KAAKAA MEDIA: THE RED RIBBON I

Monday, April 6, 2020

THE RED RIBBON I

“Stop running I will shoot! I am not in the mood for cat and mouse game right now and don’t you dare test my patience…” She shouted at me, my heart started racing, thumping so hard, I could feel my small round brown eyes gorging out of its thick sockets. I wondered what wrong deed had I done to her to reach such a jail point. Click! The semi-automatic Ruger GP100 revolver gun cocked. I knew she meant business and not just any business but serious business. At a gun point, I stood motionless like a sheep in the stare of a python. I raised my hands, surrendering after gaining senses. “Betty, that gun is loaded, lower it down, please don’t shoot, I can explain...” I mumbled under my breathe “Ooh! So you now want to explain yourself huh!” Sobbing. “After three years you want to... Goood why did you give me such a horrible man!” Before she could utter anymore I tried to find my words. “No listen Betty, I am the perfect man for you.” I started walking towards her putting on a romantic touch to ease and distract her. "You know I could not do such a thing to you, i… i… i… it’s a s… s… siin" I tried to defend myself. “Wow! Now it’s a ‘SIN’ and who told you to move! You know I will just shoot your loins and end your game!” Boom! Gun shots...

PHOTO| google.com

At last I was home and couldn’t wait to spit out what was in my heart. “Mommy, I came all the way to tell you…” She interrupted, “Please don’t tell me you got that girl pregnant! I won’t accept that child.” She stood up and went to the kitchen. We didn’t talk for the rest of the day until dad came home from tendering the cows and goats. At his 54, his hair was turning grey at his sides. “My son, I thought you’d be calling today and arriving tomorrow not coming today without a phone call!” He joked. We hugged, both consumed in joy until… “Kwaghesha wacha binana!” (You think he came back safe!)… Mommy blurted out. I could see the disappointment in my father’s eyes, but it would have been meaningless travelling all the way and not convincing them to liking this particular girl.

“Actually, she is not pregnant. She is my cousin.” My mum’s face was filled with surprise but my dad seemed calm, he already knew about it since when I went to meet Jane’s parents, I found out that my aunt was my mother-in-law!, and they contacted him to inform him of the revelations. As it was due custom, when a man has relationship with his cousin or relative, the two families had to meet and discuss the matter. Rituals had to be done to appease the gods and ancestors to avoid falling into a curse. We had discuss the matter earlier with my ex-fiance, Jane and had come to a conclusion to talk it out. “So, do we have to conduct rituals?” Mommy asked. “We are just going to have a normal ceremony, fortunately we do have cows.” Dad answered as he thumped on the ugali-samaki.