Once Upon A Child

Mummy can be difficult. I should know; I'm her child.

When she gets like that, everyone is on edge: my siblings and I, Father and Aunty.

We have grown some skin, so, when she starts, we send up mental walls and shelter there. She is more careful with her husband, she does not want the tag of a foolish woman -- it is a small community, after all.

Aunty is often worst hit. She is sweet-natured and lacks the strength for diatribes. Mummy exploits that everytime. Many a time, she will remind Aunty that it is not in getting married, it is in producing. Any allusion to her state cuts Aunty to the quick and reduces her to tears.

We watch the goings-on from a distance. If we get involved, Mummy will transfer her venom to us.

At the end, Father finds a way to manage Aunty and get her to smile again.

But today, he failed. Aunty is still distraught. This eveing, she left the rest of the family and ran to the Tent. I followed her.

"Lord, God, I heard her ask You to look on her misery and give her a son. She vowed to give him back to You, all of his days.
Lord, God, remember Aunty and make her joy full."

I did not know how to proceed with the prayer, so, I ended it there, laid on my mat and slept.

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