The Mystery Of The Box Of Sardine

My father  owned a convenient store in Haïti,  a small  town, about forty-five minutes from Port-Au-Prince; the Capital of Haïti.  During the summer, our family often spent a few days  vacationing there, since there was also a house right behind the store. But I recalled one particular weekend, my aunt and I went up there alone, since her mom (Aunt Sawsaw” was the one in charge of the store. I was probably 13, while she was 18 years old.

That Saturday morning,  when  aunt Sawsaw had to run some errands, she left my aunt and I alone in the store. But, since she knew how much we loved sardine, she gave us a long lecture before she left.

“You see that box of sardine on the shelf up there?”

After we looked up, we said: “Yes Aunt Sawsaw.”

“Now,  whenever I come back, if I don’t see it right at the same spot, I better find the money in the cash register. “Do you hear me?”

“Yes!” We both humbly answered.

Immediately after aunt Sawsaw left, we climbed on a high chair and grabbed the last box of sardine. After we seasoned it with some lime and hot pepper, we ate it with some fresh  bread, and avocado. In fact, we even had some cookies for dessert, plus some soda to seal the deal. “If we were going to get in trouble, it might as well be all worth it.”

Well, to be honest, this was not my reasoning. Because, even at thirteen, I was still very gullible. In fact, everyone knew I could not lie for a million $$$. So my aunt being aware of this fact, and out of fear that I would end up telling her mother the truth, made it her mission to rehearse the whole scenario with me prior to her mother’s arrival. Yes, we spent the whole day rehearsing.

“Listen to me! ” She said. “I know you don’t know how to lie, but you must try to remember what I’m about to tell you, or we’re both in deep trouble! “Whenever my mother ask you about the box of sardine, even if she waits till next year or five years from now, you must always give her the same answer: “We sold the box of sardine right after she left.”

I answered, “Yes auntie.”

“Again, if she says, “Where is the box of sardine?” You are to answer:

“We sold it and placed the money in the cash register drawer.”

If she says “What did you girls ate while I was away?” You must answer:

“We ate some peanut butter and bread, and had some lemonade.”

“Ok auntie.”

Two hours later when aunt Sawsaw finally arrived, her first glimpse was the high shelf. Of course the sardine was gone.  Then she said “Oh! I see the box of sardine is gone?”

I promptly replied, “Yes auntie, we sold it to a fat lady with a red dress, and the money is right in the cash register.”

She said: “I see. Mm-Mm!”

A couple minutes later, when my aunt came to greet her,  she said: “So you girls ate the sardine?”

My aunt answered “No mom, we sold it to a young girl, right after you left, and the money is in the cash register drawer.

Aunt Sawsaw said: “I see. Mm-Mm!”

About four hours later, right before bed time, aunt Sawsaw called me: “Nadège, grab the comb, come and scratch my scalp so I can tell you some tales.” (It was common in our Country at night to listen to the old folks sotries prior to bedtime.”

“Ok aunt Sawsaw!”

I rushed toward the room with great anticipation because I loved to listen to her old stories. But, just about fifteen minutes later, in the midst one of her story she stopped, then  after she stretched her arms, closed her eyes as if she was falling asleep, then said,

“So, with what did you girls ate the sardine again? Did you girls broiled some plantains and had some lemonade?”

I answered: “No aunt Sawsaw.  “We ate it with some bread, had some cold soda, and some cookies for dessert right after you left!”