Forgetting is a part of everyone's life; it is inevitable. At one point or another, we all find ourselves forgetting things, especially important ones.
Forgetting is the loss or alteration of information that was previously stored in short-term or long-term memory. It can happen suddenly or gradually, as old memories fade away. While it is usually normal, excessive or unusual forgetfulness might be a sign of a more serious problem.
When I was much younger, I had a serious problem with forgetting errands, especially when my mother sent me on tasks. It got so bad that one day, in frustration, she angrily asked me, "What are you thinking about? Are you already worrying about how to feed your children when you're not even married yet?"
One fateful day, my mother was in the kitchen and, as usual, called me. "Nsi, go to the room and get me the salt container," she said. I quickly responded, "Okay!" and ran off to fetch it.
But, my brothers and sisters, the moment I got to the room, blank! Ahahahah! A simple task, right? But as soon as I arrived, I stood there like a lost traveler. That was when it hit me, my brain had undergone a full factory reset! Ahahahah!
I panicked. "What am I going to tell this woman now?" I thought to myself.
Instead of wasting time, I decided to play it safe. I stepped out confidently, hoping to improvise. The moment my mother saw me return empty-handed, she gave me that classic Nigerian mother look. I quickly blurted out, "I didn’t see it."
Now, if you know Nigerian mothers, you know you don’t joke with them. She immediately fired back, "What have you not seen?" At that point, I knew I was finished. I stammered, "What you sent me to get, na."
She shook her head in disbelief. "What did I send you?"
Ahhh! That was the end for me! I stood there, dumbfounded.
With a deep sigh, she waved me off and shook her head. "Your case is different. Just get out of my sight!"
I smiled sheepishly and left. The errand was reassigned to my sister, who delivered it flawlessly.
I tried playing a fast one, but I got caught! Never joke with African mothers. From that day on, my mother hardly trusted me whenever I assured her that I hadn’t forgotten something. It took me a long time to clear that impression from her mind.
Thanks for reading, I am @nsigo1.