Chapter 10: When Dumsor Turned Me Into a Villager Chef
After giving Auntie Maggie the last grains of my salt (and half my patience), I realized I was dangerously hungry.
"Let me just cook something small, eat, and sleep." I told myself.
I checked the kitchen — nothing fancy.
Just some rice, two sad-looking tomatoes, and one onion that had seen better days.
"Perfect. Jollof attempt!"
I washed the rice like a professional, diced the tomatoes like Gordon Ramsay, and set my gas cooker with confidence.
The pot was heating nicely.
The aroma of the frying onions and tomatoes started rising — sweet enough to wake up ancestors.
I started dancing small in the kitchen, feeling proud.
Just as I was about to pour the rice inside — BAM!
Total darkness.
The fan stopped.
The fridge sighed and died.
The lights vanished.
Dumsor had struck without mercy.
I froze, the spoon in my hand mid-air.
"Ah, Ghana why??" I cried into the darkness.
I waited a few minutes, hoping the lights would blink and come back.
Nothing.
I waited 10 more minutes.
Still nothing.
Meanwhile, my sauce was still sitting on the now-dead cooker, looking sadder than me.
I had two options:
Starve to death like a romantic movie character. Or use the old coal pot sitting outside like a retired warrior.
Guess what I chose?
I, Samuel, full citizen of Ghana, gathered courage and went outside.
I found the dusty coal pot, cleaned it with a torn rag, and searched for charcoal like a village hunter.
After struggling for 15 minutes — using a piece of carton, blowing air until I nearly fainted — fire finally caught.
Neighbors were peeping at me over the wall, laughing secretly.
Small boys passing by shouted:
"Uncle charcoal man! Uncle village chef!"
But I didn't mind.
Man must eat.
Finally, with smoky eyes and ash all over my body, I sat there fanning my rice like a medieval villager.
When the food was finally ready, I didn't even wait to sit down.
I ate standing, tears of hunger mixing with smoke tears.
As I finished the last spoon, I said:
"Accra will not kill me. I will survive. Even if I have to become a charcoal seller!"
End of Chapter 10