ITS A CEASEFIRE, WILL IT HOLD?

Emma must have seen the palpable tension on her friend's face. In a split second she found an excuse to leave the both of us to 'solve this' as she would have put it. The trip to the ladies room was long and it gave us ample time to diffuse the ticking time bomb.
"Ras, what the hell are you doing?"
"What? Isn't this what you like doing?"
"Are you crazy? You want Emma to go ham on me? What will you get from it anyway?"
"You won't be around to bother me."
She moved closer to me. This time, I saw the fruits of Doris' ferociousness. That girl could scratch real bad.

"I am always on your side. Believe me."
"Why should I? It was you that you dropped hints about me to Emma a while back."
"That was a joke. I could never do that."
"Why did her father come home then? Was it after your fight?"

She could do worse things.

She squirmed. If there were no laws, I bet she would've strangled the daylights out of me.
"I lied to save your ass. If He really knew about the real reason behind your fight." I took some time to reflect on that. It sounded true but I wanted her to answer me why she did have a fight with Doris.
"It was because of you. I wanted her to focus on her exams first."
"Really? Why the vicious marks?"
"I wanted to make her angry. So I told her that I like you." To lie that I wasn't flattered by that would be hypocritical. But Susan was the delilah type of girls. She was beautiful but beneath her scratch marks, she was capable of unspeakable treachery. If she could sleep with her best friend's man then she could do worse things.

It's a deal

"Ras, let's stop all these. If you tell her. Then I will be forced to spill everything out."
"You have already done that."
"Nope. Not yet. Not until I get over my silent crush over you." She took out a crisp white handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. I finally saw the severity of Doris attack on her. Her left eye lid had a faint scratch mark that her eye liner barely hid. In short, she could have been blinded had she not reacted swiftly or maybe Doris was not that accurate.
"Okay. But I'm watching you." She sighed a huge sigh of relief. Emma came back after a while. 
Question is, will it hold? 

ITS PAYBACK TIME!

The corruption craze has been hitting the country and it seems that it won't be stopping any time soon. Good thing is the government is cracking down on it. In a few hours from now, close to 60 suspects will be charged in court over the NYS scandal. Today, I am also cracking down hard on Susan. 

I will no longer be forced to play defensive while she goes on the offensive on me. Right now, I am in the company of Emma and quite predictably, Susan. This is the moment I have been waiting for and I won't let it go to waste.

"So, what happened to your face?" I launch the first salvo at her, in the process, taking her by complete surprise.
"Ya, Susie you've not told me anything about it." Emma butts in. Now its two against one. Perfect.
"Oh, its nothing. A small accident."
"Accident? gani hiyo?"

Agitated

"Looks like you were in a fight." That was the bait. She glared at me and I could see her hand tremble in anger. She masked it by taking her Infinix mobile phone and banging it down on the table. By the way, it was our breakfast meeting that Emma had called me for.
"I was not."
"Are those scratch marks on your neck?" I could see her getting agitated. Apparently, even the turtle neck sweater she was wearing could not hide the vicious scratch markss that my lovely Doris had inflicted on her during their cat fight last week.
"Gosh, Susie, nani alikufanyia hivi?" Emma comforted her friend while I struggled to restrain myself from laughing out loudly. 

"Our cat attacked me." She had to stop explaining the whole thing due to my laughter. She was embarrassed but unperturbed. Women could lie without any shred of conscience.
"Ras, what's so funny? Susie angetolewa macho!"

The Upper Hand

"Yeah. Like I care. Susie, mbona usiseme ukweli?"
Emma looked confused. Susie was now visibly angry.
"OKAY. Your girlfriend did it. Happy?"

"What girlfriend? Look, if you hadn't poked your dirty nose into other people's affairs, none of this would've happened." Emma looked on, bewildered at the exchange of hostility happening right under her nose.
"Why can't you admit that Doris is your girlfriend?"
"Just do the same about Samuel. Na nitafuata nyayo." She fell silent. Emma looked at Susan more keenly. I smiled at the change of fortunes. Now I had the upper hand. This time round, I was determined that she would never make any trouble for me.

Next: Will she fight back?

PHEW!! WHAT A CLOSE SHAVE!

Real Madrid needed three lucky breaks to beat a Liverpool side in a horrific Champions League night in Kiev. Liverpool could have won were it not for the sloppy mistakes that Karius made. It was indeed a horror show. Well done Real Madrid, three back to back titles is no mean feat. To compliment the horror show in Kiev, Doris' father was our guest yesterday.
You should've seen how scared I was. I couldn't enjoy the game at all.
"Habari Kijana."
"Mzuri"
He went ahead and discussed some issues with my parents while I stayed outside, contemplating on my next move. Unfortunately, everyone that I knew was either held up somewhere or just couldn't pick up my  calls. I had this feeling that I was trapped in a cul de sac.
"Unamjua huyu?" My dad asked the tall man.
"Vizuri sana. Yeye ni rafiki wa Chebet."

Stayed for two hours

At that point, I wished that the ground would swallow me alive. So he already knew that I exist?
"Anamaliza form four?"
The conversation went back and forth. I contributed to the laughter sometimes just to mask my nervousness. I was already racking up the possibility of making an escape in case they all ganged up on me to beat me up over my affair with her daughter.
"Mpira imeanza?"
That was how he spent nearly two hours watching the big game live after concluding talks to buy off his bull at a good price. I had estimated that that was the amount that he needed to pay off the remaining balance at Doris' school.
When the game ended, I was glad that he did not pursue the matter further. He left looking more happier than when he came in. I was relieved!
Up until now I haven't heard anything from Susan. I guess she is chortling with glee when she hears of the visit to my parents by her uncle, (Doris' father). But I am a happy man. Fate is on my side.

OF THE LAW BEING SUCH AN ASS

This week, a lady from Kisumu was convicted of having sexual relations with a minor. According to press reports, the court handed down a 15 year sentence to the hapless woman. This has got me thinking so hard since yesterday. 
If a man was in her place, I doubt if it would be a 15 year sentence. No sir. We would be talking about life imprisonment if not castration by the balls. Women groups like FIDA and Maendeleo ya Wanawake would ensure that the darn man get locked up for good. You obviously know how rabid those feminists are. I shudder at the thought of them running this place, men would be in dire situations as we speak.
"Ras, unaoaje hii story ya Susy?"
"Shida bro."
Tom is giving me company today as we try to brainstorm on other ways to forestall a possible expose by Susan. Considerably, I am on a state of emergency.
"Umemcheki Susie?"
"Zii. Hajatoka Kipkelion"
"Tommy, anaweza niseti kwa Baba Chebet?"
"Sidhani. Hio ndio umefanya ata chai haushiki?"

It Wouldn't Matter

I remind him of the Kisumu judgement. He starts to laugh and beckons the waiter at the Lennox hotel to add him one of his favourite kebab meals. 
"First of all, she is already 18. Hapo serikali hawawezi do kitu."
"Bado ako shule."
"Alafu, no one will believe her. Kwanza mtu mwenye ameshikwa na mabwana za watu before."
"Serious?"
"Yes. Hujui Molel wa hardware pale Tengecha Road?"
I was not even listening to his disposition. My mind was already fixed on the possible outcomes that would happen should Susan report me to the authorities. The law would not care if she is already 18 and whether she gave consent to our dozen sexual encounters. 
It wouldn't matter at all even if she gave her testimony that totally absolves me of the guilt. With feminist groups like FIDA and MoW, (They have a branch here in Kericho) I shouldn't expect any mercy or leneincy at all should I get busted to the cops.
The Kisumu case is a pointer that the law is such an ass!

A LESSON IN HUMILITY

It is true that we are not supposed to celebrate when your rival is down. That is not African at all. Reason behind this logic is that the same fate can happen to you. Luckily. in my case that has not happened yet. But I have this bad feeling that it will.
Sam has yet to call me up since last week. Engineering is hard work, I presume. I also need to be busy in my work so that I won't have to look idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop.

"Vipi Ras?"
"Poa sana Jay."
"Kuna mrembo flani hapa" He gestured to a forlon figure seated at the bench just outside his retail shop across the path.
"Kuna nini?"
"Kaa na yeye. Nafika bank kumaliza shughuli kiasi."
"Poa." He left without any ceremony. That was him.

Followed Him like a sheep

The girl crossed the path and headed for my stall. She didn't look any bit social. The expressionless face quickly dampened my growing happiness to strike a conversation with her. She just took her seat and gazed around the place like a bewildered child.
"Shule ama?"
"Mmmh."
Where did this one come from? I kept wondering as I looked at her in her immaculate school uniform. I kept to myself by watching upcoming trailers of Hollywood series and even contemplated playing DJ Afro's version of the Famed Royal Wedding. In my head, I had completely written off the girl as an anti-social creep.
"Ras, nimerudi."
"So soon? kwani, umesahau nini?"

Taking Optimism a Notch Too High

"ATM. twende." She got up and followed him like a sheep. I looked on and admired the arrogance that Jay had, not just over the girl, but in his business as well.
He should have some humility. I hope so. But humility is such an alien word in Jay's vocabulary. Expecting a man who recovered from losing 250,000 in a con scheme to becoming a budding millionaire in a span of 5 years is taking optimism a notch too high.
Well, money made him mad and proud at the same. Who knows what I would've done if I was in his shoes.

SETBACK FOR SUSAN

Hardly hours after declaring war on Susan had fate given me a good head start. My lovely Doris has fallen out with her cousin Susan over something I have yet to unravel. I know how Doris behaves when she gets angry, she can go ballistic or even throw a tantrum. She's also feisty and unpredictable like Kim Jong Un.

I had to wait until 4pm today just to get the news from Tom. He knows of the on goings of the house since he lives just a stone's throw away from their place. Also, Doris' father is a regular customer at his Kibanda.

Juvenile Excitement

"Ras, Kumeumana!"
"Mbona?"
"Susan and Doris have fought!" He seemed more excited than I was. But I couldn't let his juvenile excitement go to waste without me getting the juicy details. So I had to get him snap out of it.
"What happened?"
"Imagine they had a disagreement over you."
"Me?"
"Yes. Susan wanted her to leave you, since she told her that you're with Emma."
"So Doris hit back?"
"Yes. She urged her to stop fucking other people's boyfriend instead of focusing on her life"
I was at a loss. Should I cry or celebrate the change of fortunes?
"She got mad and tried to hit Doris, but wapi! She fought back and took her down!"
"She deserved it."

Troubled Again

Too bad Doris had left for school. I couldn't confirm the details either. I wanted to see if that monster had damaged her smooth beautiful face. I also wanted to comfort her and tell her how proud of her I was.
"Na Susan?"
"She left for Kipkelion. The embarrasment was too much for her to handle."
Serves her right. I was imagining how hurt she must have been. The rains here in Kericho seems to reflect my mood. I am happier than ever that my nemesis Susan is facing such obstacles now.
"Wazazi walikuwa?"
"Yes. But sijui kama walikusema."
Darn it! Now I am troubled. What if they knew?

COME BABY, COME!

It is official. The war has just began!
It took a whole 24 hours to deliberate on Tom's proposal to handle the nagging issue of Susan's blackmail. If I remember, Tom's advice was either to dump Doris,(Which he seemed to prefer) or take the bull by the horns, a move that I prefer to do.

Nothing much has happened. Dams have been overflowing and wildlife has been clashing with human beings in Muranga County. Raila Odinga has also hit back at his former General by asking him to regularise his papers to ensure his swift return to the country. As usual, Professor Mutahi Ngunyi has been waxing lyrical about the current state of affairs in the country in his column, The Fifth Estate.

Why I can't Dump Doris

But after all this, I have concluded that breaking up with Doris would not be the best option now. Getting a replacement is so hard. In fact, to impress a girl with my meagre earnings as a movie seller is impossible. It is a miracle that Doris accepted me the way I am despite the pressing financial challenges plaguing me. If I tried courting another girl in my state, it will be akin to selling pork to a muslim inside Saudi Arabia.
Doris has also proven to be reliable as she seems to be shielding me from her errant cousin's snares. She has also been careful and smart while we are in the glare of the public. We do not show PDA and we try to deflect away anything remote that will give us away. She is well aware that if we get caught, it will mean jail for me and a thorough beating for her with other untold consequences. Let us not discuss the consequences if she fell pregnant.

Bring It on Susan

Susan isn't going to have it easy around me. I plan to attack her when her guard is down.. Since she loves the company of Emma, there I will subtly throw in some hints about her dirty little secret. If that is not enough, I will involve my friends in a scheme to hack her phone for those nude pictures that she loves to take.
With these, I will dare her to do her worst, knowing that a single click will expose her to the whole world. Damn the Cybercrime Law and its fine. Even if I will lose Sam. It will take 14 days till it becomes operational. Until then, I will hit her with this thermonuclear bomb that will bring her down to her knees.
I just hope that she won't force me to explore this option.

IF IT SMELLS LIKE A DUCK, ITS A DUCK

We couldn't meet with Doris. This is due to the heavy rains and yes, Susan's presence.
Ever since her threat to expose my dealings with her cousin to her father, I have never been the same. I began to regret why I even saw her nude while at Sam's place during the week. I should've known better than try to engage her about why she was going around with Sam. The inquisitiveness of me never relaxes.
Now I am living under the threat of a possible discovery and even jail time. The Law of the land is very clear about this thing now. Since I already knew about her dirty little secret, she was in the know about mine too, probably due to her cousin.
"Ras, watching the royal wedding?"
"Kabisa. Game ya kesho?"
"Chelsea kama kawaida."
The weekend will be busy for me. For starts, Prince Harry is tying the knot with Meghan, the American actress.

The Royal wedding is generating the buzz with analysts giving their two cents on what to expect.(Boring) Sam won't watch the whole thing since He hates weddings. It will remind him of the failed engagement with Emma. 
Tom is also back from shagz where he had gone to visit his folks. He has also made up with Sheila and this means that his pursuit of Sylvia was long abandoned. He also looks big since he has been eating fresh food from the farm.
"Ras, naskia chebet ako area?"
"Yeah. Lakini cousin wake yuko."
"Susan ama?"
"Kabisa. Na ananisumbua." I explained to him my dilemma and he was laughing. 
"Nini Funny hapo?"
"Mwanamke akusumbue wewe?" He then explained to me the best solution to end all of this; braking up with Doris or better still call her bluff and expose her to Emma.
"What good will that do? Nitakosa dem wewe.!"
"Na Susan atakusumbua hivo. Wewe chagua."
So this meant that I had to make a tough choice here. Perhaps this thing was never meant to be. Or is this her ploy to get me all along? Is this the proverbial duck that is Tom wants me to cut loose?

Monday: The Big decision.

DORIS VISITS BUT SUSIE'S BLACKMAIL BEGINS

I had a pleasant surprise today as my lovely Doris Chebet came by the movie shop to visit me. It turns out that all Form Fours with fee balances were sent home. Doris was among them. I had a pleasant time with her and even bought her some lunch as she was afraid of meeting with any of her teachers in the town.

But one thing was certain to me. My three week long dry spell would end. She would be the perfect antidote to the problems that have been facing me. Susan had done her part to arouse the sleeping demons in me. Doris would be the one to fight them.
"Ras, why did you leave town?"
"I didn't. I just found a new tenant who would leave after school ends." I lied but she seemed uninterested with the explanation.
"So where will we meet today?" That was the metaphor for where would we be having sex. I loved her indirect references.
"No problem dear. Remember Sam?"
"Oh, the engineer?"
"Yes. He has a nice house at Wessyde. We can meet there."

Here comes the danger

The the devil turned up for the third time this week. I'm talking about Susan.
"Cousin!!"
"Hey Cousin?" then they hugged each other.
Hold on just a minute. Cousins? Was this some kind of a sick joke? Doris and Susan cousins? I was glad that Susan offered her hand unlike yesterday  where she insisted on hugging me. But her hand clinged to mine, making me uncomfortable. They must have talked for an eternity when I heard the most shocking proposal by Susan.
"Ras, Why don't you come over tomorrow for lunch at my place with Doris.?"
"Oh, no. I'll be busy."
"Just for lunch, My uncle won't be around."

Challenge Accepted

She was still holding on to my hand. I could see where this was heading to. When Doris saw her hand was still on mine, she moved swiftly and pulled her away under the guise of showing her some funny thing on her phone. I immediately retreated to the safety of the grilled counter. Doris left after giving me the crypted message of "Let's meet tonight you know where." Susan deftly returned and blew me an air kiss.
"You want to play, let's play." I growled at her. She spanked her butt and blew me another air kiss.
Challenge accepted.

THROWBACK THURSDAY- A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Luckily yesterday, there was no drama after Susan bumped into us while we were having lunch at Patnas hotel. I returned to my workstation while Emma and Susan headed to another destination which I don't know of. The one thing I can report is that Susan texted me today to thank me for not saying a word to Emma.

She also couldn't forget to remind me of the deal we had back in Kericho. I had to text her bacck to confirm my part of the bargain. I had to be careful not to say anything to her, anything that will be used against me in some blackmail scheme. With Susan, you had to expect anything. You can never afford to put your guard down.

"Beep. Beep!" My phone rings and its Susan again for the umpteenth time.
"Yes, what's up?"
"You're free for lunch?"
"Not really-"
"Fries with chicken on me." Damn this woman is tempting me.
"I guess I have to confirm with Jay"

Her chest pressed against mine

There was a pause at her end. I thought that the signal was dead only for her to come back and bring an ultimatum.

"Sam's here. You can't miss."
"I'll see." She hung up. That nasty bitch!. I felt bad and good at the same time. Bad that it had to be Susan forcing me on a date and good because it was on her tab. Plus the meal is my favourite. (Yeey!)
When I got there, Sam wasn't there. She stood up and motioned me for an embrace. Cool but super wierd. Imagine Hitler giving a hug to his Jewish prisoners before carting them off to the gas chambers. That was how awkward it was.

What games was she playing?

"Thanks once again. Glad you made it." When the food came, my appetite was long gone.My heart was beating excitedly after getting pressed by her titties. She kept prodding me on to eat and gradually my appetite returned.
"Look, I'm not sure why Sam hasn't come. But it's the work."
"Susan, what games are you playing?" A brief chuckle and she dropped her fork.
"Ras, If you tell Emma about us, then I'll tell Chebet's father about you." So that was it. A threat.From the look on her face, she looked certain like a leopard on a trapped prey.
"Fine." That was the deal I made with the devil.

SHE DOESN'T GIVE A SH%T!!

I am lucky that Jay didn't see it fit to fire me. Of course, since I am the one with the knowledge of the movies and the characters and all those stuff. If he did, his business would have to close down or downgrade to sell those third rate vernacular songs that Viusasa among other platforms are threatening to take over from. I am also privileged to host Emma for lunch.

"Chips na Kuku fry" I also order the same since she insisted on paying. Why should I refuse just because of male pride? We are in the 21st century.
"So where did Sam take you since Thursday? Ata simu zangu haupick."
"His place." I had to contain my excitement lest she reads through me. Women are excellent mind readers and I cannot underestimate her.

I froze in my tracks

"For three days? Then Sam really likes you."
"Why?"
"I never stayed there for more than a day." I almost forgot about my pledge to Susan. The waiter intervened to serve me first hence taking away the opportunity to fry Susan with her own fat.
"Na Susan." I froze in my tracks. I placed the piece of meat down and looked at her bespectacled face.
"I don't know. Haven't seen her since that day in Kipkelion." Her order arrived and the topic switched to other tpics like the forthcoming episode of waking up with you and the better half. With no time, our plates were empty and we had washed our hands.

Susan arrives in the hotel

"Lemme order some soda?"
"I'll take water instead." I forgot that my lovely Emma doesn't take sugary drinks. She was watching her weight. This time, the drink was on me.
"Chep, what if Sam moves on with another woman, like Susan or-"
"I don't give a fuck. He can do it even today." She snapped.
"Okay. Just an after thought." She held my hands before I could grab the soda.
"Thanks for being there for me." Before I could say anything, I saw the familiar stare of Susan as she heads straight for us.

NEXT: Fireworks in the offing? 

THOU SHALL NOT TELL..

Susan leans forward and puts her bowl of cereals on the table. I struggle to maintain my gaze at her face while trying to avoid looking at her exposed body.

"Ras, this is not what you think."
"What I think? You are sleeping with Sam."
She gives a soft chuckle. I never got to see how good her nails were done but when she removed her hair net to allow her hair to fall, I saw them A bonus was that her boob flashed out before she returned it back with a blush.

"Oops. Sorry about that. I should've worn my bra." I was getting excited by her raunchiness and though I agreed with her, I didn't want her to wear it any time soon.
"Look, Sam and I have been dating since you were in High School. Emma is just but a rebound."
"What? But they are engaged. Sam has already visited her folks."

It was no use.

"No problem. It's all history. Right now I am taking back what belonged to me." She picked up her bowl and dropped it on the sink. She walked off towards the bedroom and my eyes followed her as she sashayed majestically.
"Pretty tail you got there." She responded by lifting up her shirt and closed the door behind her. The show was over. My heart was now racing hard. Susan had left me feeling aroused and weak. My appetite left me and I returned to watch the the television. I switched the content and tried to concentrate on Jim Jam kids show but it was no use.

"Ras, come kiasi." She called me. By no time, I was already there and all my excitement ended prematurely. She was already dressed up and her source of trouble was her inability to zip her skirt.
"Do you mind?" I helped her with it and as I turned to leave, she held me back by my sleeve.
"Don't tell Emma. She might get hurt."

"I won't. But one day she will know about it." She looked at me with spiteful eyes. I didn't care as she had not just betrayed Emma, but her own feminist philosophies as well

HATS OFF TO ALL THE MOTHERS

I write this piece with a heart full of gratitude for the mothers who struggle to make their children better people despite the horrible conditions in this world. Mothers who have sacrificed their well being, resources and time just to make sure that their children won't lack. I agree with Shaggy when he sang about the strength of a woman. He must have his mother in mind when he sang this.

Life lessons learnt

I also take this opportunity to wish my mother a happy mothers day. I will not forget how hard you struggled to see me become where I am today. I will admit that I did not meet some of your expectations, some of which were high, but what matters is that I am now a grown man who will soon have his own family to tend to.
I will not forget how hard you used to be on me while I was growing up. Back then I thought you were just taking out on me some of life's frustrations, but now I am wiser. I realize that you were preparing me for life. Currently, Jay the movie store owner is one nasty motherf*cker who only cares about money. He is one of the most unkind people who walk on the face of the earth. Without your 'hardness' I don't think I would have lasted this long here. 

Value for money

I thank you because you taught me to appreciate the value of money. You told me that you cannot handle millions unless you know how to handle the few coins you have. Though father was often away working too, you were there for me during those visting days that often left me full with your home made cooking. If you only knew how much  I made after selling some of those chapatis to my unlucky colleagues back at the dormitory!
I am glad that I did not disappoint you by failing my tests. I also managed to graduate from KIMC where life was not all a bed of roses. With the little that you had, you performed miracles with it. I will be grateful till the day I will take my last breath.

Though I won't be able to buy you a gift, It is my hope that God rewards you with a fulfilling life and prosperity now that you are relaxing after seeing your son taking on the life challenges. 

PS- My chronicles resume tomorrow as today is mothers day

OH MY GOODNESS...IT'S SUSAN ALL ALONG!

They were never wrong. The wise swahili people who said that, 'Kikulacho kinguoni mwako' translated loosely to mean that the cause of your woes is likely to be someone from within. It's been two days since Sam was bailed out by his sister from jail after Emma had reported him for sending abusive texts to her. It is also two days after we went out to sample the Kericho night life with Sam where we got drunk. Currently,  I am still holed up at Sam's crib in Wesyside, a posh area for the Kericho elite. It is here where rents are as high of 20k(equivalent of Sam's bail) and the owners of these apartment are the power brokers of Kericho(political elite).

Bumped into Susan

Since Sam left for work in the morning, I have been watching Aljazeera news since morning. Jay hasn't called me yet so there is no cause for concern over my job. Suddenly, I hear movements coming out of the bedroom. I have no idea that I had company. Then there is the sound of the gas burner starting and soon, the smell of yesterday's meal wafting through the air. My stomach grumbles to remind me that I have not eaten anything for breakfast.  
As I slowly crept around the corner, I nearly bumped into a half naked Susan who only had Sam's cream shirt for cover. She did not seem surprised like me. I felt shy and ashamed of seeing her thighs and her nipples that seem to be getting harder as the seconds passed by.

Did she cause the split?

"Susan? Ulikuwa huku?"
"Eee. Mbona umestuka?" she gently passed me and headed for the bathroom. I hoped that she wouldn't cover herself when she came back, and my wish was granted.
"Umekula breako?"
"Bado." She commanded me to follow her into the kitchen where she served both of us some meal. I was too stunned since I remembered her radical feminist veiws and how she was advising Emma to chart her way without men. So was she the cause of the split?

NEXT: Susan demands total confidentiality over what she is about to tell me.

HORROR IN SOLAI

The nation woke up to the tragic news that a dam had burst after heavy rains yesterday night. As of now, the death toll is yet to be confirmed as search and rescue operations are still underway. Questions are still being asked as to how such a thing could happen yet there was warning after warning issued before this tragedy happened.

Was someone negligent? How could a foreigner (Patel according to Media reports) build an illegal dam despite protests by the locals who complained of water shortages(caused by this illegal structure) and whether it met the safety standards. In fact, word has it that the 'investor' had bought off the leaders who initially raised concern over the ticking time-bomb that was the dam.

Now what the people had feared has happened. The dam walls could not withstand the ferocity of the waters and caved in, allowing millions of litres of water to pour downstream and ravage the helpless villagers. Mother Nature has no mercy at all. The pictures of washed up cars covered in mud and bodies of children have been making rounds of social media.

Predictably, the knee-jerk reactions by the authorities has been unfolding with several leaders including the area MP and Governor visiting the scene of disaster. This morning, the CS Interior has made his visit there and pledges of action has been made. 

Will the foreigner face justice for the disaster or will he simply get away with it? Will the displaced people get compensated after their homes, farms and businesses got destroyed by the raging floods? Let's wait and see. 

NB-The usual column will resume tomorrow.  

A DATE WITH THE COPS

Turns out that the call was from Sam. He was in deep trouble and I guess it was because of those abusive messages he had sent to Emma.
I never knew that she had connections at the police station, or was it one of her past admirers working there? Women and their deep secrets! 

Long story short, I went over there and gave him moral support, like old friends do.

When I got to Litein Police Station, I found all of his family members besides me there. I knew that I had done something good when I saw Sally break into a smile and her warm greeting assured me that all will be well.  She even gave me an update of what that has been transpiring since morning.

"Tony, hebu imagine huyo malaya anamaccuse Bro wangu ati anamtishia life."
"Nani, Emma?"
"Ata usiseme hio jina hapa. hio shetani imefanya tulipe 20k ndio Sammy atoke." I was surprised at the bile she had. I could not tell if it was because of the 20 grand or Emma making Sam spend the day at the station.

Tuone Kesho

Luckily, she seemed to have forgotten the date on Saturday. That was Okay with me as long as the story doesn't leak out here at this crisis. Sally also told me that Sam had sent Emma some texts that were abusive after learning of Maxwell's visit to Emma's home. He even spent the night there too.

"Ras, hii shida yote sababu ya Emma."
"Kwani ulido nini?" He was reuctant to tell me. But I had already known about it long before the rest did. I did not pursue the matter forward.

The bail was posted and we all left the smelly station. I did not listen to the protest speeches made by the people present who came short of chanting "Death to Emma" 
"Ras, tuende Kericho. Hii stress nitoe na ka chupa mbili ya tusker."
Who am I to decline free booze? Right now we are Amarula club drowning beer as we look for prey. So I will not watch THRK or Waking up with you or the flight to victory.
Let's see what will happen tomorrow.

YOU SL%T! AND OTHER SAM MISSILES THROWN AT EMMA

24 hours have not yet elapsed when I get screenshots from Emma. I am at the movie store trying to make ends meet while also trying to satisfy my customers who are mostly the young people who love to binge watch American series. God bless this strike by the dons as business has never been better. I have bored First years to cater to. 

But the screenshots from Emma are quite graphic and disturbing to see.
Sam must have heard about our meetings with his estranged fiancee, I reason. That is why he has been blue ticking me all weekend. I cursed the day Emma and I bumped into Sally, Sam's sister. Now I think our friendship has taken a serious stab.

Cut straight to the bone

Sally must have been feeding Sam with the wrong ideas. I get tensed up but I don't want my customers to see it. But there is one message that captures my whole attention. The one that calls my former girlfriend a cheap slut and someone desperate to move on that's why she is moving around with 'village boys'.

Hold up. Whom did Sam just call a Village boy? Me? I admit that it cut me straight to the bone. I felt worthless that someone I respected and admired for all this time could only think of me as nothing more than a mere village boy. It was like all those things that I had done for him,including covering up for him when he was seeing other girls when their relationship with Emma was still at the incubation stage.

Fuming silently at the insult

Anger swelled up inside me. How dare he call me that. I may not be as successful as he is but that is no excuse to go around labelling me such derogatory names. He should not go around belittling people just because he is now a big shot in town.

 I was fuming silently, as men should, when a complete screenshot arrived again. This time, it cooled me down instantly. "i new dat u were not faithful, uv bin sleepin around with my friends especially Timo. all de same hoes never change....

Part of me was happy that I was not the subject of his hate towards Emma. Timo was the village bad boy that Emma once had a thing for, but it was all history. But is it true?

My phone rings, Sam is calling. Should I pick ? I don't want to get salvos thrown at me. 

SO CLOSE YET SO FAR

The problem of getting your hopes up is that they can come dashing down fast. I learnt this the hard way during my excursions with Emma during the past weekend.

The date at the market was great, despite a brief howler where we met her potential sister-in-law doing her shopping there. I was so nervous that Emma had to pinch my butt several times to remind me to snap out of it. Unlike me, she handled the whole thing with a professional flair. She seemed to handle her indirect sarcasm with her own wisecracks well enough. She did not flinch even an inch. This made me love her the more. In another world, Emma would make a perfect John Wick, brave when facing adversaries and ever armed with some nasty surprises(or insults too)

How desperate I have become

At the sunday mass, we sat close to each other and even took the Holy Communion together. Later on, we had lunch at her aunt's place and then watched the old classics on citizen television. The good thing was that it did not rain. The bad thing was she was non-comital about her future. 
"So, Sam akibreak engagement, what next?"
"Don't know. But life will continue."
Only that?! after all those moments. I was expecting something close to like, about us. I was hoping that she would address the issue, even if she would lie about it. That was better than ignoring it altogether. This is how desperate I have become since Chebet left for school.
"So where will I be in your future?"

Damage control method

She chuckled and toyed with one of my locks.
"Of course you will be there. As a friend. That is." She then deftly switched the topic to some nonsensical issue just as a damage control method. The day went on perfectly and when the wedding show started, I rose to leave.
"Ras, everything will be fine, just trust me." Then she slightly made me happy by giving me a long uncharacteristic hug. However It was a case of being so close yet so  far. 

A RE-UNION IN THE OFFING?

The past 24 hours have been great. For the obvious reasons, Emma was with me while we spent the whole day walking around the village doing nothing.

Yes, nothing. She felt that it was safe walking around the village in a disguise, wearing those 'old ' clothes and wrapping her head like the village women do. We had covered enough ground till the rains forced us to take shelter at her uncle's shop. Lucky for us, he wasn't around so we had the whole shop to ourselves.

The rains went on for some time. That meant we had ample time to talk about other important issues.

Busier he is the better

Let me be clear. She has still banned me from talking about her rift with Sam which doesn't seem to be ending any time soon. Sam has been missing in action of late, perhaps it is the ongoing renovations at the County Assembly that is keeping him busy. All in all, the busier he is the better for me and Emma.

"Tony, nimekuwa nikifikiria sana about us."
"Us? kwani iko nini?"
"Hakuna. Just that nimekumiss sana."

She was happier and free with me.

That made my heart race so bad that I almost got a heart attack. We were standing so close to each other that I could smell her eau de cologne. She did not seem bothered by the curious sight that the villagers passing by gave us. She even allowed me to check her inbox! How lucky was I?

When the rains finished, we were already holding hands. That was because of the muddy roads. I must admit that it was a good seeing her in this way. She looked happier, and free with me. She did not mind me and my jokes, even when I felt that it went too far.

Her goodbye hug was the best part! And guess what, today we are going to the market together. Is a reunion in the offing?  

GAGGED TO THE BONE

Today is world press freedom day. The day when scribes reflect on the year and recall the highs, the lows and the ugly moments in their careers. 

I am a journalist by profession despite my present occupation deviating slightly from what I had trained for in KIMC. However I still do freelancing for some of my friends whenever there is time. My core training however was in the production. But this is a story for another darn cold day.

As alien as it sounds

The media in Kenya are still gagged. If your owner is among the political and moneyed elite in Kenya, then you can kiss goodbye press freedom. Forget what they advertise about being bold, unbiased and truthful, talk is cheap. The real players are behind the scenes calling the shots. Go against them and you get the boot. Heck, you can even be switched off despite a court order barring it. Also securing employment outside here is as difficult as scaling Mount Everest without the necessary gear. In my present locale, the freedom of expression is as alien as it sounds.

Even in my locale

You cannot question Jay, the store owner even when our wages delay for two consecutive days. His word is law. If he says Dwayne Johnson isn't the rock then he is not the rock (Absurd). If he says Jumanji sucks, it sucks(It rocks!). Oppose him and you're out.

But I can handle his bullshit. Sam has also barred me from telling anyone about his rift with Emma. To make his point clear, he has even dissolved one of our Whatsapp groups to prevent the discussion about their rift(Which he started) from progressing. Trouble is, there are other groups that still talk about it behind his back.

Thou shall not speak

Emma too has placed a gag order on me from telling anyone about what we talk about. 

Yesterday was no exception. So even a whiff I won't disclose lest I risk the freezing of our relations. But hey, this is Kenya. Hakuna matata.

Happy World Press Freedom Day!!  

BACK TO BEDLAM

I am back to the village. Finally!

My old room has new occupants and I ain't one of them. I made this decision just hours after my life returned to its usual state after Chebet left for school. The farewell was heart wrenching as she cried under my embrace. I swear I could've cried myself were it not for the fact that her younger sister was watching us. 

And there is no uglier sight than seeing a grown ass man cry because of parting with a woman.I wouldn't want to be the talk of town.

Being careful

She came for the holiday as just a teen. Now she goes back as an 18 year old without an ID but still legally recognized as a citizen. I must admit that I am already missing her badly. I even feel bad about getting bored with her and I even blogged about it here. Right now I have realized that there is virtually no one around to help me fight the boredom. 

Will I be able to sustain the seven weeks that she will be away? Probably yes. I cannot write off the possibility of looking for someone to hang out just for fun. Her friends is a no-no for me. Though's there's one who is always sending me cheeky messages. I need to be careful here, no?

State of the Nation

But I will be back to a new place just close enough to town. For now I will be content to spend 50 bob for the fare to and from the town to home. No more rent, buying food and those annoying Sam visits. 
Right now I am watching the State of the Nation event on TV in my parent's house. This will be a boring thing to watch especially the speech. At least last year was lit due to the drama which I suspect will be missing today. My phone rings and it is Emma calling.

This means one thing, We're back to bedlam!

LABOUR DAY ASPIRATIONS

I won't ask for a wage increase the way they are commonly asked during such days. I want this day to be special not just for me but for many other workers in Kenya.

A wage increase will do just fine. It will help me meet my dreams of moving to better house, peharps a bedsitter and even get those nice shoes that I have been craving for but my wage can't allow. But I don't want to be dependent on my wages alone. Something needs to be done other than the usual wage increase.

Make it reliable

Better working conditions must be achieved. We need healthcare coverage that will be affordable and reliable. It's good to know that NHIF is rolling out such affordable packages that I have recently acquired. But they are not that reliable at all healthcare facilities especially those exorbitant private centers. their reliability needs to be worked on if they are going to be effective in the long run.

Not only for me, but for Tom since we all share the same thing in common. Unlike Sam who can afford to take those exorbitant private healthcare packages, we cannot. All we get are weekly wages hence we are dependent on this NHIF thing.

Better working conditions

A strong social security program will help many of us out here to plunge effectively into enterprenuership. We won't be bogged down by the fear that once we grow old, we would just rot away in the villages waiting for our kids to take care of us. There would be no more applying for jobs just to get those benefits. I hope the government will consider this even as I join the likes of Tom in building this country.

All we ask for is better working conditions, not just those ceremonial wage increases after the glitz in Uhuru park. 

Happy Labour day