THAT NIGHT IN MTWAPA - a semi-fictitious story

"Because freedom, I am told is nothing but the distance between the hunter and the prey" - adopted from on earth we are briefly gorgeous

He was particularly concerned why we lodged in Mtwapa. A place he believed or knew was Sodom and Gomorrah in the coast. My dad in his conviction didn't want to think of it in any other way.

I wasn't bothered. I was there with my classmates.

We lurked in the dark in search of food

Mombasa food didn't quite hit the spot except for the Swahili dishes

So we settled for street mahamris, bhajias, katlesis.

Greasy, cheap, available - just enough to keep us going

When the food couldn't hold

We set out in search for the bottle

A booze

Something for the night

Palm booze -tembo as they call it

Sijui kama wajua jinsi hawa vijana wa vyuo vikuu hupenda sherehe

When you are far from home, piga sherehe

So sherehe was the language of the tongue

A habit that unfolds only when distance allows

One that sticks closer than tick to a cow

And so it became a habit for the week, or maybe the weak

One would see a fellow sneaking to the hotel room. Whatever done there would remain sealed between the pair in question and God.

The others would linger around the pool table. To play or sit at the couches and caress the night away.

The cue sticks would hammer the ball down the holes (pockets, skimmers) and within no time they'd be out to look for 20 shilling coins.

"Oya Bett ukona mbao mahali?"

"Aii zii "

I hardly ever have cash and when I do, I'm too quick to spend it on ice pop.

Others spent the night on the rooftop admiring Mtwapa from above - the small restless sin city . A ravenous call was all it could take to bring them down to the surface. Or a roll of a blunt, something potent to easen their existence.

Others remained in their rooms

maybe their eyes couldn't bear witness to the torts

others I never saw

The other nights we'd troop about to karaoke. A night where vigil was kept and the boys would be our knights.

"Where is nanii? Take care of these drinks"

" ooh damnnn that girl sings pretty well."

The microskirts would swindle around

The miniskirt swayed

The hips whirled

and eventually we'd have 'Tyla' with us.

A goddess in her light skin with thighs worth a touch. Have you seen women in their glory??

A man in a corner peered and glanced, glanced and peered

His stare filled with admiration and death stare at the same time

Glad there was distance, he can be a hunter and you the prey.

He seems to have money. Those men that are old enough to be your grandfathers or fathers.

You wouldn't know whether they are judging or amused but you keep on to your business.

We'd watch the slim coastal girls on the pole curving the bodies in a way that we couldn't.

We'd go back to our accomodation site and lie on the pool table with a sigh.

We'd scream because there's free will.

The other mad person joins on the pool table and throws away the balls.

It's funny but clearly you've annoyed the other classmates playing pool.

It was funny

It was reckless

We were finally 'home'.

A sign that the night has been blissful.

I'd stare from a hidden corner at the lounge and i'd witness some other classmates walk in with girls from God knows where to the hotel rooms. It's the night. I bet they just played cards throughout 😂. LOL.

The whole nights spent in Mtwapa, there were no time for sleep.

Kulala labda mkirudi Nairobi.

I was the observer

Your favourite storyteller

Or maybe I've been all of these things!

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Hello my lovely readers.

Here is a very short story that i kept tucked somewhere

I hope you found it interesting

That push by a fan was all i needed to get back at it.

Happy new year, i guess!

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