Chicken Sardine 🐔🐟

One day, while Shenba was playing with her puppy, she heard her mother calling. “Shenba!”

“Yes, Maaa… coming!” she shouted back. She patted her puppy’s head. “You stay here and play with the ball, okay? No funny business.”

Her mother handed her a ten-ringgit note. “Go to the shop and get a can of chicken sardine. Medium size. And be quick.”

Shenba grabbed her bicycle, but just as she was about to leave, her puppy gave her the saddest look ever. His ears drooped, his tail stopped wagging, and he let out a deep sigh.
“Oh, stop that,” Shenba groaned. “You are not coming. Stay.”

The puppy flopped on the ground dramatically. Shenba rolled her eyes. “Drama king,” she muttered before pedaling off.

She reached the sundry shop, a small but crowded place where everything from biscuits to batteries was stacked high. She parked her bicycle, walked in, and muttered under her breath, “Chicken sardine, chicken sardine, chicken sardine…”

She went straight to the canned food section, spotted a can with the word “Chicken” in bold letters, and grabbed it confidently.
“Mission accomplished,” she whispered, paying for it and cycling home.

The moment she reached the kitchen, she handed the can to her mother proudly. “Here you go! One medium-sized chicken sardine!”

Her mother took the can, glanced at it, and froze. Then she let out a long sigh.

“Shenbaaaa…”

Shenba turned around, confused. “What?”

Her mother held up the can. “This. Is. Chicken.”

Shenba nodded. “Yes. Chicken. Just like you asked.”

Her mother groaned. “I said chicken sardine!”

Shenba blinked. “Yes! And this is chicken.. Maa!”

Her mother opened the cupboard and pulled out another smaller can. “See? It is sardine. See the fish?”

Shenba stared at it, then at the can in her mother’s hand. Slowly, realization dawned on her face.

“Ohhhhh…” Shenba rubbed her head. “Then why did you say chicken sardine? That is like saying ‘apple orange’ and expecting only an orange.”

Her mother shook her head, trying not to laugh. “Just go and exchange it for me, please.”

Shenba picked up the can. “Fine. But next time, be clear okay.”

She hopped back on her bicycle and rode off, still shaking her head. When she told the shopkeeper what happened, he burst out laughing.

“Ah, I see this happen a lot!” he chuckled. “So, chicken and fish confused you? Ha ha!”... Sort off said Shenba... 

She swapped the can and cycled home, making a mental note to write down and double-check the label next time.