But as she hopped onto the staircase and reached the landing,

With Tsunami speed, a sorta speed faster than lightening’s

In haste, tore I open the colourful ice cream wrap

And the ice cream with effervescent hissing sounds

Kept bubbling up in great rapidity.

Then let I out a scream:” Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!”

And Momma from the upper room above me

barked out a shout denouncing my nuisance

and asked in anger: “Junior, what! W-h-a-t, Junior!”

And I replied: “Mummy, it’s melting! Mummy! Mummy! It’s melting!”

Momma asked me again angrily and afterward entreated:

“What! I need my peace, J-u-n-i-o-r!”

“Let me have my peace – peace, please!”

“Let everyone have their peace, please!”

“Peace, peace, please, Junior!”

“This Kingdom sure needs peace,

certainty and tranquillity, Junior!”

And hurtling down, she asked: “Where’s your Liz?”

“Where’s your Liz ice cream, Junior?”

And in fear and trepidation, I replied: “Gone! Gone!”

“Just evaporated…evaporated and fizzled out, Mummy.”

With her arms akimbo, visibly frowning, Momma asked

breathing profusely and gasping for breath….

“What will you do then? What next…?”

And as I struggled to regain my composure,

My timidity and fear gave way to courage and boldness

And then I screamed out loud: General! General! General!

And mum hissing a sigh of relief and now with

a tinge of love in her eyes asked again:

“Junior, what do you want?”

“Just what do you want, Junior?

And I said:” Lollipoll. I want Lollipoll”

“Lollipop?”

No, mummy, Lollipoll

Then she too echoed: “I too want Lollipoll.”

“I too want Lollipoll and…and a Ballot Choco.”

Suddenly a figure emerged silhouetted against the wall,

And I screamed out: “Cummings! Cummings!

Look, mummy, Cummings! Cummings!

Mummy! M-u-m-m-y, Cummings!

• OCTOBER 22, 2022.

BY JOHN ODEY ADUMA, PUBLISHER, VIGILANCE – THE WORLD’S LEADING SECURITY MAGAZINE.