'SUNDAY MAN' BY CALEB PEN.

I still remember that horrible Sunday afternoon after returning from church. 

According to the normal Nigerian family custom our food through out the day was rice, I mean stew rice. My family was not exempted as my mom was already preparing the special delicacy with a mouth- watering aroma.

The problem began when my Junior brother, Chidi the last born of the family of 8 started troubling Mama in the kitchen demanding for one thing or another. Mom had no other option than to scream my name "Caleb! Come and carry Chidi away from here!" In a haste i took Chidi out of the house to the field where my friends are.

Few moments later, I saw crowd running towards the direction of our house, hands around their chest and heads bowed, some even in tears. I got to the scene with my junior brother on my back and saw smoke covered our house. 

Astonished, I asked an onlookers who I guess never suspected I was a member of the family, "What happened?" He explained that, " A woman was cooking, then forgot what she was cooking engrossed in a conversation with her husband, the food got burnt and caught fire until it extended to the generator at the back of the kitchen.

I couldn't wait for him to finish the story when I dropped my Junior brother, wet myself with water and dashed into the burning house hoping to at least safe a soul. I got into the house and Mom was still gasping for breathe, She only tried to pronounce my name "Cal..!"  Then she gave up the ghost.

I stood there in tears seeing how 6 of my family members die one day before my eyes. I woke out up 3 days later in the hospital with a scar.

A scar on my face, that my mates make jest of. Whenever you someone with a scar before laughing ask for the story behind it.

I will continue to be proud of my Scar because assuming I wasn't late, I would at least saved my mom!

"So whenever you see me with my scar, 

It signifies my trophy as a survivor of death.

John Caleb