Chapter 4: New Name, New Trouble

I be cat—Grandma own Mimi.

That useless man wey release him yeye dog for people, community security finally catch am.

Grandma no ever try chase me again.

To thank me, Grandma cook big catfish for me.

Small kitten no too like fish, but Grandma believe say I go like am.

The warm kitchen fire make me feel good. I just lie down for Grandma side, dey hear her dey talk.

“That boy no get heart. Small kitten like you for dey chop life for city, now you dey follow old woman dey chop village food.”

“Meow meow.”

“Old Baba Musa like cat well well. If e no die early, if e see Mimi now, e for happy.”

“Meow.”

...

Anytime she call my name, I go shake ear reply.

The small compound dey quiet, just me and Grandma dey gist. Even the mango leaf for wind, I fit hear am.

She still dey talk, “Mimi, from today, na Grandma get you.”

But as she talk am, she pause.

Something dey off.

She think am. “Grandma own… Mimi?”

She knock stove, shout, “No! This name no fit me! E too shameful for old woman!”

I shock, open eye, meow.

She look me up and down, dey reason. “You white well—make we call you Pearl. My surname na Okafor, so you be Okafor Pearl.” She smile small, rub my head again. "Pearl, na you be my gold for this old age—no let wahala finish me."

My new name na all the hope wey Grandma get for me.

She say pearl na treasure, so I be her confidant.

But instead of confidant, na wahala I turn.

Every morning, Grandma dey go chicken coop find egg.

But somehow, egg dey miss.

Today na the worst—coop empty. Not even one egg.

Grandma look me.

She ask, “Na you thief the egg?”

She squeeze eye for me, the look strong reach to make my fur stand.

How kitten own go be thief? At worst, na small pick-pocketing!

I roll for Grandma leg, dey touch her wrapper, show my fluffy belle.

I roll eye, give my cutest, sharpest meow.

But this time, e no work.

She insult me say I too chop, come order me stand under tree for punishment, dey wave rolling pin like say na tiger.

But no matter how she form, she no dey beat me.

And me, I no dey dodge, because I know say Grandma no go fit touch me.

Her own na mouth—she go stomp enter house, dey knit, no answer me even if I meow tire.

So I sit for window, dey form sad, but later sneak enter chicken coop.

The hens see me as enemy, dey flap wing, dey use beak poke me.

Dem peck my yansh, peck my head.

Fear catch me, I nearly pee, dey shout Grandma.

“Meow ah ah ah ah!”

I no fit again! I no fit again!

Feather and fur dey fly for coop. Na one against eight—four paw no reach eight beak.

Thank God, Grandma rush come, dey bang steel basin, chase chicken.

She carry me, insult the hens, “If I catch any chicken try my Pearl again, I go fry you with onions and ogiri!”

Hmph!

Chop feed finish, dey form boss, but touch my Pearl, na stew you go turn!

Onion, ginger, scent leaf, pepper, chopstick—everything enter pot.

But Grandma cool down, leave dem.

I curl for her arm, dey shake, hide for her armpit like say I fear die.

That night, I chop correct chicken stew.

My head full peck, I bury face for plate, dey chop dey go.

You no go know how much you fit chop till you try.

Grandma dey add food. I chop one, she add two.

I chop for twenty minutes, my plate still dey full.

Tears wan drop.

“Meow awoo!”

Grandma! Abeg, e don do!

Grandma shock, add another spoon. “See as you hungry reach, you no fit talk human again!”