When the chief announced he was looking for Afforestation volunteers, Thanju knew it's time to experiment an old adage, 'if you go round a mugumo tree 7 times naked you change your gender'. He had even found a female name for himself; Scholastica.
Thanju was fully convinced that by going round a mugumo tree he will become a beautiful girl, and get married to a rich guy with or without kids. He felt during the oncoming tree planting trip at Tumutumu hills was the ideal time. When he heard the news in the village broadcast, he visited the chief. The first thing he asked was if the forest has a mugumo tree. He was told they were plenty. The chief thought maybe he wanted to make a prayer to fix his drunk and broke status and give poverty a heavy kick under its legs. He was wrong.
At Nyokabi's door, he managed bargaining borrowing her dress, bra and even a top. He also managed asking for her lipstick, all at a small fee.
When time came, all bundled up in Osama's old canter that people always alight uphill and at times forced to give it a push, we embarked on a trip to Tumutumu hills. We were to spend two days there paired in tents.
This day, Thanju looked delighted. He was was carrying his luggage in an old Kiondo, covering it's top with a fresh banana leaf.
At the forest, we were divided into groups by the forest officers. Some of us were to dig planting holes while others planted the tree seedlings provided. Thanju made holes hastily and disappeared deeper into the thick forest carrying his Kiondo. We thought he had gone to 'help' himself.
When it took him close to two hours without coming back, we began to panic. Not even a diarrhoea can take that long. We began an unsuccessful search of him. When his friend informed the chief our guy was missing, he told us to search him around mugumo trees. It was easier as the forest officers had all the trees mapped.
We found him naked and high like a kite going round a bamboo thicket thinking it was the famous mugumo tree.
Thanju was fully convinced that by going round a mugumo tree he will become a beautiful girl, and get married to a rich guy with or without kids. He felt during the oncoming tree planting trip at Tumutumu hills was the ideal time. When he heard the news in the village broadcast, he visited the chief. The first thing he asked was if the forest has a mugumo tree. He was told they were plenty. The chief thought maybe he wanted to make a prayer to fix his drunk and broke status and give poverty a heavy kick under its legs. He was wrong.
At Nyokabi's door, he managed bargaining borrowing her dress, bra and even a top. He also managed asking for her lipstick, all at a small fee.
When time came, all bundled up in Osama's old canter that people always alight uphill and at times forced to give it a push, we embarked on a trip to Tumutumu hills. We were to spend two days there paired in tents.
This day, Thanju looked delighted. He was was carrying his luggage in an old Kiondo, covering it's top with a fresh banana leaf.
At the forest, we were divided into groups by the forest officers. Some of us were to dig planting holes while others planted the tree seedlings provided. Thanju made holes hastily and disappeared deeper into the thick forest carrying his Kiondo. We thought he had gone to 'help' himself.
When it took him close to two hours without coming back, we began to panic. Not even a diarrhoea can take that long. We began an unsuccessful search of him. When his friend informed the chief our guy was missing, he told us to search him around mugumo trees. It was easier as the forest officers had all the trees mapped.
We found him naked and high like a kite going round a bamboo thicket thinking it was the famous mugumo tree.