Church Membership Required - By Cabella

One Saturday a month, my Mommy and I go to the market together. She buys things for the house and I sneak in some items that I don't want to pay for myself. It is a great mother-daughter time in the hot, crowded, busy and sometimes smelly market. I cherish these Saturdays with Mommy.

I woke up because my Mommy called me to say she was waiting for me outside. I had overslept. I brushed my teeth, put on some "home clothes", packed my hair up in an afro puff and ran outside. No earrings and no make-up. On this particular Saturday, our rice customer had traveled and she had her cousin in charge of her shop. Madam Cousin informed us enthusiastically that our customer had traveled for summer. Rice retailing must be lucrative.

Painting from : http://www.artseaprovence.com/tag/market-in-nigeria/

Painting from : http://www.artseaprovence.com/tag/market-in-nigeria/

 Madam Cousin was quite an enthusiastic lady, I thought, as she gave my Mommy and I more attention than our customer usually does. I sat down for the usual pricing (bargaining) that buyers and sellers in Nigerian markets do. Mommy was reaching into her bag to count the money to pay for her purchase when her phone rang. She excused herself leaving me with Madam Cousin. "So you attend Deeper Life?" asked Madam Cousin. I was not sure she was talking to me so I looked around before answering. "Ehn?"

"It makes me so happy when I see young women like you taking their spiritual lives seriously and embracing modesty" she continued as she sort of stroked my arm. My natural hair, home clothes, no make up and earings were tell tale signs of my church affiliation. "I want my Mommy!" I muttered under my breath. She was still staring and smiling at me. For some reason, I felt that telling her my look of the day was as a result of over-sleeping and not deep Christian values would disappoint her. So I smiled back. 

Mommy returned in time to deliver me. I jumped off the chair and turned in the direction of escape (which really was anywhere away from Madam Cousin). Mommy was startled by the way I leaped off the chair and gave me a questioning look. I did not say anything. Payment was made and our purchases were given to us. As we left, Madam Cousin asked me "Will you be at the joint service at DLCC this weekend?" Really?! I turned to her and answered politely "Unfortunately I will not be able to attend. God bless Madam."
"What was she asking you?" Mommy asked me as we drove home. "Nothing. Minor case of mistaken church membership" I responded.

Cabella