'Junior!....' a voice rang through the dormitory. Chima groaned and wondered what those 'seniors' wanted again. 'Ah! I am too hungry to do anything right now,' he thought to himself. 'Junior this, Junior that. You would think that they didn't have hands or feet to do anything themselves. I wonder if I can escape this call'.
.Chima is in Junior Secondary School Class 1, and happens to be in the Boarding house. By this time of the month, his provisions have run out and Parent's visiting day is still four days away at least.
'Oh bother, I do hope my parents got my message. Sometimes, school dinner is not enough and we are always working so hard for these Seniors of ours'...
'Junior!', the call rang out again. No one else seemed to be available to answer and Chima knows that if he is caught ignoring the call it could end up worse for him.
'Yes senior, you called'. The Senior looks at him with a scowl, 'What took you so long or were you trying to dodge?' Chima replied shaking his head, ' No senior, why would I do that?'.
'Alright', the senior said, 'I want you to collect my food from the dining hall. The Food Prefect will be expecting you with my bowl. Don't fail or else! Collect for my bunk mate and neighbour while you are at it. Now take these bowls and wash them ready!'
'If only my parents knew how hard we work here, they would give us more pocket money' he thought as he got ready.
'Gbagam, gbagam, gbagam' the bell rang! Time for dinner! Chima grabs his bowl as he must see The Food Prefect to sort out his Seniors' food before he can sit to eat his. His stomach definitely was growling by this time. Wait a minute! he had forgotten! Dinner was 'Beans and Garri! Excellent! If he had remembered, he would have asked for some Nido milk powder to drink his garri. Anyway he thought, if he can't settle down to enjoy his meal, he will just pour the garri on the beans and add sugar, then top it with water.
He finally sat down to enjoy his beans and garri smiling, as he heard Table 5 start that familiar song;
'Ewa and Garri, our famous food
O we are proud of Ewa and Garri
When we eat Ewa and Garri
Our belle swell
O yes, we love Ewa and Garri'
He thought to himself, 'Now I know why I like this song, I had nearly died of hunger. This food na life saver o. Thank God for garri'. 'Please pass me the water', Chima said to his friend.
He ate as fast as he could and ran to collect the Seniors' food as he daren't miss picking it up and he didn't want to be late for Evening studies either. Double Wahala for junior boy.
He bundled the Seniors' portion of garri and beans to them and as he was about to run off he was called back, ' Junior! What is all this?!'. Chima answered, 'It is your dinner, senior. That is what I was given for you'. 'Really?', the senior said, .'Okay, take away this garri, I don't want it messing up my locker'. Chima who was rushing off to class didn't hesitate to collect it, 'thank you senior'. He ran and put it in his locker; 'me, I don't mind it in my locker' he thought, as he shut his locker door.
'Wao! This is timely, soakies* for a couple of days, I may even get some groundnuts or geisha to escort it,' he dreams...
'Hey! Junior! Why are you still here? the dorm prefect shouted. Chima grabbed his books and ran but he was happy; he had received 'Garri intervention'. See you on Saturday, parents.
Soakies: a slang used to describe taking Garri with cold water and it can be eaten with other sweet or savoury accompaniments such as sugar, salt, peanuts, fish, grilled or fried meats.
Garri Intervention: a fictional article to show the place garri occupies in our African community.
It is a staple meal in many homes and prepared for eating using either cold or hot water.
Follow the link for more details.
Garri is readily available in local Afrocaribbean Cash and Carry Stores.
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