Underwear, oil lamp, and haunted ghost

When I think back to my childhood, my mind always drifts to my grandma’s house. It was huge, with seven rooms,  almost like a mini hotel designed especially for our family. I lived there with my mom, grandma, my sisters, my brother, and my dad. 

One night, I was sleeping in my sister’s room. The light had broken, so my dad decided to use an oil lamp instead. I have no idea what type of oil he used; all I know is that it smelled awful and produced smoke as thick as a morning fog in the mountains.

That night, I was sleeping so soundly. And yes, when I was a kid, I only slept wearing shorts,  just shorts like a carefree village kid who didn’t have a single worry in the world. While I was lost in dreams of snacks or running around flying kites, my room was quietly turning into a smoke-filled sauna. I had no clue at all.

Suddenly, my mom came to check on me and screamed in horror. The entire room was filled with smoke, and I looked like a roasted sweet potato, completely black from head to toe. She shouted, “HELP! HELP!” My dad panicked, probably imagining that I had already turned into a ghost.

They rushed in, grabbed me as if I were a chicken about to be washed, and dragged me straight to the bathroom. They poured water over me again and again, as though they were scrubbing down a muddy motorbike after a heavy rain.

Eventually, I woke up, coughing and utterly confused. My mom and dad were beyond relieved, while I was still wondering, “Wait, why am I getting a midnight shower? What did I do wrong?”

Looking back now, it’s hilarious. Just picture it: me, pitch black, wearing nothing but shorts, my mom shrieking like a character in a horror film, and my dad turning into a firefighter rescue squad.

Even today, whenever this story is retold, it never fails to make everyone laugh. It’s one of those unforgettable, ridiculous childhood memories that will stay with me forever.