"Are you going to the field?"

The final match in the intra-village tournament is taking place—Kukuyel versus Medical. The children all want to follow me to the field, despite me never having said I would go. In fact, I don’t particularly want to go. Fatou Bobo overhears Little Adama begging me to hurry up and bathe so we can go to the field. Fatou tells me, as I’m drawing water from the well, that I must not let the children follow me. The field is not for children. The football could hit them. Or, you know, if there is a fight at the end of the game, that would not be good. And all the people will be running and a child could fall.

I agree gladly, “The children will not follow me.”

Little Adama insists she will follow me. We insist she will not. As I’m walking back to my house with the bucket of water, Little Adama asks, “Are you going to the field?”

“If I bathe, yes, I think I will go.”

This is the wrong answer. She asks again, “Are you going to the field?”

“No.” She nods, then calls, “Kowbala! Let’s go home.” She holds out her hand and together her and her brother walk home.