MWALIMU ANDREW: Ford, Kizito stranded in village after squandering their bus fare

You will all remember how my brother Pius travelled home in December for Christmas, but left even before Christmas Day. ILLUSTRATION| JOHN NYAGAH

What you need to know:

  • But back to my story, Ford arrived on Saturday December 24. He was loaded: a new Raleigh bicycle, a cupboard, mattresses, beds, sofa set,  name them, and it took some time for his luggage to be off loaded from Mbukinya, the bus that is now giving Msamaria Mwema a run for its money.
  • We spent the whole morning moving Ford’s things from Mwisho wa Lami Market to his house, and organising the house. We were done by around 10am and Ford asked if lunch was ready. It was not.

You will all remember how my brother Pius travelled home in December for Christmas, but left even before Christmas Day. He left after a special audit of his pockets revealed that he did not have enough funds to last him beyond Christmas. I am sure he had something in his pocket, but it was not enough to sustain the lifestyle he wanted to display.

At the time, I called Pius a coward for running away from his problems, but seeing what those who did not muster the confidence to run away are now going through in Mwisho wa Lami, I agree with whoever said that cowards live longer.

Let us start with Ford, my brother who is a warden at Shimo La Tewa Prison. No sooner had Pius left than Ford called me to say that he would be coming. Initially they had planned to both be at home over Christmas as we had planned to – all the three boys – confront mzee and force him to conclude the small matter of dividing the land he inherited from our grandfather among us. You see, mzee only showed us where to build, but never said he had given us the land.

Even as we did this, we knew that Ford stood to benefit more given his closeness with the old man, since he usually gives him used prisons boots every time he comes for leave.

But back to my story, Ford arrived on Saturday December 24. He was loaded: a new Raleigh bicycle, a cupboard, mattresses, beds, sofa set,  name them, and it took some time for his luggage to be off loaded from Mbukinya, the bus that is now giving Msamaria Mwema a run for its money.

We spent the whole morning moving Ford’s things from Mwisho wa Lami Market to his house, and organising the house. We were done by around 10am and Ford asked if lunch was ready. It was not.

“Twende Cosmas,” he said. Cosmos had just opened and we were the first customers. If you have not been to Cosmos Bar and Rest, then you do not know what you are missing. A bar that is older than me, it is usually active in December, but goes dormant for the rest of the year, only opening during end month and on select Fridays when important people are visiting Mwisho wa Lami.

“Choma mbuzi kilo moja na ugali,” ordered Ford, as if he was ordering prisoners. I would have been surprised if they had goat meat.  We took Summit as we waited for the food. Before he arrived, he had asked that I bargain for him a good mbuzi and I invited the seller for negotiations, A few minutes later he paid and the mbuzi was delivered at home.

The next say, Kizito, Rasto’s son arrived. You will remember Kizito as my cousin who married Nimo from Murang’a. He arrived with his wife  and two children. From the time they arrived, Kizito was inseparable from Ford. Ford’s wife, Rumona, arrived on December 26 and she too became inseparable from Nimo, Kizito’s wife. And life was good for the two families. The aroma of chapati wafted from their houses every day as they hosted guest after guest.

On January 1, there was a feast at Ford’s home. The goat was slaughtered and Ford invited his friends for lunch followed by drinks. He had bought two crates from Cosmas and as soon as these were depleted, we all went to Hitler’s, where drinks flowed until very late.

Trouble started two days later, on Tuesday evening. I was seated at home, planning on how to start off the new term the next day when Caleb, Ford’s son came to my house crying. I did not wait for him to say anything as I then heard wails from Ford’s home. I rushed there to find the door closed. But inside there was a parliamentary session going on. In other words, fists were being exchanged between Ford and Rumona.

“Hutaniwacha hapa ushago,” declared Rumona. “Tunarudi na wewe Mombasa!” she declared. There was a loud slap from the house although it was not clear who had slapped who, followed by a scuffle.

“Ford, Ford!” I called him, as I knocked on the door.

“Usijali Dre,” said Ford. “Nimedeal na hard core criminals huko Shimo la Tewa huyu hawezi nishinda.”

“Nipe simu yangu na ID naondoka na Msamaria ya leo jioni,” shouted Ford.

“Nimekwambia sibaki huku!” she answered.

They only opened the door after my dad came shouting. Ford has a soft spot for dad and always listens to him. The house was in total disarray. “Nini mbaya?” asked my old man.

It was clear, Ford was planning to leave for Mombasa but wanted to leave his family behind. “Nitawatumia fare nikifika,” he said in defense but the wife would hear none of it.

“Last time ulifanya hivyo tuliishi hapa two months. Caleb anaanza shule na mimi college inafungua 9th, sitabaki huku,” Rumona declared.

“Mimi niko kazini on 4th jioni,” said Ford, “lazima niondokee saa hii,” he said but his wife reminded him that he could easily ask for an extra off day. My father asked Caleb why he wanted to leave the family behind.

“Sina pesa,” he said. “Nimebaki na fare yangu pekee,”

“Kwani ulikuwa unakunywa kila siku na hauna pesa ya kurudi Mombasa?” asked my father.

“Mzee fare imepanda. Kwenda Nairobi ni Sh2,000, then Mombasa Sh2,000. Niko na Sh3,500 hata sijui nitafanya nini nikifika Nairobi,” he said, desperately begging his wife to give him his phone and documents to enable him to travel. Rumona refused completely, saying that she would not remain behind as the husband had not left money for upkeep.

They then both told my father and I to leave as they would sort the matters themselves.

“Don’t worry hivi ndio tunaishi huko Mombasa,” said Rumona, closing the door behind them. I went with Caleb who spent at our place.

We continued to hear scuffles late into the night as the parliamentary session in Ford’s house went into the Second and Third sitting. Clearly, Pius had not travelled.

Early the next morning, Kizito left with his family to Mwisho wa Lami Bus stage. He passed by my house to say goodbye, - although he actually wanted to borrow Sh50 from me. I did not have. As I went to school, I met them on their way back, and felt sorry for them as I believed that they had missed the bus.

“You should have told me earlier to book for you,” I said. “Most of the conductors were my students

“Magari iko,” he said “But fare iko juu sana,” he said. He had expected to pay Sh800 as they always pay to Nairobi but it was Sh1,800. “Wacha tujaribu kesho kama itakuwa imeshuka.”

Once his family was home, he went to see Ford. My brother was still in a foul mood as he had not taken the bus the previous day and could not make it to Shimo La Tewa in time. With nothing to do, they came to visit me at school. I gave Ford my phone which he used to call to ask for extra off days or pass, as they called it in prison. He stood at attention as he spoke to his boss and kept saluting.

From there, they went to their homes and for the first time did some work — slashing and trimming their fences. They were done by 1pm and went to Hitler’s after. They also spent most of Thursday at Hitler’s.

On Friday, Kizito again went to the busstop with his family but he returned. Bus fare was Sh1,500 which he did not have.

By yesterday evening, Kizito had even used the little money he had – at Hitler’s and I do not see him going back to Nairobi soon. As for Ford, he reported last evening that he had managed to get his documents and phone from where his wife had hidden them. He will be travelling this morning – alone. That means I will have to take care of his wife until he has some money! Indeed, cowards live long!

 

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