My wife, Obaapa Ama, was not around, so I went into the kitchen to prepare something for them, but I could not find anything available to serve them. The kitchen is empty, and my pocket is empty. A terrible day it was, as the Akans say, literally, "the day you don't wear good cloth is the day you'll meet your in-law".
I decided to share the only bottle of Coca-Cola available to both of them. When my brother and his wife arrived, I was shocked to see his mother-in-law with them, who was visiting me for the first time.
So I served the two cups of Coca-Cola to his wife and her mother, and I placed a cup of water in front of my brother, saying, 'I know that you like Sprite.' He took a sip and realised that it was water. But gave a welcoming and enjoyable smile.
Immediately, his mother-in-law said, "I'm feeling for your Sprite. Please let's exchange!" I got choked with saliva, baffled and confused. I thought, 'What will she think and say if she finds out? 'Awurade m'awu.'
But my brother King covered me up by saying to her, 'I will bring you a clean glass from the kitchen' as he headed towards the kitchen. He dropped the glass and shouted, Oh, sorry! I broke the glass, oh! the Sprite, I'm sorry. I'll get another one from the shop nearby, he added.' His mother-in-law refused and said, "There is no need for that. It was not meant for me anyway."
Eventually, when I was seeing them off after this fruitful visit, I thanked my brother for saving my head. He said, "Bro, don't forget to clean up the Sprite so that ants do not get there" We laughed out loud ... and he bid me farewell with a smile and love.
This reminded me of Noah and his three sons from Genesis 9:22-23 "Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked."
Please be your brother's keeper by covering them up. Stop sharing my weaknesses and laughing over them with others. No one will solve them for me but I will, so then speak to me as you cover my nakedness. God bless all the brothers and sisters who have covered others' shamefulness to make them shine in the end.
Shalom aleichem...
