Last week on Bodo's Blog...

Last week on Bodo's Blog...

Hahahahaha! I make myself happy! You see, in my head I can see the look on your face and makes me laugh so hard I start getting hunger pangs. Okay, I'm done.

Back to the story of how I met Anita.  i'm serious.

Now every time I try throwing in, "Remember Miss Bilha?" I'm overpowered by "I can't believe we were deskmates in Nursery School!"

Me: I remember Lucy, the mzungu girl and...

Felix: Wow! Remember Kate Wami?

Joy: Kate Wami is my best friend. Looks very different now! Ever seen...

Do I blame God for this predicament? For not knowing who Kate Wami was and only shariing memories of one mean teacher Jacinta? No! I blame my mother's boss for this particular situation. Not anything else, just this moment.

To cut the long(short) story short (shorter), a some point the Kapten's joined the conversation. Fullie (spelt F.U. double L.I.E :-D What?! F.U. Double L.I.E. In case you didn't get it, lemme repeat. No? Ok)

Fullie was in the same class as Allan.

Me: We were family friends. In fact I met her the other day...

Fullie: If you were in Anita's class how come you don't remember my brother?

Me: Ummm... I was not in exactly the same class. I was in North or South

Joy: Yaani I can't believe it! You remember...

So, this is how I met Anita.

I can't remember. Relax, uskonde. I honestly can't remember the vivid details  of our first meet. This is what I remember:

I remember after moving in to Memorial estate (that is how I remember it being called) and waking up disoriented. You know how it is the first day after kuhama, right?

I have memories of waking up to make cars out of UHT Tetrapak paper. I remember sitting with his brother Dennis on the railings down at the field and him showing me his thumb nail (the nail of his thumb) with a streak of black. Of beauty spots. He had a jungle green jeep the size of my computer mouse complete with an armed soldier inside.

I remember Allan in the school uniform being the last born he is.

I remember passing Anita by the school corridor and looking forward to prize giving day hoping I become number 1 and not 2 because she would get the prize.

I remember her round face. I remember her in a dress, black shoes and white stockings as we played on the sand pile outside our home.

I remember watching Sarafina at our Sudanese neighbour, Ball's house. I remember  going for mass at the cathedral.

All memories of Eldoret are fond. Even beatings after losing my 5th pair of shoes in 4 weeks.

I met her at a Wedding in August last year. Very jovial. Nowadays she wears specs. We chat every now and then. After like 5 months. Oh, and I owe her lunch.

How I Know Anita

Apparently  dunia ni ballgum i.e. is swahili for the world is small. I was in Kamato, Lambwe Valley, Homabay county this past weekend and at least had an excuse to miss a steamy Hisia Sunday.

So I'm seated at the back with Fullie to my right and Joy to my left. I knew both at different points in my short life,with milestones marked every March. Fullie is always tallkative but today he is quiet. At first I thought it is because he felt like a third wheel-when you are two guys and a girl, and you don't know the girl then it goes without saying... 

So he kept busy staring at his phone and texting every now and then. I can bet you 30 dollars it was Ivy.  I don't have 30 dollars so if you win this bet good luck getting your money.

So being the awkward-situations-phobic me, I tried including him in conversation, sometimes starving the girl. ("Who does that?!" I know what you are thinking, but stay with me).

At some point the conversation moves to Eldoret. I can't remember how. Joy can. Sharon can explain why. I feel so smart right now.

Enehu, I mention something about growing up in Eldoret and going to SOS Hermann Gmeiner Primary School. Forget the long name, focus on the people to my left and right lighting up and loudly exclaiming, "You were in...I was also there!" in different tongues a la the disciples at Pentecost. By the way, last week's Wednesday was Ash Wednesday.

I'm speechless for some few seconds and minutes after this, mostly because I was shut out of the conversation by the two. To be continued....