Shine, shine, shine!!!

Sometimes I wonder why I named this blog as I did. On the day I was starting it, I had thoughts of a life well orchestrated, organized though with mishaps here and there, with some light at the end of the tunnel, then id never go wrong.I knew id stumble and probably fall, but id be determined to wake up since there is something attractive, something beautiful, ever so bright you want to keep walking towards it. I had my lil man in mind, I want him to have a bright life.

I therefore chose a candle, its my little light that il keep shinning, a candle is good. It can light up for others to see and their candles to start giving light too. It is until today that i actually realized, its more than a candle. Its is spiritual. It is biblical.

" In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." (Matt 5; 16)

I read this blog on the same  and realized, we are called to serve  in our own little ways. This little light of mine IL let it shine in all ways no matter how small. IL echo these words once more;

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
― Marianne Williamson,

Baibe Tonight.........

I went home late last night. I was visiting my grandpa in hospital. The old man has to undergo a medical procedure today so Id gone there to make sure his candle was well lit, blazing like it should. We had fun and laughed a lot. He is a chief bully this guy, so  I reminded him of the many jokes he used to tell me about extremely thin people and fat too. We had such a nice time I did not even realise it was late.  Way home was no hustle since there was no traffic. Music was easy and we all had a common goal; getting home soon or so we thought.

A random guy starts bargaining the fare and saying he was supposed to pay ten shillings lower than the rest of us. It was supposed to be a secret so the conductor tells him, no need to shout . That is when I realized ten shillings still had value in this economy. The guy next to him started shouting too. " This is not fair, pia mimi nalipa ivo." The sad thing is that he had already paid his, inclusive of the ten "extra" but he would hear none of the "you have already paid " bullshit.
  He raised his voice and demanded for balance. Guys behind him had mixed reactions, some were in support (like me for a story) and others were too agitated. "Nipe kumi yangu. Huwezi kuwa sonko na kumi yangu." The conductor said he should have bargained before we left town. This guy was huge and his body matched his voice, the conductor was skinny with dreadlocks. I imagined how a browl between them would unfold, maybe the huge guy would hang the skinny one by his hair. I was having fun.

By this time, three more guys were supporting the huge guy. The conductor spoke to the driver; " horia rwibo, nyabe ndikanie na giki kimundu kuharu." (Put off the music, I first deal with this broke thing). That was it!! The guy shouted, "ok sasa kumi yangu ndio umeamua utakuwa millionaire nayo?!." guys laughed. " Wacha nikwambie, hata na ukikuyu yako yote, jua probox sio shilingi kumi na hata kama ni kumi, hununui na yangu." This guy's voice had no bitterness in it at all, he seemed like he just wanted to cause chaos, hed laugh after talking then make a serious face.

We got to the Kasarani Police Station. The huge guy demanded to be taken to the police and reported for not paying ten shillings. Guys were now becoming irritated. I was smiling hard, afraid to laugh as this guy can embrass anyone.

"Maziwa moto." Someone shouted in panic from the back seat. I wondered why anyone would carry hot milk in the matatu, now he had burnt his neigbour. " Maziwa moto" came the voice again. hahahaha those sited next to him were mad at him and at all the people who looked behind smiling. I couldn't help but laugh by now. The conductor was so irritated with this squad of passengers who seemed to have walked straight from a ward in Mathari hospital.

 Luckily, the maziwa guy had caused enough distraction for us to go past the police station but it was not enough to make the huge guy let the conductor off the hook. He said his ten bob refund had now earned interest. " Buda boss, saii ni mia, zangu zina interest." No one was paying attention to him by time, but he was like a child, he just did not stop. " Zangu ukienda nazo, utajua nyayangu ni nani." I had heard such threats in high school. Everybody's grandmother was a witch when your skirt was lost. Finally,  we were at my stage. We alighted and left the huge guy demanding for his a hundred shillings. He must be a Shylock.  The maziwa moto guy alighted with us. He was wasted, I figured it must have been chang'aa. When you take this thing, you must take a glass of milk otherwise you will sleep right outside the chang'aa den.Don't ask how I know.

I obviously needed a quiet night, but that does not exist in my son's world. I got to the office this morning and  hoped for an easy relaxed morning. All was going according to my wishes. No, it was way better. The main lady came in and put music, sweet slow music. I checked the date, its not Christmas, but its main man's birthday and the day Grandpa will have the procedure done. My siz in law should also be bringing my nephew into the world today :) in the back ground, John Legend's "Tonight" was playing. I smiled and looked up, its was about to be the best day I ever had , huh I wanted to brag until an all too familiar voice too asked " Who used my scissors?" I knew I would need maziwa moto tonight!

I Know Where Yahaya Lives

Hi good people, you are the reason I keep writing. Every smile, text message, comment on my post keeps me motivated. I feel so good to have friends like you. Thank you, I owe you so much darlings.

Have you been well? You realize I have not written in a while,  I have not been idle though. Lately I have acquired myself a new part time job. That of an events organizer. My first event is on Sunday the 13^th, hahaha nothing big, it’s a get together with my beloved cousins. It does count. Its an event, yes? No? It will be everything to write home about and the beginning of great things to come. Hence the silence. I have also been reading much, ok lets just put it as ; I have gone back to reading after a two year break, we all know why. The reading culture is also trickling down to lil man. Ooh he loves his cartoon books and every picture in the cartoon book has a name; Yetch. I also don’t get it, but hey, is that Yetch?!

On Sunday the previous weekend I had quite a lazy day. I had taken 3 cans of redds on Saturday night. Yes 3 cans of the damn mild thing gives me a whole 24hrs of laziness. Hahaha if you know me well, then this is funny but Its okey. I am getting used to the term “low voltage.” I also don’t believe it, but  what is it I refused to tell you again? 3 cans of redds will set a secret free!!

 Back to Sunday and I was supposed to join my friends for a baby shower at 2pm. I wake up looked at the time, it was 2.15. I registered it was AM, I struggle to turn my head and look up, the light from the window is blinding. Ooh Shyeettt!! Its PM. What was more disappointing was to imagine that I was less than 20 hours away from a Monday. I chose to skip the baby shower, tactfully. I said someone else was hangied and needed my care. I am a part time hangover nurse too you know. I jumped ship successfully. At around 5.30pm I remembered we had less that two units of power. 
Those are very dangerous, you have to shower with caution, iron on low voltage (love this phrase) and it makes you feel like you can watch your t.v on half screen, while the other half saves power. I was not going to torture myself in that manner so I was off to the top up kiosk. Along the way, realized that I needed to use the services of an ATM. As usual, there was a  long queue. It got to my turn, and the screen displays the “ I am out of service, got to the nearest blah blah “ statement. I have to pick a mat to the near one, (don’t give me that look, I could walk if I wanted but I cant, and it was late. Ok damit!! There is only one ATM near me). 

I got there and there is another queue, three machines in total. Two were experiencing that time of the month so they were, like; “don’t touch me”. There were five people ahead of me and guy number three is the impatient type. You could tell from the way he stood, how frequently he changed his posture,and how he clicked after every minute. He was a tad bit annoying. But that was just the beginning. It was getting dark outside and the queue was growing long, my silent prayer was that the machine does not go all moody when it is my turn. My prayer was interrupted by an arrogantly loud Nigerian song emanating from an obviously China made device. “Halo, ndio natoa, relax”. It was the impatient man. He sounded like he needed to pay a bad dept, urgently before it became worse. 

After the call he punched his keyboard like a teenager; fast and furious. Another call came in, he answered it arrogantly and earned himself some selfish looks. An expectant lady walked into the ATM lobby and she seemed quite tired. It was now Mr. Restless’ turn, the expectant lady asked if she can kindly go ahead of him. I did not expect him to be a gentleman but I gave him the benefit of doubt which he definitely did not deserve. “Niko na haraka, nangojewa!!” (Am in a hurry, I am being waited for). The lady stepped back and the next person on line allowed her a slot. As she stood there frustrated, Karma arrived to her rescue.

Mr. Arrogant and Impatient slotted in his card, he was restless and punched in his pin with so much energy. He hit the “correct” key like he meant to accept for two people. As he waited, he rhythmically but annoyingly tapped his fingers on the ATM’s top surface. That machine was so male, it hated being nagged. “ I am out of service.” I almost burst out laughing when I saw this but I remembered I was still in the queue. He got a bit annoyed, picked the card and slotted it in again. Now clicking after punching every numeral of his pin. This one took a bit longer, he sighed, his hopes rose. His phone rung again. I think that ring tone was too loud it scared away the machine. It timed out the transaction and stuck out the card like a tongue sticks out after you've take bangbang chilie crisps. He got so frustrated and hit the ATM keys with his fist. 
The people in the queue were now starting to murmur. One drunk guy shouted, “ kama huna pesa toka hapo!” (take your broke ass home), that is exactly what he meant. It was his unspoken J. I was smiling in my heart and no I am no sadist. Who refuses to excuse an expectant lady? Ok this man just tried, I assure you it does not end well.

I remembered, I was in the same queue, after two people, it would be me, but Id be ready to excuse ten pregnant ladies. Well,  as long as they do not come in a group. I think that guy was the Kenyan Yahaya. He picked up his phone and said, he is on his way with the money and they should stop calling him after every two minutes. He tried one more time amidst the oblivion of the people waiting. This time everybody was throwing harsh words all over, but dint seem to care until the ATM told him to contact the card center. Then his face was pale, he picked his card and left. Poor Yahaya, I thought, what was he going to tell his debtors? I looked up to catch the expectant lady pocketing her cash, ooh the machine was working. The guy in front of me dispensed, and it was my turn. I prayed hard for Karma not to act now, you know I had laughed at Yahaya, but Karma knows Id excuse an expectant lady any time, even if it was her J. So I got my cash. 

On my way home, I sat just near the door. Next to me was a middle aged guy who was telling his seat mate about how he has fallen in love with a gold digger. I am not so good at eves dropping but this one I had to. He said the woman was a beauty. She was as adventurous as Eve Dsouza while shooting Magical Kenya’s episodes. She wanted to travel all over Kenya and make you fall in love in different places. The problem was that she was broke and willing to do nothing about it but milk the guy. So the friend warned by his this guy sited next to me, “Be ware of such ladies, especially the light skinned ones, (offended look) they will literary milk you. All you'll hear is Chrr!!, Chrrr!! Chrrr!! As the milk gets into a bucket and by the time its drops, ul be alone my friend.” The adviser sighed. I guess he had just shared his last nugget of wisdom. “Suntom mwisho, Sunton” I heard the conductor shout. Oooh crap!! I had passed my stage, I was so much into the “ Chrr!! Chrrr!! That I did not realise its my time to Chrrr!! out of the mat. 

Chrrr!!!