Men to so and most definitely avoid 2011 by Mary Muthoni Kariuki
The only thing I remember about the first part of 2010 was that I was a fourth year at UoN. But there are some men I encountered in 2010 that I and other women should avoid come 2011, because even if there were the last men on God’s green earth then every woman’s prayer should be. “Lord, take me as I am.”
First, Men ask you out for lunch then ask for a kiss afterwards. At times, it’s actually out of the blue. That includes men who ask for “a passionate kiss on the lip as friends.” Who are they kidding such does not exist. Who informed these freaks that I love exchanging saliva for no good reason anyway? If you want to be hated for life, ask for a kiss. Anyway the last thing I want is your disgusting saliva is the last thing I want in my mouth.
Men who give you their sexual history and hope I will do the same. If we are not in relationship, I don’t care. Plus who told that actually makes you seem honest.
Men who ask. “I hope you are a good girl.” I doubt God put me on this earth to prove a point to any man. God forbid that there comes a day when I have to explain my ‘goodness’ to a man. It’s like he is asking me. “Are you a loose woman?” That’s degrading. What do you expect me to say? “I am.” Men, there is no perfect woman out there.
Men who insist on giving me advise on what men want. Dude I did not ask for your advice. “Men fear you.” “You need to loosen up.” “Men like their women submissive.” If they don’t like what they are getting they should stay away. What about what I want anyway. I have my list as well.
Men who assume I am a good cook because I am a woman. News flash, my whole life I have always hated cooking plus housework. Get used to it. Or call me a feminist if you want.
Men who assumed housework duty is my responsibility. Again please be prepared to do your own cooking, ironing, washing because when I was born I did not come with a manual titled. “How to do your man’s laundry 101.”
Men who approach my relatives and then still come to me. Please men, I know evolutionists would have us believe we are part of the extended animal kingdom and hence your tendency to behave as such, you know goats or cocks on heat. From experience that is not a pretty sight. So since all my relatives and I live in the same area, if you approach my sister, cousin, niece, whatever please stay away from me. Chasing after every skirt you see is not cool.
That was actually my next point, men who chase after every skirt they see. A guy approaches you and you are on cloud nine until you realize that he has approached like twenty women that all know and has used the same lines on them too. Looser!
Men who are married or have girlfriends or partners. If 2010 has taught me one thing is that such men are on the prowl all the time. With rings on their index finger, but no shame in their hearts they’ll proudly tell you. “If I had known you existed I wouldn’t have gotten married.” Yet ten years down the line they will still be married with three kids. Or “I am your dream guy.” Showing you a picture of their son, Or in actual sense they have a girlfriend, you know it, they know it, but still want waste your time. Girl you will always be on the loosing end at the end of the day apart from the fact that you really need to respect.
Older men who are lets say in their thirties and all they want is to marry you regardless of the fact that you don’t love them. Because they are desperate to marry any woman, all they can see is you pregnant. Get someone your own age. I am not as dumb as you think.
This also applies to men in their late twenties the desperate kind who date form four leavers, pay their college fees then end up getting dumped for someone younger. Men never pay fees for a girl unless you have permission from her father. Also there is nothing as bad as dating a man who is talking about commitment and you are in school and trying to sort out your life.
Men who stop you in the streets of Nairobi to ask for your number or just to tell you that you look very beautiful, It would take God for me to respond to such. They freak me out.
Men who snuggle up too closely to your body on buses and queues because they are psychos and they want to satisfy themselves using you. They are the worst kind.
Men who think I am dumb or expect me to act dump and pretend I don’t know football.
Men with fake vibe. “Come to house and make me tea baby.” “Idiot.” That’s all I have to say to you looser. No matter how cute you are it won’t work. “I have been waiting for you my whole life.” “Well Mister, I haven’t.”
Men who thinks they understand everything about a woman’s physiology. Oh please the last thing I want to talk to you about is my monthly period. Recently I was angry because a man had looked down on me, yet a certain fool thought it was that time of the month, and he let me know it with a goofy smile on his face. I wasn’t impressed. Or when in the heat of Turkana, a colleague thought it was that time of the month again. I wasn’t impressed. Wait is there a woman who is impressed by talking about her monthly period to a man. It’s a woman thing, let it be.
Men who talk about rape. I hate that, it’s creepy and scary and it actually makes me suspicious about such men. I don’t know about you ladies but I have had two or three guys, who claimed they were interested in me, telling me about women who were raped out of nowhere. Trust me, that didn’t go anywhere. Scaring a woman doesn’t build a relationship. One actually told me about gang rape and that’s all he would tell each time he saw me. That’s the number one man to avoid.
Lastly, men who gossip, look boy if your friends think they are way better than I am then may be you should date them. Sadly I don’t care what they say about me, and if you believe them, then you are so not the guy from me.
Women stay away from such men and you will be happy come tomorrow, men stay away from me if you are any of the above. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Becoming the Other
Nevertheless, a heart stopped beating that day, a heart that had beat so loudly only a few seconds before, a joyous heart, one that leapt and beat a tad louder that most hearts, a heart full of dreams, a ‘dreamer’, so they called her, if she would have known how painful her death would have been she would never have attempted to go down the path that had lead to such an agonizing demise, its not like she had not died so many times before in the last decade or so.
And a painful death it was indeed, death from a wound inflicted in the house of her friend, her partner, had it been an enemy or better still a stranger that had sought to destroy and kill her, maybe it would not have been as painful as it felt in those dying moments. He had mercilessly raised his knife nay a dagger, or better still a double edged sword and driven it through her heart, not once, twice would have been acceptable but he had done it over and over again, her resigned daze firmly fixed on eyes that were set on destroying everything that she had worked so hard for. With every strike the pain ceased, a rather numbing feeling filled her mind as drifted into the unknown, finally slipping into the darkness that had surrounded her brief and miserable married life, she could clearly see it quickly engulfing not only her heart but every thing and everyone and that ceremony was fading into the darkness as well, it was like she was not there anymore, like she was hearing his voice from a distance.
BUT THEY LIED! There was no bright light at the end of the tunnel, just eternal darkness, there was no peace finally, just eternal condemnation in her heart and mind that made her whole body feel rather sore.
Jackie thought of what they would say at her funeral.
“A bright young woman.” “A hardworking girl indeed.” She pictured, a grey haired, tall man, who walked with a limp and his back bent, an effect of the very trait that the daughter had inherited. Over the past decade she had involved herself in so many business ventures all that greatly succeeded, only for her to stop half way to make room for Anthony’s career. Every step he climbed on the ladder of success, she seemed to go down ten steps.
Such true but incomplete statements, if only they had the courage to say it. “A young bright woman, who was foolish enough to give up the scholarship of a lifetime to study abroad in one of the best universities in the world for a man who thought she wasn’t clever enough,.”
Then her old father would say. “A hardworking but naïve girl, who could have built empires, ruled nations, conquered the hearts of men and women but she didn’t.” she could feel the tears in his voice; she could see the mourners nod in agreement. What a tragic end to a heart that was hopeful to the very end.
Ten years earlier everything seemed to be going according to plan, she had highly excelled in the national examinations, at that point the petite, dark seventeen year old was the talk of their estate, her high school principal was so pleased with Jackie that he used all his connections to secure her a scholarship abroad at one of the best universities in the world and they had readily accepted her.
“What are you going to study?” her pastor had asked her after the three hour long service.
“Law!” she had answered ecstatically.
That was until Antony came along, an everyday guy, college educated, luck seemed to be on his side because he seemed to be landing very good jobs. She saw him once and her young heart was smitten by him, she dived in head first, there was no reasoning to logic when it cane to Antony.
“It’s only four years.” Her father tried to sway a heart convinced of love to no avail.
“Father,” she reasoned with wisdom. “He is going to educate me. There are universities right here in Kenya.”
“Has you father abdicated his role of paying your fees to him.” An angry mother retorted at her stubborn daughter. “We certainly do not need his help in paying your fees.”
Their pleas fell on deaf ears, the charm of a twenty seven year old man, with a few thousand shillings in his account overrode the voice of truth and Jackie eloped, rather moved in with Antony, to everyone’s dismay.
“Anto.” She held the admission letter close to her heart a few months later. “It’s Law again.” She waved the letter excitedly in the air. “It’s for this coming September.”
Antony didn’t look that excited, as a matter of fact he went on reading the newspaper as if she had said nothing.
“Sweetie,” he folded his newspaper neatly. “I am also joining university the evening programme for B-com.”
“That’s great, we can both…”
“No!” he shot her suggestion down as he would do for the next ten years. “I need you to stay at home at least for the next four years, until I am done and then you can go to school.” He started, on noticing the element of surprise in her face, he proceeded to convince her. “I will open a business for you so that you can keep yourself busy as I study.”
At that point she should have ran back to her parents and begged for their forgiveness for being the prodigal daughter, but sweet nothings won over solid evidence.
Four years later, she still dreamt of owning her own law firm despite being a wife and a mother of one while expecting another. She still hoped for great things despite being disowned by her father. Running a small kiosk near their rented flat, which in a matter of months she had transformed into a big duka, her savings were growing and she had found a partner to help her set up a Supermarket, and just when she was about to hit the jack pot, Antony was transferred to another district.
“Let’s go.” He managed to easily convince. “I will support you to open another shop.”
She went on and followed her husband at first begrudgingly, but she truly loved her husband and was willing to set aside everything and follow him even to the depths of the earth, in the darkest abyss that her life seemed to be, she followed, thinking it was his hand she was holding. Her second hand business prospered again, but Antony insisted that she needed to stay at home and take care of the family of five, while he traveled far and wide to do business; he provided everything, for them. Their children attended privately owned schools; the arrangement seemed to work, until Antony graduated with a Masters Degree. Jackie organized for the best party her husband’s money could afford her. Prominent people were invited; they came in state of the art vehicles, bearing gifts that only the affluent could afford to pronounce the names. As for the food, the outside caterer’s hired spared no cent, sweet aroma of Mukimo, fried and roast chicken, chapati, nyama choma among other delicacies filled the air of an otherwise cloudless afternoon.
But as the blue sky turned gray and gray gave in into darkness an aura of imminent betrayal filled Jackie’s heart as he rose to give his graduation speech, it was like he had chosen a sharp dagger ready for his evil deed as he flashed a cheeky but rather beckoning grin at a young woman, seated a few metres away from the high table, sending a freezing chill down Jackie’s spine. The very woman Jackie had gotten accustomed to seeing, because she had been Antony’s classmate ever since he was an undergraduate, tall almost like Antony, light skinned, and had really large dimples that filled her cheeks whenever she laughed, used to be really slim until five years earlier when she had given birth to her five year old daughter, who sat net to her at her husband’s graduation party.
As Antony took the stand it was like a veil was lifted from her eyes, and she could see Antony for who he really was. He wasn’t her better half, rather he was the whole. Marriage was not the union of two becoming one rather one becoming the other. Two halves was just a myth, there had just been the one and the one was Anthony. She had given up so much of herself eventually losing her self in Antony. It had been all about him not them, there was no them, all the sacrifices had been about him, for him. The cold bitter truth struck her hard, tearing painfully into her heart. So that when Anthony asked Lisa to stand, Jackie was ready up. “And now introducing the third pillar of our family.” The knife sank deeper into her heart, the pain was now unbearable, and it was all too painful to swallow. “Lisa! this is my wife legally married at the AG’s office and we have lovely little Natasha to show for it.” Lisa’s dimple lit up her face and she smiled at her little five year old daughter.
He turned to introduce Jackie, but she wasn’t there anymore, he had killed her. “How could you?” she wanted to say. “I gave up everything…” But the dead tell no tales.
But it wasn’t a physical death that could have been way better; she was now the living dead. “He never asked which university I had been admitted to.” The tears gave way to a weary smile, as she packed her clothes into the old bag that she had used ten years earlier. “He never cared, he never did.” She wasn’t as enthusiastic as she had been, her dreams gone, three children, burdens bigger than she could bear, destination unknown. One thing was for sure though, she was never coming back.
And oh yes, her heart dead, never to beat again, its only memory was the sounds of a drum beating from the hills and mountains from a distance.
And a painful death it was indeed, death from a wound inflicted in the house of her friend, her partner, had it been an enemy or better still a stranger that had sought to destroy and kill her, maybe it would not have been as painful as it felt in those dying moments. He had mercilessly raised his knife nay a dagger, or better still a double edged sword and driven it through her heart, not once, twice would have been acceptable but he had done it over and over again, her resigned daze firmly fixed on eyes that were set on destroying everything that she had worked so hard for. With every strike the pain ceased, a rather numbing feeling filled her mind as drifted into the unknown, finally slipping into the darkness that had surrounded her brief and miserable married life, she could clearly see it quickly engulfing not only her heart but every thing and everyone and that ceremony was fading into the darkness as well, it was like she was not there anymore, like she was hearing his voice from a distance.
BUT THEY LIED! There was no bright light at the end of the tunnel, just eternal darkness, there was no peace finally, just eternal condemnation in her heart and mind that made her whole body feel rather sore.
Jackie thought of what they would say at her funeral.
“A bright young woman.” “A hardworking girl indeed.” She pictured, a grey haired, tall man, who walked with a limp and his back bent, an effect of the very trait that the daughter had inherited. Over the past decade she had involved herself in so many business ventures all that greatly succeeded, only for her to stop half way to make room for Anthony’s career. Every step he climbed on the ladder of success, she seemed to go down ten steps.
Such true but incomplete statements, if only they had the courage to say it. “A young bright woman, who was foolish enough to give up the scholarship of a lifetime to study abroad in one of the best universities in the world for a man who thought she wasn’t clever enough,.”
Then her old father would say. “A hardworking but naïve girl, who could have built empires, ruled nations, conquered the hearts of men and women but she didn’t.” she could feel the tears in his voice; she could see the mourners nod in agreement. What a tragic end to a heart that was hopeful to the very end.
Ten years earlier everything seemed to be going according to plan, she had highly excelled in the national examinations, at that point the petite, dark seventeen year old was the talk of their estate, her high school principal was so pleased with Jackie that he used all his connections to secure her a scholarship abroad at one of the best universities in the world and they had readily accepted her.
“What are you going to study?” her pastor had asked her after the three hour long service.
“Law!” she had answered ecstatically.
That was until Antony came along, an everyday guy, college educated, luck seemed to be on his side because he seemed to be landing very good jobs. She saw him once and her young heart was smitten by him, she dived in head first, there was no reasoning to logic when it cane to Antony.
“It’s only four years.” Her father tried to sway a heart convinced of love to no avail.
“Father,” she reasoned with wisdom. “He is going to educate me. There are universities right here in Kenya.”
“Has you father abdicated his role of paying your fees to him.” An angry mother retorted at her stubborn daughter. “We certainly do not need his help in paying your fees.”
Their pleas fell on deaf ears, the charm of a twenty seven year old man, with a few thousand shillings in his account overrode the voice of truth and Jackie eloped, rather moved in with Antony, to everyone’s dismay.
“Anto.” She held the admission letter close to her heart a few months later. “It’s Law again.” She waved the letter excitedly in the air. “It’s for this coming September.”
Antony didn’t look that excited, as a matter of fact he went on reading the newspaper as if she had said nothing.
“Sweetie,” he folded his newspaper neatly. “I am also joining university the evening programme for B-com.”
“That’s great, we can both…”
“No!” he shot her suggestion down as he would do for the next ten years. “I need you to stay at home at least for the next four years, until I am done and then you can go to school.” He started, on noticing the element of surprise in her face, he proceeded to convince her. “I will open a business for you so that you can keep yourself busy as I study.”
At that point she should have ran back to her parents and begged for their forgiveness for being the prodigal daughter, but sweet nothings won over solid evidence.
Four years later, she still dreamt of owning her own law firm despite being a wife and a mother of one while expecting another. She still hoped for great things despite being disowned by her father. Running a small kiosk near their rented flat, which in a matter of months she had transformed into a big duka, her savings were growing and she had found a partner to help her set up a Supermarket, and just when she was about to hit the jack pot, Antony was transferred to another district.
“Let’s go.” He managed to easily convince. “I will support you to open another shop.”
She went on and followed her husband at first begrudgingly, but she truly loved her husband and was willing to set aside everything and follow him even to the depths of the earth, in the darkest abyss that her life seemed to be, she followed, thinking it was his hand she was holding. Her second hand business prospered again, but Antony insisted that she needed to stay at home and take care of the family of five, while he traveled far and wide to do business; he provided everything, for them. Their children attended privately owned schools; the arrangement seemed to work, until Antony graduated with a Masters Degree. Jackie organized for the best party her husband’s money could afford her. Prominent people were invited; they came in state of the art vehicles, bearing gifts that only the affluent could afford to pronounce the names. As for the food, the outside caterer’s hired spared no cent, sweet aroma of Mukimo, fried and roast chicken, chapati, nyama choma among other delicacies filled the air of an otherwise cloudless afternoon.
But as the blue sky turned gray and gray gave in into darkness an aura of imminent betrayal filled Jackie’s heart as he rose to give his graduation speech, it was like he had chosen a sharp dagger ready for his evil deed as he flashed a cheeky but rather beckoning grin at a young woman, seated a few metres away from the high table, sending a freezing chill down Jackie’s spine. The very woman Jackie had gotten accustomed to seeing, because she had been Antony’s classmate ever since he was an undergraduate, tall almost like Antony, light skinned, and had really large dimples that filled her cheeks whenever she laughed, used to be really slim until five years earlier when she had given birth to her five year old daughter, who sat net to her at her husband’s graduation party.
As Antony took the stand it was like a veil was lifted from her eyes, and she could see Antony for who he really was. He wasn’t her better half, rather he was the whole. Marriage was not the union of two becoming one rather one becoming the other. Two halves was just a myth, there had just been the one and the one was Anthony. She had given up so much of herself eventually losing her self in Antony. It had been all about him not them, there was no them, all the sacrifices had been about him, for him. The cold bitter truth struck her hard, tearing painfully into her heart. So that when Anthony asked Lisa to stand, Jackie was ready up. “And now introducing the third pillar of our family.” The knife sank deeper into her heart, the pain was now unbearable, and it was all too painful to swallow. “Lisa! this is my wife legally married at the AG’s office and we have lovely little Natasha to show for it.” Lisa’s dimple lit up her face and she smiled at her little five year old daughter.
He turned to introduce Jackie, but she wasn’t there anymore, he had killed her. “How could you?” she wanted to say. “I gave up everything…” But the dead tell no tales.
But it wasn’t a physical death that could have been way better; she was now the living dead. “He never asked which university I had been admitted to.” The tears gave way to a weary smile, as she packed her clothes into the old bag that she had used ten years earlier. “He never cared, he never did.” She wasn’t as enthusiastic as she had been, her dreams gone, three children, burdens bigger than she could bear, destination unknown. One thing was for sure though, she was never coming back.
And oh yes, her heart dead, never to beat again, its only memory was the sounds of a drum beating from the hills and mountains from a distance.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Great Find
The hot blazing midday sun lit across the clear and cloudless blue sky, in the midst of gorges and mountains, way above the evergreen grass that seemed to actually the enjoy the scorching heat, though to any onlooker the grass seemed over grown. Lehana studied the gorges closely as her eyes slowly moved from the gorges and followed the river channel below, only stopping at the section where the river split into two. She took the last bite of her sweet banana and searched for the waste paper bag with her left hand, her brown-almost black eyes lazily followed the river channel that disappeared into the thick, dense forest, but still she could spot the river channel all thanks to the darker green trees near the river bank. She sighed in awe.
“Back to work!” the husky male voice, all too familiar to her interrupted her lazy thoughts.
She turned and stared at the tall, muscular, rather handsome looking young man a few steps from her rubbing his rather rough chin. Then pulled the weight of her body up from the large basalt rock she was seated on. Then gazed at the terrace below at Jelani, whose hand run through his short dark hair, as the other on lay firmly on his hip, staring right up at her standing right next to the section he had been working on for the past two weeks.
“Avoiding me again?” he queried. “Why did you join us?”
Lehana gazed at the leafy green tree, whose shade was a favorite for Jelani, and a company that Lehana had come to despise. Her gaze shifted back to Jelani. “I think I love the view from up here better.”
“There more than down here right.” He had both hands on his waist as he teased her. “I am also sure you wanted to keep looking at him over and over again, right?” she seemed unprepared to answer that, as she glanced at the young man scribbling some notes on his blue small notebook down nervously.
“I think you should mind your own business as usual.” She seemed agitated as she turned away from him.
“What do you think?” his gaze was still firmly fixed on her as she turned back to face him, she quickly turned to look at Faizah who studying some artifacts under the tree with the green and brown leaves right beside Jelani, before her gaze shifted to the section that Jelani had been working on, the bright orange soil made her eyes to flinch.
“I think The earthquake destroyed everything” she looked directly into his black uncertain eyes. Then looked at the terrace below his where Montez was laughing with some of the students that were helping him. “I think whatever we are looking for is down there.”
“So what do you think these are? Finally his eyes took a break from searching longingly at her and moved around the vast green forest that surrounded them.
“Way different time period than I…” she breathed in. “We are interested in.
Jelani studied her face intently.
“I think…”she rolled her eyes. ‘I know that this forest was planted around five hundred years ago, before that this area was almost desert like.”
“The evidence is everywhere.” She almost shouted as her eyes wondered about.
Jelani still seemed not convinced. None the less he smiled at the frustration that he could see clearly in her face.
“You know, you are a very difficult woman.” He said in a matter of fact kind of way.
Lehana just rolled her eyes at him. “I think for a man you like to be soothed too much.”
He chuckled. “I think I am the man who can handle you with the care you deserve.”
His dirty hands ran through his almost brown t-shirt.
“Lehana! Jelani!” Nathan’s husky voice stopped her before she could reply to Jelani. “Get back to work.” He ordered them with a smile directed towards her. She smiled back.
Lehana picked up the small shiny silver trowel that she had become accustomed to, and knelt down staring at her section. She could see Nathan’s light hairy legs across the other side of her section. “Scientific study of the past by usage of ancient techniques.” She joked as she looked up at him. “That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed, Leakey used them and hundreds of years later, we are still using them.”
She raised her trowel a bit for him to see with her gaze firmly fixed on him. Jelani joined in the fun as well as he waved his trowel at Nathan.
“Enough!” he ordered them. “I am in charge.” He turned to Jelani. “Mind your own terrace business, I’ll mind mine.” He turned to Lehana. “As for you Miss.”
She jumped up playfully.
“I see you have a lot of energy left.” He mused. “Are you done with your section?”
“Yes.” She proclaimed. “Up to the drawing part.”
“No context sheets yet.” He asked.
“None.”
“Use my lap top to do that.” He moved around to her side as Jelani watched, a little bit of envy filling his eyes. “You can also clean it up a bit for a photo please.” He looked around for a brush. “There’s a brush.” He turned to the brown eyed girl who was still staring at her.
“Hmmm.” His long arms ran through his thick blonde hair. “The sun is rather hot today.”
She shrugged. “I think its okay.”
He moved closer towards her for a further inspection of her section. “Looks good.” Almost bumping into her. “Sorry.” He smiled nervously.
“Clean it up.” He feigned toughness.
“Yes sir.” she almost stood at attention.
Nathan walked away with a chuckle, she smiled as well as she watched the tall figure walking away from her, then she lowered herself into the section, only to find Jelani staring at her.
“Are you interested in Nathan?” Jelani asked Lehana as he hurriedly walked back to camp.
Lehana just made a discontented face at him as she struggled to keep up with his pace, through the bush in a narrow rocky and dusty path as they made their way towards the river. But the weight of the bag she was carrying would not let her.
“I asked you a question.” Jelani’s black eyes widened in anticipation.
“Jelani!” she started only to stop wincing in pain, she held on to her right knee, as she gazed at the small thorn tree that had pierced through her beige polyester trousers.
“Are you in love with Nathan? Jelani totally ignored her pain as he stopped at a distance. He shifted the file he was carrying to his other hand and turned.
“We are just friends.” Lehana balanced her injured leg on the ground slowly.
“So you and Nathan are…” Jelani tried to decipher her statement.
“No, you and I.” she corrected him, as she adjusted the weight of her heavy bag on her bag.
Jelani gave her a mean look and walked away.
Nathan found Lehana seated on a he rock by the river side. “Hello there!” he slipped right next to her with ease. “Are you okay?” he stared at the nasty cut just below her knee.
“Very!’ she quickly pulled her trouser downwards.
There was awkward silence for a while; Lehana gazed across the clear cool flowing water, trying to avoid the blue eyes that were now staring at her.
“You carried some samples I see.” He glanced at the heavy bag right beside her.
“Better now than later.” She answered.
“Only that there are not from our terrace.” He sounded factual.
“I got duped.” She admitted giving a smile.
He smiled back. “So have you decided yet.” he threw his hands in the air animatedly. “Is this it?”
Her face seemed expressionless. “I don’t know yet, at times it seems like my father wants me to carry on with my mother’s work.”
“Your mother was a ‘great’ in this field.” Nathan filled her in. “She has discovered a lot of remains that can be dated back to before the great earthquake arousing more interest in finding it.”
“I have some photos of her in some of those sites if you want to look at them,” suddenly she seemed to gain interest. “They are in laptop in you want to see them, I can show you later.”
“I’d love that.” he replied swiftly, as he dusted way a small brown ant on his navy blue shorts.
The expression on his face changed. Lehana could see the single line on face that showed up whenever he was worried. “Still you are here alone Lehana, after what happened to Janice.” There was a serious intonation in his voice. “You know it’s not safe.”
Her heart began pounding against her chest as it had done for many nights. “You know the beast is no longer imaginary.”
His words made her feel uneasy, her eyes wandered around with ease as she remembered the awful growls that had characterized her nights. “Maybe it’s a creature from the past.” his voice sounded a far off. “From before the earthquake, we might not be able to locate whatever we are looking for, especially if there’s more than one of them.”
She swallowed hard, whatever it was, it had come back with one mission to destroy them…
“Back to work!” the husky male voice, all too familiar to her interrupted her lazy thoughts.
She turned and stared at the tall, muscular, rather handsome looking young man a few steps from her rubbing his rather rough chin. Then pulled the weight of her body up from the large basalt rock she was seated on. Then gazed at the terrace below at Jelani, whose hand run through his short dark hair, as the other on lay firmly on his hip, staring right up at her standing right next to the section he had been working on for the past two weeks.
“Avoiding me again?” he queried. “Why did you join us?”
Lehana gazed at the leafy green tree, whose shade was a favorite for Jelani, and a company that Lehana had come to despise. Her gaze shifted back to Jelani. “I think I love the view from up here better.”
“There more than down here right.” He had both hands on his waist as he teased her. “I am also sure you wanted to keep looking at him over and over again, right?” she seemed unprepared to answer that, as she glanced at the young man scribbling some notes on his blue small notebook down nervously.
“I think you should mind your own business as usual.” She seemed agitated as she turned away from him.
“What do you think?” his gaze was still firmly fixed on her as she turned back to face him, she quickly turned to look at Faizah who studying some artifacts under the tree with the green and brown leaves right beside Jelani, before her gaze shifted to the section that Jelani had been working on, the bright orange soil made her eyes to flinch.
“I think The earthquake destroyed everything” she looked directly into his black uncertain eyes. Then looked at the terrace below his where Montez was laughing with some of the students that were helping him. “I think whatever we are looking for is down there.”
“So what do you think these are? Finally his eyes took a break from searching longingly at her and moved around the vast green forest that surrounded them.
“Way different time period than I…” she breathed in. “We are interested in.
Jelani studied her face intently.
“I think…”she rolled her eyes. ‘I know that this forest was planted around five hundred years ago, before that this area was almost desert like.”
“The evidence is everywhere.” She almost shouted as her eyes wondered about.
Jelani still seemed not convinced. None the less he smiled at the frustration that he could see clearly in her face.
“You know, you are a very difficult woman.” He said in a matter of fact kind of way.
Lehana just rolled her eyes at him. “I think for a man you like to be soothed too much.”
He chuckled. “I think I am the man who can handle you with the care you deserve.”
His dirty hands ran through his almost brown t-shirt.
“Lehana! Jelani!” Nathan’s husky voice stopped her before she could reply to Jelani. “Get back to work.” He ordered them with a smile directed towards her. She smiled back.
Lehana picked up the small shiny silver trowel that she had become accustomed to, and knelt down staring at her section. She could see Nathan’s light hairy legs across the other side of her section. “Scientific study of the past by usage of ancient techniques.” She joked as she looked up at him. “That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed, Leakey used them and hundreds of years later, we are still using them.”
She raised her trowel a bit for him to see with her gaze firmly fixed on him. Jelani joined in the fun as well as he waved his trowel at Nathan.
“Enough!” he ordered them. “I am in charge.” He turned to Jelani. “Mind your own terrace business, I’ll mind mine.” He turned to Lehana. “As for you Miss.”
She jumped up playfully.
“I see you have a lot of energy left.” He mused. “Are you done with your section?”
“Yes.” She proclaimed. “Up to the drawing part.”
“No context sheets yet.” He asked.
“None.”
“Use my lap top to do that.” He moved around to her side as Jelani watched, a little bit of envy filling his eyes. “You can also clean it up a bit for a photo please.” He looked around for a brush. “There’s a brush.” He turned to the brown eyed girl who was still staring at her.
“Hmmm.” His long arms ran through his thick blonde hair. “The sun is rather hot today.”
She shrugged. “I think its okay.”
He moved closer towards her for a further inspection of her section. “Looks good.” Almost bumping into her. “Sorry.” He smiled nervously.
“Clean it up.” He feigned toughness.
“Yes sir.” she almost stood at attention.
Nathan walked away with a chuckle, she smiled as well as she watched the tall figure walking away from her, then she lowered herself into the section, only to find Jelani staring at her.
“Are you interested in Nathan?” Jelani asked Lehana as he hurriedly walked back to camp.
Lehana just made a discontented face at him as she struggled to keep up with his pace, through the bush in a narrow rocky and dusty path as they made their way towards the river. But the weight of the bag she was carrying would not let her.
“I asked you a question.” Jelani’s black eyes widened in anticipation.
“Jelani!” she started only to stop wincing in pain, she held on to her right knee, as she gazed at the small thorn tree that had pierced through her beige polyester trousers.
“Are you in love with Nathan? Jelani totally ignored her pain as he stopped at a distance. He shifted the file he was carrying to his other hand and turned.
“We are just friends.” Lehana balanced her injured leg on the ground slowly.
“So you and Nathan are…” Jelani tried to decipher her statement.
“No, you and I.” she corrected him, as she adjusted the weight of her heavy bag on her bag.
Jelani gave her a mean look and walked away.
Nathan found Lehana seated on a he rock by the river side. “Hello there!” he slipped right next to her with ease. “Are you okay?” he stared at the nasty cut just below her knee.
“Very!’ she quickly pulled her trouser downwards.
There was awkward silence for a while; Lehana gazed across the clear cool flowing water, trying to avoid the blue eyes that were now staring at her.
“You carried some samples I see.” He glanced at the heavy bag right beside her.
“Better now than later.” She answered.
“Only that there are not from our terrace.” He sounded factual.
“I got duped.” She admitted giving a smile.
He smiled back. “So have you decided yet.” he threw his hands in the air animatedly. “Is this it?”
Her face seemed expressionless. “I don’t know yet, at times it seems like my father wants me to carry on with my mother’s work.”
“Your mother was a ‘great’ in this field.” Nathan filled her in. “She has discovered a lot of remains that can be dated back to before the great earthquake arousing more interest in finding it.”
“I have some photos of her in some of those sites if you want to look at them,” suddenly she seemed to gain interest. “They are in laptop in you want to see them, I can show you later.”
“I’d love that.” he replied swiftly, as he dusted way a small brown ant on his navy blue shorts.
The expression on his face changed. Lehana could see the single line on face that showed up whenever he was worried. “Still you are here alone Lehana, after what happened to Janice.” There was a serious intonation in his voice. “You know it’s not safe.”
Her heart began pounding against her chest as it had done for many nights. “You know the beast is no longer imaginary.”
His words made her feel uneasy, her eyes wandered around with ease as she remembered the awful growls that had characterized her nights. “Maybe it’s a creature from the past.” his voice sounded a far off. “From before the earthquake, we might not be able to locate whatever we are looking for, especially if there’s more than one of them.”
She swallowed hard, whatever it was, it had come back with one mission to destroy them…
The Great Find
The hot blazing midday sun lit across the clear and cloudless blue sky, in the midst of gorges and mountains, way above the evergreen grass that seemed to actually the enjoy the scorching heat, though to any onlooker the grass seemed over grown. Lehana studied the gorges closely as her eyes slowly moved from the gorges and followed the river channel below, only stopping at the section where the river split into two. She took the last bite of her sweet banana and searched for the waste paper bag with her left hand, her brown-almost black eyes lazily followed the river channel that disappeared into the thick, dense forest, but still she could spot the river channel all thanks to the darker green trees near the river bank. She sighed in awe.
“Back to work!” the husky male voice, all too familiar to her interrupted her lazy thoughts.
She turned and stared at the tall, muscular, rather handsome looking young man a few steps from her rubbing his rather rough chin. Then pulled the weight of her body up from the large basalt rock she was seated on. Then gazed at the terrace below at Jelani, whose hand run through his short dark hair, as the other on lay firmly on his hip, staring right up at her standing right next to the section he had been working on for the past two weeks.
“Avoiding me again?” he queried. “Why did you join us?”
Lehana gazed at the leafy green tree, whose shade was a favorite for Jelani, and a company that Lehana had come to despise. Her gaze shifted back to Jelani. “I think I love the view from up here better.”
“There more than down here right.” He had both hands on his waist as he teased her. “I am also sure you wanted to keep looking at him over and over again, right?” she seemed unprepared to answer that, as she glanced at the young man scribbling some notes on his blue small notebook down nervously.
“I think you should mind your own business as usual.” She seemed agitated as she turned away from him.
“What do you think?” his gaze was still firmly fixed on her as she turned back to face him, she quickly turned to look at Faizah who studying some artifacts under the tree with the green and brown leaves right beside Jelani, before her gaze shifted to the section that Jelani had been working on, the bright orange soil made her eyes to flinch.
“I think The earthquake destroyed everything” she looked directly into his black uncertain eyes. Then looked at the terrace below his where Montez was laughing with some of the students that were helping him. “I think whatever we are looking for is down there.”
“So what do you think these are? Finally his eyes took a break from searching longingly at her and moved around the vast green forest that surrounded them.
“Way different time period than I…” she breathed in. “We are interested in.
Jelani studied her face intently.
“I think…”she rolled her eyes. ‘I know that this forest was planted around five hundred years ago, before that this area was almost desert like.”
“The evidence is everywhere.” She almost shouted as her eyes wondered about.
Jelani still seemed not convinced. None the less he smiled at the frustration that he could see clearly in her face.
“You know, you are a very difficult woman.” He said in a matter of fact kind of way.
Lehana just rolled her eyes at him. “I think for a man you like to be soothed too much.”
He chuckled. “I think I am the man who can handle you with the care you deserve.”
His dirty hands ran through his almost brown t-shirt.
“Lehana! Jelani!” Nathan’s husky voice stopped her before she could reply to Jelani. “Get back to work.” He ordered them with a smile directed towards her. She smiled back.
Lehana picked up the small shiny silver trowel that she had become accustomed to, and knelt down staring at her section. She could see Nathan’s light hairy legs across the other side of her section. “Scientific study of the past by usage of ancient techniques.” She joked as she looked up at him. “That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed, Leakey used them and hundreds of years later, we are still using them.”
She raised her trowel a bit for him to see with her gaze firmly fixed on him. Jelani joined in the fun as well as he waved his trowel at Nathan.
“Enough!” he ordered them. “I am in charge.” He turned to Jelani. “Mind your own terrace business, I’ll mind mine.” He turned to Lehana. “As for you Miss.”
She jumped up playfully.
“I see you have a lot of energy left.” He mused. “Are you done with your section?”
“Yes.” She proclaimed. “Up to the drawing part.”
“No context sheets yet.” He asked.
“None.”
“Use my lap top to do that.” He moved around to her side as Jelani watched, a little bit of envy filling his eyes. “You can also clean it up a bit for a photo please.” He looked around for a brush. “There’s a brush.” He turned to the brown eyed girl who was still staring at her.
“Hmmm.” His long arms ran through his thick blonde hair. “The sun is rather hot today.”
She shrugged. “I think its okay.”
He moved closer towards her for a further inspection of her section. “Looks good.” Almost bumping into her. “Sorry.” He smiled nervously.
“Clean it up.” He feigned toughness.
“Yes sir.” she almost stood at attention.
Nathan walked away with a chuckle, she smiled as well as she watched the tall figure walking away from her, then she lowered herself into the section, only to find Jelani staring at her.
“Are you interested in Nathan?” Jelani asked Lehana as he hurriedly walked back to camp.
Lehana just made a discontented face at him as she struggled to keep up with his pace, through the bush in a narrow rocky and dusty path as they made their way towards the river. But the weight of the bag she was carrying would not let her.
“I asked you a question.” Jelani’s black eyes widened in anticipation.
“Jelani!” she started only to stop wincing in pain, she held on to her right knee, as she gazed at the small thorn tree that had pierced through her beige polyester trousers.
“Are you in love with Nathan? Jelani totally ignored her pain as he stopped at a distance. He shifted the file he was carrying to his other hand and turned.
“We are just friends.” Lehana balanced her injured leg on the ground slowly.
“So you and Nathan are…” Jelani tried to decipher her statement.
“No, you and I.” she corrected him, as she adjusted the weight of her heavy bag on her bag.
Jelani gave her a mean look and walked away.
Nathan found Lehana seated on a he rock by the river side. “Hello there!” he slipped right next to her with ease. “Are you okay?” he stared at the nasty cut just below her knee.
“Very!’ she quickly pulled her trouser downwards.
There was awkward silence for a while; Lehana gazed across the clear cool flowing water, trying to avoid the blue eyes that were now staring at her.
“You carried some samples I see.” He glanced at the heavy bag right beside her.
“Better now than later.” She answered.
“Only that there are not from our terrace.” He sounded factual.
“I got duped.” She admitted giving a smile.
He smiled back. “So have you decided yet.” he threw his hands in the air animatedly. “Is this it?”
Her face seemed expressionless. “I don’t know yet, at times it seems like my father wants me to carry on with my mother’s work.”
“Your mother was a ‘great’ in this field.” Nathan filled her in. “She has discovered a lot of remains that can be dated back to before the great earthquake arousing more interest in finding it.”
“I have some photos of her in some of those sites if you want to look at them,” suddenly she seemed to gain interest. “They are in laptop in you want to see them, I can show you later.”
“I’d love that.” he replied swiftly, as he dusted way a small brown ant on his navy blue shorts.
The expression on his face changed. Lehana could see the single line on face that showed up whenever he was worried. “Still you are here alone Lehana, after what happened to Janice.” There was a serious intonation in his voice. “You know it’s not safe.”
Her heart began pounding against her chest as it had done for many nights. “You know the beast is no longer imaginary.”
His words made her feel uneasy, her eyes wandered around with ease as she remembered the awful growls that had characterized her nights. “Maybe it’s a creature from the past.” his voice sounded a far off. “From before the earthquake, we might not be able to locate whatever we are looking for, especially if there’s more than one of them.”
She swallowed hard, whatever it was, it had come back with one mission to destroy them…
“Back to work!” the husky male voice, all too familiar to her interrupted her lazy thoughts.
She turned and stared at the tall, muscular, rather handsome looking young man a few steps from her rubbing his rather rough chin. Then pulled the weight of her body up from the large basalt rock she was seated on. Then gazed at the terrace below at Jelani, whose hand run through his short dark hair, as the other on lay firmly on his hip, staring right up at her standing right next to the section he had been working on for the past two weeks.
“Avoiding me again?” he queried. “Why did you join us?”
Lehana gazed at the leafy green tree, whose shade was a favorite for Jelani, and a company that Lehana had come to despise. Her gaze shifted back to Jelani. “I think I love the view from up here better.”
“There more than down here right.” He had both hands on his waist as he teased her. “I am also sure you wanted to keep looking at him over and over again, right?” she seemed unprepared to answer that, as she glanced at the young man scribbling some notes on his blue small notebook down nervously.
“I think you should mind your own business as usual.” She seemed agitated as she turned away from him.
“What do you think?” his gaze was still firmly fixed on her as she turned back to face him, she quickly turned to look at Faizah who studying some artifacts under the tree with the green and brown leaves right beside Jelani, before her gaze shifted to the section that Jelani had been working on, the bright orange soil made her eyes to flinch.
“I think The earthquake destroyed everything” she looked directly into his black uncertain eyes. Then looked at the terrace below his where Montez was laughing with some of the students that were helping him. “I think whatever we are looking for is down there.”
“So what do you think these are? Finally his eyes took a break from searching longingly at her and moved around the vast green forest that surrounded them.
“Way different time period than I…” she breathed in. “We are interested in.
Jelani studied her face intently.
“I think…”she rolled her eyes. ‘I know that this forest was planted around five hundred years ago, before that this area was almost desert like.”
“The evidence is everywhere.” She almost shouted as her eyes wondered about.
Jelani still seemed not convinced. None the less he smiled at the frustration that he could see clearly in her face.
“You know, you are a very difficult woman.” He said in a matter of fact kind of way.
Lehana just rolled her eyes at him. “I think for a man you like to be soothed too much.”
He chuckled. “I think I am the man who can handle you with the care you deserve.”
His dirty hands ran through his almost brown t-shirt.
“Lehana! Jelani!” Nathan’s husky voice stopped her before she could reply to Jelani. “Get back to work.” He ordered them with a smile directed towards her. She smiled back.
Lehana picked up the small shiny silver trowel that she had become accustomed to, and knelt down staring at her section. She could see Nathan’s light hairy legs across the other side of her section. “Scientific study of the past by usage of ancient techniques.” She joked as she looked up at him. “That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed, Leakey used them and hundreds of years later, we are still using them.”
She raised her trowel a bit for him to see with her gaze firmly fixed on him. Jelani joined in the fun as well as he waved his trowel at Nathan.
“Enough!” he ordered them. “I am in charge.” He turned to Jelani. “Mind your own terrace business, I’ll mind mine.” He turned to Lehana. “As for you Miss.”
She jumped up playfully.
“I see you have a lot of energy left.” He mused. “Are you done with your section?”
“Yes.” She proclaimed. “Up to the drawing part.”
“No context sheets yet.” He asked.
“None.”
“Use my lap top to do that.” He moved around to her side as Jelani watched, a little bit of envy filling his eyes. “You can also clean it up a bit for a photo please.” He looked around for a brush. “There’s a brush.” He turned to the brown eyed girl who was still staring at her.
“Hmmm.” His long arms ran through his thick blonde hair. “The sun is rather hot today.”
She shrugged. “I think its okay.”
He moved closer towards her for a further inspection of her section. “Looks good.” Almost bumping into her. “Sorry.” He smiled nervously.
“Clean it up.” He feigned toughness.
“Yes sir.” she almost stood at attention.
Nathan walked away with a chuckle, she smiled as well as she watched the tall figure walking away from her, then she lowered herself into the section, only to find Jelani staring at her.
“Are you interested in Nathan?” Jelani asked Lehana as he hurriedly walked back to camp.
Lehana just made a discontented face at him as she struggled to keep up with his pace, through the bush in a narrow rocky and dusty path as they made their way towards the river. But the weight of the bag she was carrying would not let her.
“I asked you a question.” Jelani’s black eyes widened in anticipation.
“Jelani!” she started only to stop wincing in pain, she held on to her right knee, as she gazed at the small thorn tree that had pierced through her beige polyester trousers.
“Are you in love with Nathan? Jelani totally ignored her pain as he stopped at a distance. He shifted the file he was carrying to his other hand and turned.
“We are just friends.” Lehana balanced her injured leg on the ground slowly.
“So you and Nathan are…” Jelani tried to decipher her statement.
“No, you and I.” she corrected him, as she adjusted the weight of her heavy bag on her bag.
Jelani gave her a mean look and walked away.
Nathan found Lehana seated on a he rock by the river side. “Hello there!” he slipped right next to her with ease. “Are you okay?” he stared at the nasty cut just below her knee.
“Very!’ she quickly pulled her trouser downwards.
There was awkward silence for a while; Lehana gazed across the clear cool flowing water, trying to avoid the blue eyes that were now staring at her.
“You carried some samples I see.” He glanced at the heavy bag right beside her.
“Better now than later.” She answered.
“Only that there are not from our terrace.” He sounded factual.
“I got duped.” She admitted giving a smile.
He smiled back. “So have you decided yet.” he threw his hands in the air animatedly. “Is this it?”
Her face seemed expressionless. “I don’t know yet, at times it seems like my father wants me to carry on with my mother’s work.”
“Your mother was a ‘great’ in this field.” Nathan filled her in. “She has discovered a lot of remains that can be dated back to before the great earthquake arousing more interest in finding it.”
“I have some photos of her in some of those sites if you want to look at them,” suddenly she seemed to gain interest. “They are in laptop in you want to see them, I can show you later.”
“I’d love that.” he replied swiftly, as he dusted way a small brown ant on his navy blue shorts.
The expression on his face changed. Lehana could see the single line on face that showed up whenever he was worried. “Still you are here alone Lehana, after what happened to Janice.” There was a serious intonation in his voice. “You know it’s not safe.”
Her heart began pounding against her chest as it had done for many nights. “You know the beast is no longer imaginary.”
His words made her feel uneasy, her eyes wandered around with ease as she remembered the awful growls that had characterized her nights. “Maybe it’s a creature from the past.” his voice sounded a far off. “From before the earthquake, we might not be able to locate whatever we are looking for, especially if there’s more than one of them.”
She swallowed hard, whatever it was, it had come back with one mission to destroy them…
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
No Longer at ease
No Longer at Ease
“O ancient of days.” I tease myself whenever I am cruising back to Riruta Satellite, the place where I was born, and home, not only to me but to hundreds of my relatives, my paternal grandmother was born in Riruta, father was born in Kawangware, but now we live in Riruta, my grandfather was born in Waithaka. So whenever I see these areas changing, knowing that generations of my bloodline have lived, died and are buried in these areas, an eerie feeling fills my heart because all I am left with is memories of the life that I have always known. Now it’s all part of the great song ‘once upon a time…’ when the grass at Kinyajui Technical was green, when Bp petrol station was Bp and not Shell, when the road connecting Riruta and Kawangware was not tarmaced( for the record, I prefer it with tarmac), when there were no boda bodas and we had to walk to the market, when the only supermarkets around were found in Kawangware, ‘Jack and Jill’ and Acacia Supermarkets, when the fare during peak time from Town or to town was thirty shillings.
90% of the houses and 99% of the flats must refer to me as ‘ancient’ because I am like 20 times older. Most of these buildings did not usher the new millennium with me, the materials used I am sure were in the depths of the earth. And for that reason there are very few houses that I respect because they have stood the test of time. Back then it was easier to give directions, l had to do was point out to the area of interest, now buildings block my view, streets have new names and some other shopping centers have popped up.
To add insult to injury, a woman, that a considered to be an aunt, died just that other week, and that Friday all I could think of was that I wouldn’t get to see her walking along my street again, or see her in our plot coming to pick my mother so that the can go for their chama meeting together. Making her the third woman who was significant in my life to have died over the last couple of years after my aunt and grandmother, women that have lived in my street longer than me, whose death meant that my street as I knew it, would never be the same again. Nobody to greet me, and nobody to call me the way they used to. It’s all gone. Some of the people who made Satellite to be Satellite are no longer here.
It feels weird that in a couple of years I might walk through my street and no one will recognize me. I stand on that street and some of the people that have made that place to be what it is are no longer there, we can only remember the good old days with swell hearts. I am no longer at ease because my street is changing and growing, a few nights ago I saw a woman being robbed as the sun set over my street, that is not the Satellite I know, the one I knew crime used to happen in the dead of the night, and was way safer than most places in Dagoretti. At least the water shortage is still a part of my every day experience as it was in the past.
My greatest fear is that one day I will go back home and will not be able to recognize it at all. I will be a total stranger in the place where I was born and because of that, I am no longer at ease.
“O ancient of days.” I tease myself whenever I am cruising back to Riruta Satellite, the place where I was born, and home, not only to me but to hundreds of my relatives, my paternal grandmother was born in Riruta, father was born in Kawangware, but now we live in Riruta, my grandfather was born in Waithaka. So whenever I see these areas changing, knowing that generations of my bloodline have lived, died and are buried in these areas, an eerie feeling fills my heart because all I am left with is memories of the life that I have always known. Now it’s all part of the great song ‘once upon a time…’ when the grass at Kinyajui Technical was green, when Bp petrol station was Bp and not Shell, when the road connecting Riruta and Kawangware was not tarmaced( for the record, I prefer it with tarmac), when there were no boda bodas and we had to walk to the market, when the only supermarkets around were found in Kawangware, ‘Jack and Jill’ and Acacia Supermarkets, when the fare during peak time from Town or to town was thirty shillings.
90% of the houses and 99% of the flats must refer to me as ‘ancient’ because I am like 20 times older. Most of these buildings did not usher the new millennium with me, the materials used I am sure were in the depths of the earth. And for that reason there are very few houses that I respect because they have stood the test of time. Back then it was easier to give directions, l had to do was point out to the area of interest, now buildings block my view, streets have new names and some other shopping centers have popped up.
To add insult to injury, a woman, that a considered to be an aunt, died just that other week, and that Friday all I could think of was that I wouldn’t get to see her walking along my street again, or see her in our plot coming to pick my mother so that the can go for their chama meeting together. Making her the third woman who was significant in my life to have died over the last couple of years after my aunt and grandmother, women that have lived in my street longer than me, whose death meant that my street as I knew it, would never be the same again. Nobody to greet me, and nobody to call me the way they used to. It’s all gone. Some of the people who made Satellite to be Satellite are no longer here.
It feels weird that in a couple of years I might walk through my street and no one will recognize me. I stand on that street and some of the people that have made that place to be what it is are no longer there, we can only remember the good old days with swell hearts. I am no longer at ease because my street is changing and growing, a few nights ago I saw a woman being robbed as the sun set over my street, that is not the Satellite I know, the one I knew crime used to happen in the dead of the night, and was way safer than most places in Dagoretti. At least the water shortage is still a part of my every day experience as it was in the past.
My greatest fear is that one day I will go back home and will not be able to recognize it at all. I will be a total stranger in the place where I was born and because of that, I am no longer at ease.
Monday, September 20, 2010
HOw about A swahili Lesson
How about a Swahili Lesson? By Mary Muthoni Kariuki
Did you know that Maziwa ya Mgando is Yoghurt in English?
o Chemist Duka la dawa baridi
o Water Melon Tikiti
o Matatu (though I am convinced that’s Swahili because it’s not English) is a Dala dala
Learn a new Swahili saying (though it was used on me, I find it rather amusing and funny)
o Una kihere here kama mkojo wa asubuhi
o Mwanamke vuvuzela
o Wewe ni nyoka wa maonyesho, hauna madhara yeyote
Looking to open up a hospital, maybe you can borrow these names:
Mganga Mungu (At times in life and more so in Africa you need and believe both, maybe you want to open a salon, how about Yehova yu Hai Salon. Oh! It’s a church you are interested in. I know the perfect name, ‘Ngurumo la Upako ministries.’
I felt shortchanged buying my favorite chewing gum Big G (that’s what all chewing gums are called anyway right) at two hundred Tanzanian shillings.
I felt like a millionaire when my few thousands were turned into ten of thousands. Needless to say the feeling disappeared as soon as I got to Arusha and ordered my first ‘thousand’ meal.
’Naomba’ is more polite than “Nataka”. Well if it belongs you, fine “naomba.” If it belongs to you and I am buying it. “Nataka.” If it belongs to me and you had borrowed it “nataka!” I think Mike on the Mic of Radio 316 need to more cultural sensitive. We are not rude, that’s just the language that Kenyan’s understand.
If every makanga/ tout called me ‘Mrembo’ I would board his matatu anywhere, and if they were equally as cute and ready to serenade me in Swahili. Even better. Then again not being asked to stand two stages before I alight is also nice.
Swahili did give birth to sheng, I stand corrected because most of us speak in sheng in the utmost conviction its Swahili.
Note ‘Sasa,’ no one responds to that in Tanzania, try ‘Mambo vipi,’ or if you don’t know them and they seem young enough. “Rafiki.” Will do, especially if you want help.
Translate the following sentences into Swahili; maybe they’ll make more sense that way.
1. Can I borrow me, your torch?
2. It’s like I am crying to leave here. (Nalia kutoka hapa)
3. I have gained a lot of words from him. Especially words of wisdom.
‘Naomba’ in Kenya is applied in two ways:
1. If you are praying
2. If ‘Naomba Serikali…”
Food for thought: -
Why do Kenyans say ‘kubomoa nywele’ Kwani walikuwa ‘wamenjenga nywele’ in the first place? Then again, ‘kushuka nywele’ is wrong; ‘kusuka’ apparently is the correct Kiswahili.
So next time you are in Tanzania your Swahili shouldn’t be as bad.
Is it a must
Is it a must? By Mary Muthoni Kariuki
Each time I am headed into town and the fare is hiked I always ask myself, is it a must? Why do they have to increase the fare? Is the cost of petrol exorbitant? Or is it the time wasted in jams that they are passing to me, or maybe it’s because in different routes in Nairobi, they all have a set target from their employees, for instance in Satellite, the Matatu owners might demand 3000 Kshs everyday, then the tout and the driver share the reminder and take care of the petrol, so they more they make. The more they take home. So, is it a must.
Is it a must that every time I visit the supermarket the cost of sugar, maize flour, wheat flour, sanitary towels have increased. How is that? At times I think that prices in Kenya are increased at our own pleasure, or at the pleasure of the seller. Are they necessary? Will the seller, sell at a loss if they don’t hike their prices whenever they will. Why have the prices of the basic food commodities doubled? A couple of year’s back I was in high school and the price of a 2kg packet of maize flour was 45 Ksh. How comes its 90 shillings now? What justifies these hikes anyway? Is there a shortage of maize in Kenya? Has the cost of production risen? What is their reason? What about the sugar and the wheat flour prices? If we are not producing enough, why not import? What is the need of an industry that asks for protection so that they can exploit the rest of the country? Then again, these two industries have been added years and years and they have done nothing to increase their production, yet there is a deficit. They are only afraid of competition because they will have to lower their prices.
How comes water is a national resource, yet not every one has access to it. Is it possible that people is some parts of Nairobi have water every day, while others have water once every other month. Are there people in Kenya who own the natural resources, if they are not, then that’s unequal distribution of resources.
Is there a shortage of potatoes, why I am all over sudden buying chips at 40 shillings in Riruta and Kawangware. What warrants that a plate of chips should be sold at sixty shillings in the neighborhoods? How comes the prices always shoots and they never come down? Why should hawkers and traders try to sell their wares at ten times the buying price? What is the logic behind this wanton exploitation?
Each time I see the prices of sodas have gone up, and they have new recommended prices I always ask myself. What are the reasons? They need to give me reasons for the new prices. Why should I buy vegetables and other things at different prices every other day? How comes the profit that credit card retailers make ranges between 1-5 shillings depending on the value of the card. Who benefits from the rest of the amount? Yet the phone companies make billions. I don’t understand, every where I turn in Kenya, people are out to squeeze the last cent out of me. Do they know I am not rich. Then if I try to start a business, the numbers of licenses I need are so many that I rather close my shop whenever I see the City council coming. Because if I paid them, then I’d go at a loss, the hide and seek games seem like the only way for me to survive.
You may call this a capitalistic economy, but I think it’s an exploitative and corrupt economy, full of greedy traders. It can’t go on like this!
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