Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Sophie. Sophie was a clever girl but sometimes, she did not know what to say.
Sophie could do a lot of things.
Sophie knew how to count her numbers 1, 2, 3…
Sophie knew all of her A, B, and Cs.
Sophie could sing the national anthem, she could also name the seven colours of the rainbow.
Sophie knew how to wash her hands. Sophie could also tie her shoelaces all by herself.
But when Sophie needed something, she did not know what to say.
One day, Sophie wanted to ask Mum and Dad if she could go to her friend Amanda’s for a sleepover.
She walked into the kitchen to meet Mum and Dad making sandwiches for breakfast.
“Mum, I am hungry” Sophie cried.
Dad cleared his throat “ahem, ahem.”
Mum shook her head from side to side, “Sophie, what do you say?” Mum asked.
“Give me some food now,” Sophie whispered.
“No-no-no Sophie.” Said, Dad. “You say ‘Please, may I have some food?'”.
“Please Mum, may I have some food?”
Mum gave Sophie a plate of sandwiches and a cup of hot chocolate- Sophie’s favourite.
Sophie grabbed one sandwich off the plate. She was about to take a bite when dad cleared his throat, “ahem, ahem.”
Mum shook her head from side to side. “Sophie, what do you say?” Mum asked.
“Yummy!” Sophie replied with excitement.
“No-no-no Sophie.” Said, Dad. “You say ‘thank you.'”
“Thank you for the sandwiches, Mum,” Sophie replied as she sat down to eat her sandwiches.
When Sophie finished her sandwiches and the cup of hot chocolate, she belched loudly. “UUUURGGGGHHHHHHH”
Dad cleared his throat “ahem, ahem.”
Mum shook her head from side to side. “Sophie, what do you say?” Mum asked.
“Disgusting!” Shouted Sophie.
“No-no-no Sophie.” Said, Dad. “You do not say disgusting. You say ‘excuse me.'”
“Oops! Excuse me.” Sophie said in a low tone.
Then it was time for Sophie to go out to play.
Sophie pushed off her chair and was on her way out of the door.
“I am going to ride my bicycle outside,” she announced.
“Ahem, ahem. Not so fast, Sophie,” Dad said. “Are you forgetting something?”
“Hmm…” Sophie thought. “Yes! My helmet.”
“But Sophie, what do you say?” Mum asked.
“Safety first?” Asked Sophie.
“No-no-no Sophie,” Mum said. “You ask, ‘Please, may I go out to play?'”
“O please, Mum and Dad. Please, may I go out to play?” Sophie pleaded.
When Mum and Dad said yes, Sophie hugged them both and ran out the door with her helmet. Sophie laughed happily as she rode her bicycle in the backyard. Sophie rode her bicycle back and forth and round and round.
Soon it was getting dark and Sophie was getting tired. It was time to come back into the house.
Sophie could not open the door herself. She was holding her helmet and pushing the bicycle.
Sophie did not know what to say to get the door to open. After thinking long and hard, Sophie shouted “Open sesame!”
“No-no-no Sophie,” said, Mum. “You say ‘Please, may I come in?'”
“Please, may I come in?” Sophie pleaded.
And Sophie was let into the house by Dad.
When Mum and Dad went to tuck Sophie in for the night, Sophie asked. “Excuse me, Mum, Dad, please, may I go for a sleepover at Amanda’s?”
Dad cleared his throat “ahem, ahem.”
Mum started to shake her head from side to side.
Sophie was worried that she did not say the right thing.
Then Mum and Dad both laughed.
“Yes, you may go for a sleepover at Amanda’s.” Mum and Dad agreed.
Sophie was glad she could go for the sleepover.
She said, “thank you, Mum, thank you, Dad.”
The next day, Sophie went to Amanda’s for a sleepover.
When she got to the door, Sophie did not say “open sesame.”
When she was given some fruits, Sophie did not say “yummy.”
When Sophie belched, because dinner was yummy, she did not say “disgusting!”
And when she wanted to go out to play, she did not shout “safety first.”
Rather, when Sophie wanted to go into Amanda’s house, she asked: “Please, may I come in?”
And when she was given fruits to share with Amanda, she said: “thank you.”
When Sophie belched, she said: “Excuse me.”
And when they wanted to play outside, Sophie asked: “Please, may we go out to play?”
No one ever asked “Sophie, what do you say?” ever again.
The end.
Blessing is a biotechnologist and an educator. When she is not teaching, she enjoys reading and writing fiction. She admires her healthy collection of draft manuscripts.
Blessing was a participant at the YELF Creative Writing Workshop in 2018 and the KABAFEST Fiction Writing Workshop in 2019. Her featured works include “The Northern Nigerian Woman” for the Open Space Blogazine September issue in 2015 and a poem Titled “Indelible” which was published in the portfolio for the African Patrons Cup Polo Tournament Exhibition in 2015.
The trajectory of literacy and education in the country is her current concern and she wishes to contribute content to the library for young African readers.
Blessing’s Story, ‘Sophie What Do You Say?’ emerged as the first runner up in the 2020 Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
Click to read – Scared Little Boy – 1st place winner
Click to read – Hessy and the Lost Tooth – 2nd runner up
Profound.
Keep reading it now and then.