Makanga

Flashback.

Sunday afternoon. Kedo 2.30 pm. Mpangoless and seriously bored. Everyone’s got plans and are nowhere to be seen, I’m the only broke ‘good girl’ whose left behind to look after the house, and probably keep watch of those entering and leaving the compound. It’s mid-term, I have few days left to go back to the ‘Local Kamiti Prison‘. Exactly two days left to go back to Nembu a.k.a Nembu Gee.

My uniform is already ironed and my school essentials in place, ready for ‘transport’ on Weno. Assignments all done apart from that Chemistry revision paper that we’re supposed to hand in at the reception! Aah, I still have time, lemme do it kesho morning. What do i do now? I just can’t sleep at this time of the day! Or maybe i should go back to church and spend time with akina Gatosh?..aaaaai, hapana! ‘Wataniambia niendelee kuosha zile vyombo za sunday school’. Ok, so what now?

I have like Ksh.120 mbele nyuma. I had Ksh. 350 on Friday; part of the pocket money i had. I can buy chipo with this cash, or just buy my favorite crisps. Lakini am already full. The 3 glasses of juice and cakes i took in church, and the doughnut i ate while coming home are still alive in my stomach. Sasa nidu? Aaaah. I know. Lemme go to Kona (Dagoretti Corner), look for a Cyber and surf. Is it surfing really? A-a, lemme go spend time on Facebook. All dolled up and looking fabulous; Tight black jeans, fancy pink top (Graffiti on the front read: If in Doubt, Pout), round dangling silver earrings, nice flat shoes, off i go!

Rushing to the matatu stage, boarded a rather lifeless mat only coz this makanga has said it’s 10 bob to Kona from Lenana. Otherwise, I’d have waited for a ‘fly’ mat…but my pocket cannot allow for ferare (bus fare) that exceeds 10 bob! I alight at Tankard and head to that ka’Cyber adjacent to it. I do my math. It’s 3.15 pm. I have like Ksh. 110 altogether. I prefer this Cyber coz t’will charge 50 cents per minute. Aaah, hii pesa niko nayo ni more than enough! I get a good spot in the Cyber. Do my thing. Like. Unlike. Comment. Post. Like. Comment. Post…sequence continues. Checks time: 6.15pm. Amount charged: Ksh. 90. Lemme just like this one last comment from ‘Kapoxxy’!Huyu dem akona ufala mob!..though nimekamiss…lemme make my last comment. Logs out. Pays the amount charged. Balance: Ksh. 20. ‘Gosh, sa hii mbaula itatosha fare hadi home?‘ (in my head). Hiana wass...matatu fare from Kona to Lenana is always 10 bob (I assume).

Heading to the matatu stage now. Stage full of people…and it’s getting slightly dark. I need to force myself into one of this ‘mats’ before it’s totally dark. “Lenana thirty! Karen na Ngong’ forty!” shouted a tout. The phrase continues as is the norm in 254. It hits me. I have only 20 bob. The next tout shouts the same. Another and another…it’s fixed. Ksh. 30 to Lenana (heavy traffic is the cause of this..smh!). What now? I’m fixed at the spot. How I’m i getting home now? Aaah, wacha ni-assume sijaskia hio amount wana-charge.

I board an empty ‘mat’, sit at the center seat at the far back between a lady on my right and this middle-aged guy – he looks 28-ish, (also looked like he’s coming from church!) on my left.Rush-hour, mat gets full in no time and takes off. Traffic jam! Tout starts asking for cash!…woi! I give him 20 bob and stare out the window. “Madam!”he calls. I ignore. “Madam, ongeza pesa”. “Aaai, kwani hadi Lenana si 20 bob?” I answer. “Nani alikuambia ni mbao? Wacha mchezo madam, ongeza kumi”. This attracts attention. Other passengers start staring. It’s a nissan btw, not these big mats. Standstill since kuna jam, no music…total silence. Present sound: Just me and the tout conversing!

“Mi hulipa 20 bob hadi Lenana” with a worried face, I say. People now start turning their heads ‘to probably see this madam who doesn’t have 10 bob’. “Warembo kama nyinyi tushawajua! Hii tabia yenu itabidi mmewacha. Hio kumi lazima utatoa!” he barks. I honestly don’t have any other cash with me, I wasted all i had at the Cyber. With an attitude, I bluntly tell him this: ‘Imagine mi sina kumi. Hio tu ndio pesa niko nayo‘, then i shift my attention to the window, avoiding the ‘hot’ glares from the other passengers.

This guy sitting on my right somehow feels embarrassed for me. He asks me ‘Kwani ukipanda gari haukuskia ni 30 bob?‘. At this point I’m downright embarrassed and wishing that the mat quickly gets me to my destination! ‘Sikuskia. Sa nika-assume ni 20 bob kama kawa‘ I lie. The tout turns and gives the guy his balance. He asks him to take an extra Ksh. 10, payment for the ‘lady’. I thank this ‘saviour’ severally, with utter shame of course! Then the tout looks at me and says “Umeponea! Kama si huyo ningekupeleka Ngong’“. I wonder what these other passenger are thinking…the situation is kinda funny for them i guess. Maybe they’re having this in their mind ‘This young fly chik, smartly dressed does not have 10 bob???!!??’. Mat stops. I thank the gentleman again for saving a fellow citizen and alight. I can’t look back. “Tuonane mrembo!” makanga tells me. How! How can he tell me that after this ugly ordeal? Nkt.

Fast forward, lessons learnt:

At all times, carry extra cash in a secret pocket (bus fare).

Don’t ever mess with a makanga.

Embrace politeness in all circumstances.

High school student – Facebook will waste your time. Dwell on your books!