My Memory of Christmas!

It is Christmas time and I cannot hide my joy. I totally feel like I am one of the three men from the East. Only that I am yet to see my star and when I do find it I will sail home.... Only hit the road when you are missing home, and I truly and honestly do.

This time round, I will land in my large village in style. I will make sure and ensure that my presence is felt across the valleys of the undulating hills of Mau Forest. As it has been, as it will always be, on such an occasion like this, I have to be praised.

Even if I have to embarrass myself, I will be noticed!

I have bought myself a pair of unfinished jeans from the People’s Republic. I will never grow old no matter what. This Xmas, all my kinsmen must know that I live in Nairobi. I will not hesitate to tell them that I have seen the voters register. In fact, I will tell them that I have a copy and if they can sell some sheep, I can sell them copies. That feeling, when telling my people that I have traveled on the SGR will be beyond what words can explain.

My little sister and the little boy Wamuroha will surely receive a hundred bob each. Anyway, the village shopkeeper won’t sell them sweets with such huge money. They will have to ask me to accompany them to the kiosk. I will hold them each on either hand. These two are my best friends in the large village. I like Wamuroha because, for quite a long time, I have been the blackest in the village but the boy on arrival, defeated me, ten nil!

If need be, I will be in a vest like I did last time. How will the village girls fight for me, if I don’t disclose my biceps and triceps? They must know that I attend gym and Waithera, will surely regret why she didn’t fall in love with me.

You know I had approached her immediately after form four but she shattered my dream. Her claim was that she needed a man who could carry her around the house, in their house. The thing is, she had visited her aunt in Nairobi, on several times and she must have watched some television. She termed me as an atom, that she wanted a molecule. I had accepted and moved on.

A few miles down the road I had met Susan. She accepted me and I accepted her twice.

She is a marvelous girl,
She has seen me through thick times,
She will be Mrs. Mteule,
That, I guarantee her.

I will be willing to tell them tales of Nairobi and how life is good in the city. Since I am waiting for my loan from Equity by tomorrow midday, I will also hire a cab. It is my life I am making. Who knows, the wazee may decide to nominate me for the position of MCA.

As I go, I am carrying the memory of the Christmas of 1996. That day is still fresh in my mind. My mama had instructed us to catch the big white cock that was molesting another small one. We were to have it for lunch to commemorate the joy of Christmas day. We chased it for more than ten kilometres before apprehending it.

My youngest brother watched as we ran after the big cock. It was so fast. My mom, seeing that after more than thirty minutes and there was no indication of getting the cock at a hostage situation, suggested that we should have left it alone and get some sukuma from the garden. There was no way we could have let that happen. We had the will and we had shown efforts.

“No mama, we will get it, Sam go add more firewood in the kitchen, make the water boil faster”, I gave them hope.

“This is its day, I saw it in my dream last night,” my other brother added.

Hearing that, I was motivated to at least make his dream come true.
I decided to act a little intelligent and took a piece of broken timber. We had learnt of making work easier at school. The longer the level, the easier the work and so I choose the biggest.

Majestically, with all the might my biceps and triceps could have discharged, I hurled the log towards the cock. No sooner had the log hit the cock than I was there holding it firmly with my right hand.
Somehow, miraculously, the cock got off my hands and ran helter-skelter with a broken leg. I could not imagine it being true when the cock entered the pit latrine.

“Please don’t go in there”, I pleaded with it as it stood near the hole.

“I love you and I promise not to slaughter you, come back, we can talk, we can solve this, we are friends,” my brother provided a word.

“You are the best cock ever, you will live till I complete class eight, I will personally protect you, your safety is my responsibility,” I negotiated with the cock.

“Maji imechemka”, my little brother shouted from the kitchen at the top of his lungs.

We stood there like statues, like monuments.

Silence.

In the blink of an eye, the damn cock jumped into the hole.

Silence.

A minute later, Jothefu passed at our gate chewing a whole bone of a chicken leg.

“Mteule kweni nyinyi hamchinji?” he asked as he removed a chapati from the pocket of his green Kinyasa.

I did not answer him.

"Sisi maisha yametukubali," he added.

I decided he had gone far too long.

Well, I did and acted as I deemed it morally right. I had to beat Jothefu for insulting me by asking me irrelevant questions. How could he?.....

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I love you all, more than you can even imagine!

©Mteule™