Why you must never eat in anyhow Restaurant
The Taste of Deception
Ada had a refined palate but a lazy nature. Having grown up in a busy household where her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Amaka, gave their three children—Ada, Uzo, and Nneka—money instead of meals, Ada learned to rely on the street. Her university friend, Chisom, often warned her: “Don’t you know it’s cheaper and safer to buy things at the market and cook for yourself?” But Ada, convinced of her choice, always shot back, “Is it your money? How is my life choice your business?”
Ada’s reliance on eating out continued into her compulsory service year, where she shared an apartment with the domestically-minded Chisom. Ada knew all the latest, fanciest restaurants and frequented them daily, spending money and time that Chisom found appalling.
Ada’s lifestyle finally cost her a relationship with Ikenna, a handsome businessman she fell in love with. When he visited her home and asked for a home-cooked meal, Ada had to confess: “I’m sorry, Ikenna, but I can’t cook.” Disappointed by her lack of domesticity, Ikenna abruptly left, leaving Ada heartbroken and embarrassed.
The Unmasking
Ada quickly reverted to her old habits, but things began to change after she discovered a new, luxurious-looking restaurant. It was cheap, beautiful, and always packed with customers. Ada became a daily patron, often ordering delivery to her office.
Less than a month later, while eating a delivered meal, Ada saw it: a dead cockroach inside the food. Although shocked, she foolishly dismissed it as a one-off mistake.
Soon after, Ada fell seriously ill with a running stomach and a fever that almost took her life. The doctor’s diagnosis was clear: she was infected with a strange bacteria known to breed only in very dirty places. He warned her, “This ailment is so dangerous it could kill you in days.”
Though Chisom nursed her back to health, Ada stubbornly returned to her old ways and, unbelievably, to the same restaurant. The illness returned, then struck a third time. Finally, the repetition and the doctor’s words triggered a resolve: she had to investigate.
One faithful weekend, Ada visited the restaurant. After finishing her meal, she feigned urgency for the restroom. Finding it occupied, she ventured down the hall and saw a swinging door leading to the kitchen.
What she saw behind that door was a scene of horror that churned her stomach and almost made her vomit the meal she had just enjoyed:
Piles of filthy dishes beside the cooking area.
Raw meat left out in the open, covered in flies.
The cooks wore dirty, stained aprons and had greasy hair.
Rats were roaming freely across the filthy floor.
Then Ada saw the chief cook—a fat, dark woman—who disgusted her beyond measure. Ada watched as the woman scratched her dirty, bushy armpit with the spoon she was using to stir the soup, then returned the unwashed spoon to the pot.
Ada fled, holding her stomach and covering her nose from the stench. She rushed outside the restaurant and vomited everything she had just eaten.
The Transformation
Overwhelmed with disgust and shame, Ada realized the truth: not everyone or everything is as clean as they appear. The fancy dining area was a mask for a filthy, dangerous kitchen. She felt deep regret for having ignored Chisom and for her parents’ neglect that led to her total lack of domestic skills.
That day, Ada made a decision. She cleaned out her kitchen space, bought cooking utensils, and began learning to cook using the internet.
When Chisom returned home, she was shocked to find Ada in the kitchen. They prepared a meal together. The final dish didn’t look as fancy as a restaurant meal, but it tasted delicious, and more importantly, it was made with care and proper hygiene.
Ada never looked back. She became proficient in the kitchen, stopped eating out, and even started taking her food to work, where she shared her meals with her surprised colleagues.
Ikenna, who had returned and apologized for abandoning her instead of helping her, was delighted by Ada’s change. They reconciled, and months later, they married.
Ada’s painful experience taught her and those around her a vital lesson: Silence protects the danger. Whether it’s a lack of hygiene, a bad habit, or a flaw in a loved one, one must be willing to confront the problem. Ikenna eventually realized he should have supported Ada to learn, not abandon her; and Ada learned that self-reliance is the greatest defense against the hidden dangers of the world.