It takes a good fifteen minutes to fill up a pail of water in our place, especially during the morning rush, when all the kids in the compound are racing to take their baths and do their other going-to-school rituals. So sometimes, when they're not being lazybums, my brothers fill up the giant plastic containers we have in the bathroom. When they're being extra nice, even the water gallons and the pails get filled with water. If and when they feel like it.

Now this morning, I went straight to the bathroom, and barely nobody's
home except for me and my mum. I switched on the lights, and reached down to find a covered pail with a note written on grade school paper and in red marker ink:

Don't make dekwat the water.*

Jesus lord, my brothers are turning konyo.

*Literally means: "Don't steal the water." I don't know the etymology of the word "dekwat" (to steal) but I suppose it's some sort of slang, kanto lingo. I've heard it used before, with its variations along with nenok and pitik, also street lingo for the verb "to steal." If anyone out there knows the history of the word, give me a yeller.

Also, the note reminds me of a Woody Allen play, called "Don't Drink The Water." Now that was hilarious.