lucky to have escaped those evil people and even more to be offered a ride by a kind Samaritan. But how was I sure that his wife was not crazy because she acted strange the night before?

That thought was bouncing around in my head when she came downstairs into the kitchen. She looked delicate and normal in a nightdress that did not cover much. I could see the outline of her body and I lowered my eyes because it was embarrassing.

"Good morning Madam", I said.

"How are you, my dear?" she asked absent-mindedly. Her eyes were darting from one object to another as if she was searching for something.

I stood to one side watching. She touched one shiny equipment and before long, she put two steaming cups of coffee in a tray that looked like polished wood. I spoke up as she placed two tins of milk on the tray and a green and white tiny container. It looked like nothing I had seen before.

"Madam, what will I cook for you?" I asked.

"We usually eat a light breakfast but don't worry; I'll come down shortly to make Oats so that you can watch what I'm doing. I will take this upstairs so go and take your bath; I will call you when I'm ready."

"Yes ma", I said and curtsied. She went upstairs and I tried not to watch as she left since she was wearing almost nothing. I went to the bathroom but all the fittings looked strange. The bathroom I shared with my father and many other tenants did not have a tap much less a sink or washbasin. 

One tap had a blue knob, the other was red. I did not understand what the fittings were all for especially the ones in the bath. The bath itself was like a glass enclosure with nozzles and knobs and all the fancy fittings but there was no bucket. That was strange. What bathroom had no bucket! Well I was used to fetching water from a public tap for everything except when it rained and the rainwater was clean.

I turned one on the taps and the water came out at a funny angle, like needles. It was unlike the showers I usually see in home videos. I took a small tablet of soap from my bag and put a small size of toothpaste on my toothbrush. I took my bath in a rush because I did not want her to come into the bathroom while I was inside. I was looking for something presentable to wear, still in my now damp wrapper when Madam bumped in and dumped some clothes on the bed.

"They should be your size. Get dressed and join me in the kitchen, the driver is taking us out." She left me and I moved closer to inspect the clothes. The clothes looked like works of art, the craftsmanship was detailed and the clothes could be worn inside out since they looked so neat but for the labels. I wore the first one I picked and smoothed it down with both hands. It felt kind of good and it was my size. I felt... but then I had never worn anything brand new except when I sewed clothes which was rare. Could she have known I was coming somehow? I worried.

She showed me how to soak the oats and cook it at the right consistency. She warmed some moin-moin in the microwave and I watched which knobs she pressed as the interior lighted up. The plate was turning and it fascinated me, she laughed.