Flashback
Robinson Murira was my best friend in Form One B just before I left for a Machakos school.
Those days we had no mobile phones yet we would meet at the bus stop at the same time,5:15AM just in time to board the first Stagecoach-Kenya Bus. This was our seventh wonder of the world none of us had a watch as well, but the Mwadhini msikitini Allahu Akbar would come in handy!
Bathing was a luxury, needless to say, we had dry water taps! We enjoyed this routine all the same.
Armed with our Bus Pass we would pay sh.7 to school, a distance of 25km-Coins had value by then! The conductor, clad in 'surupwenye' would roll out the receipts for the two of us.
'Kochuka bwana tuweke hizi risiti,'Murira would insist. Many are the days I would lose my receipts or forget them inside my Mathematics book that Apondi would always sneak with to their Kahawa home. (Reuben Ouma was the other Maths guru)
We rarely traveled back to the estate together. On this particular day, however, we met at the bus stop and he insisted that we take bus number 38b instead of our usual number 19c. The former would leave us a bit far from our residential area meaning we would have to trek for some 20 minutes or so. I obliged, albeit reluctantly.
As usual, the bus was overflowing with passengers, others precariously hanging on the exit and entrance doors. We boarded the bus using the exit door, squeezed ourselves inside and 'settled'.Before we could say 'Ruto, the conductor was nearing us...
'Wapi tiketi yako?' I didn't have time to check who was asking and quickly flashed my bus pass and a ten shillings note. Alas! It was Murira talking...
"Rudisha bus pass na niado(money) mfukoni. Toa ile tiketi yako ya asubuhi.'...I was tongue tied for I didn't have it(as to where it was, your guess is as good as mine)
He took a cursory look at me then quickly slid a receipt in between my lips just in time before the conductor arrived. The conductor came took the receipt off my mouth, tore it a bit and gave it back to me(I was still awestruck that I didn't see him perform the same 'surgery on Murira's ticket...
I chocked with laughter....from that day I never lost my morning tickets!
Murira was an extraordinary friend I must admit. I stifled my laughter to the point that I almost wetted myself! So when we finally alighted through the Entrance, an unstoppable urge to empty my urethra triggered Jasiaya into action and Murira joined me with Jakiambu-we laughed throughout this exercise.
"Kwani wewe hulipa fare ya jioni?" asked Murira-He rarely spoke in English, except when Mr.Makedi(If you add letter 'n' somewhere in his name and replace the i with e you will get the nickname we had given him), the teacher of English would prode him in class. Murira never attended any debate!
"Mimi hulipa bro, "I replied as we hurried past Komarock Sector Two to our humble abode. His words were always to the point."Bwana pesa haziokotwi,lipanga one-way ticket." he said. I was still lost in thought when he asked: "kwani tiketi yako ya asubuhi ilienda wapi?"As soon as I opened my mouth to say 'I forgot it inside my Maths book...' than he cut me short"Hiyo najua ni Apondi amekugundua!"
The following day we went to school as usual. Murira couldn't help laughing at the previous day's spectacle. I managed half a smile in between. He had a way with me, somehow we coalesced well.
When we alighted, I saw him a bit apprehensive."Unafikiria Apondi atakuja shule leo?" he asked. I simply replied that I didn't know. Immediately he mentioned her name, I double checked to confirm that my ticket was safe in my 'reebok wallet.'
When we reached the gate, he vanished in thin air! Much later when I entered Form 1B, I saw him and Apondi engaged in a heated argument. I didn't have much time to intervene as our Physics teacher Ms. Konje arrived in time for the Lab lesson.
Off to the lab we went, I settled at one of the corners. Apondi came and joined me there. My heart skipped a beat for reasons I couldn't tell.
"Here is your Mathematics book Felix and I am sorry for everything," said she.
I played ignorant for a while as the practical lesson was being set up."But why?"I asked.
"Murira and I have been taking your tickets without your knowledge".Didn't you see us arguing?"
"Never mind, "I replied. As if on cue, Murira joined us just then!
"Felix pole haki.Hii game tumekuchezea siku nyingi" I burst out with laughter, the two' Aki' and 'Ukwa' joined the laughter...Just then we heard Ms. Konje shouting "Keep quiet!"
Since then I still believe that what you don't know does not hurt you.
To date when Murira and I meet, we still laugh over this incident...
©Kochuka Felix
2019
Robinson Murira was my best friend in Form One B just before I left for a Machakos school.
Those days we had no mobile phones yet we would meet at the bus stop at the same time,5:15AM just in time to board the first Stagecoach-Kenya Bus. This was our seventh wonder of the world none of us had a watch as well, but the Mwadhini msikitini Allahu Akbar would come in handy!
Bathing was a luxury, needless to say, we had dry water taps! We enjoyed this routine all the same.
Armed with our Bus Pass we would pay sh.7 to school, a distance of 25km-Coins had value by then! The conductor, clad in 'surupwenye' would roll out the receipts for the two of us.
'Kochuka bwana tuweke hizi risiti,'Murira would insist. Many are the days I would lose my receipts or forget them inside my Mathematics book that Apondi would always sneak with to their Kahawa home. (Reuben Ouma was the other Maths guru)
We rarely traveled back to the estate together. On this particular day, however, we met at the bus stop and he insisted that we take bus number 38b instead of our usual number 19c. The former would leave us a bit far from our residential area meaning we would have to trek for some 20 minutes or so. I obliged, albeit reluctantly.
As usual, the bus was overflowing with passengers, others precariously hanging on the exit and entrance doors. We boarded the bus using the exit door, squeezed ourselves inside and 'settled'.Before we could say 'Ruto, the conductor was nearing us...
'Wapi tiketi yako?' I didn't have time to check who was asking and quickly flashed my bus pass and a ten shillings note. Alas! It was Murira talking...
"Rudisha bus pass na niado(money) mfukoni. Toa ile tiketi yako ya asubuhi.'...I was tongue tied for I didn't have it(as to where it was, your guess is as good as mine)
He took a cursory look at me then quickly slid a receipt in between my lips just in time before the conductor arrived. The conductor came took the receipt off my mouth, tore it a bit and gave it back to me(I was still awestruck that I didn't see him perform the same 'surgery on Murira's ticket...
I chocked with laughter....from that day I never lost my morning tickets!
Murira was an extraordinary friend I must admit. I stifled my laughter to the point that I almost wetted myself! So when we finally alighted through the Entrance, an unstoppable urge to empty my urethra triggered Jasiaya into action and Murira joined me with Jakiambu-we laughed throughout this exercise.
"Kwani wewe hulipa fare ya jioni?" asked Murira-He rarely spoke in English, except when Mr.Makedi(If you add letter 'n' somewhere in his name and replace the i with e you will get the nickname we had given him), the teacher of English would prode him in class. Murira never attended any debate!
"Mimi hulipa bro, "I replied as we hurried past Komarock Sector Two to our humble abode. His words were always to the point."Bwana pesa haziokotwi,lipanga one-way ticket." he said. I was still lost in thought when he asked: "kwani tiketi yako ya asubuhi ilienda wapi?"As soon as I opened my mouth to say 'I forgot it inside my Maths book...' than he cut me short"Hiyo najua ni Apondi amekugundua!"
The following day we went to school as usual. Murira couldn't help laughing at the previous day's spectacle. I managed half a smile in between. He had a way with me, somehow we coalesced well.
When we alighted, I saw him a bit apprehensive."Unafikiria Apondi atakuja shule leo?" he asked. I simply replied that I didn't know. Immediately he mentioned her name, I double checked to confirm that my ticket was safe in my 'reebok wallet.'
When we reached the gate, he vanished in thin air! Much later when I entered Form 1B, I saw him and Apondi engaged in a heated argument. I didn't have much time to intervene as our Physics teacher Ms. Konje arrived in time for the Lab lesson.
Off to the lab we went, I settled at one of the corners. Apondi came and joined me there. My heart skipped a beat for reasons I couldn't tell.
"Here is your Mathematics book Felix and I am sorry for everything," said she.
I played ignorant for a while as the practical lesson was being set up."But why?"I asked.
"Murira and I have been taking your tickets without your knowledge".Didn't you see us arguing?"
"Never mind, "I replied. As if on cue, Murira joined us just then!
"Felix pole haki.Hii game tumekuchezea siku nyingi" I burst out with laughter, the two' Aki' and 'Ukwa' joined the laughter...Just then we heard Ms. Konje shouting "Keep quiet!"
Since then I still believe that what you don't know does not hurt you.
To date when Murira and I meet, we still laugh over this incident...
©Kochuka Felix
2019
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