** The Following Event Are Based On A True Story **
"Rhoda!"
"Yes Ma!" Quickly I hid my doll under the couch. If Benjamin got his hands on them, he would surely pull her apart.
I opened the living room door and stepped into the hall, just as Benji pushed past me into the room.
"Benji don't touch my doll oo." I warned him as Aunty Malade called me again. The cool concrete met my bare feet as I rushed towards my Aunty in the kitchen.
The kitchen sat towards the back of the wide hall, 2 light bulbs on either side of the end. There was a white gas stove with a small wooden stool in front of it against the back wall. Two rectangular tables had been connected in the right corner, forming a makeshift counter top. The counter held cut up cabbage, carrots and other vegetables Ma was currently cooking with. In the corner, a container of Blue Band Margarine and a few cooking utensils were gathered.
Aunty Malade stood on the stool as she stired her pot.
"Yes Ma?"
She turned, and wiped her hands against the green and yellow Ankara print cloth wrapped around her waist. "We are out of bread," I nodded while she made her way to the back room. A large steel pan sat on the floor filled with soapy water. Ma pushed aside some utensils in the water then washed her hands. "Go to the market and buy some. "
Wiping her hands again, she pulled out a few cedis from her shirt and straightened them out. "Take 5 cedis and buy 2 loafs of bread"
"Should I buy tea bread or butter bread?" I asked as we walked back to the kitchen. "Butter bread. I'm going to make us sandwiches this afternoon."
I put on my slippers and pocketed the money. "Ok, I'm going now"
I stepped out onto the veranda, then climbed down the 4 steps. The Western African sun scorched down on the dusty grounds of Ghana. The market wasn't too far, and I had made many trips there on my own before. Making this trip no different.
Walking down past our orange tree, the wall of our neighbors curved into the path I was meant to take. I skipped along, following the back wall while trailing my fingers against it's rough stone surface. Dust picked up as I went, allowing gritty bits of sand to loge between my toes and the band of my slippers.
Finally the hawking of sellers to possible customers reached my ears signaling the Market place.
After jumping over the open gutter, I made my way to the closest open store.
"Aunty" I spoke to the store owner. She tied up a plastic bag and handed it to a customer. "What will you buy today?"
"I want 2 loaves of butter bread. How much will that be?" I asked as I pulled out the money. She packed the loaves into a black polythene bag. "4 cedis and 15 pesewas."
I handed her the money and she gave me the bread.
"Bye, bye," I told her then left, jumping over the gutter. Once again, I found the wall and skipped alongside it.
My skipping came to a halt when a low growl was made from my right. I whipped my head in the direction of the red gate. It was left slightly opened and one dog of the house could be seen through the opening.
The dog growled again, causing me to slowly begin walking. I could hear my heartbeat quicken, but I moved along staying close to my neighbor's wall.
This time the dog barked and the second dog came into view. Also growling and eyeing me menacingly. Quickly, I walked trying to get home as soon as possible.
My movements only seemed to make them enraged as they pushed against the gate. Foolishly I slowed down again, trying to see if they would breakthrough.
Spoiler Alert. They did. They ran straight at me, causing me to break out into a sprint. My fight or flight responses kicking in while my legs threw dust in the air.
I clutched tightly onto the black polyethylene bag and propelled myself faster. The furious sounds of barking behind me competed with the erratic pounding of my own heart.
I stole a glance backward only to see that the dogs were trying to bite my heels. The sight fueling more adrenaline into my system. By now my slippers had flown off my feet and I was running for dear life with wild dogs close behind.
Up ahead I spotted a man, no older than 23 walking towards me. I ran to him, in hopes that he would help me.
He pretended to pick up a pebble from the ground in a swift swoop, then throw it in the dog's direction.
This stopped them, but they continued barking. He stood his ground and jumped in their direction to scare them off. "Shoo! Go away!" He yelled with a click of his tongue.
They whined but eventually backed off and went home, behind the red gate.
"Wo yÉ› ok?" [are you ok?] the man asked in Twi.
I nodded, still in shock. He switched to English then continued, "Next time scare them off as I did. If you start running, they will chase after you." The man went to pick up my slippers and I numbly followed close behind him.
"Gye," [take] he spoke in Twi again, handing the pair to me. "Take care eh?", I nodded in response once more and went home.