Mwalimu-G
Elder Lister
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Engineer Nyasikera
When I moved into a 1-BR house, the rent was set to go up by 10% a year. 6 yrs later, It neither went up nor did I pay for water. My neighbour was a beautiful single mother of 2. The landlord and his son frequented her spring.
"I am Major Otieno". A well built tall guy greeted me asking for Njoki's house. I showed him the house and quickly retreated to alert my landlord's son, who was having afternoon PE lessons with Njoki.
Two heavy knocks and my calls alerted him. I told him KDF was at the door. We shared the rear balcony from which the Gateri emerged dressed in a dirty white vest~the one worn by herdsmen~and red-checkered boxers.
I allowed him inside my Kitchen. He clutched his trouser, belt, and shoes . He wore one sock, the other was missing, then a used condom fell-off. he quickly pocketed it as he called Njoki to locate the missing sock. She had gone to shower to explain the delay in opening the door.
As we peeped through the backdoor, we saw the sock being tossed towards the kiosks below. The door was opened and the Major went inside and locked the door. We waited a few minutes before Gateri exited.
5 minutes later, I went downstairs to discuss my rent waiver for the month with Gateri. He was quarelling with Mutuma, a Jabanese vendor he had refused shop extension. Mutuma said, "unajua nimeona kila kitu? Hata socks yako ndio hii, mimi nimeokota".
Gateri's father also showed up, intent on going up to Njoki's for the evening shift. He didn't a one-man salute awaited him. Neither did the son know his father visited the same shooting range.
I asked Gateri to write me a receipt for the month's rent I had just 'paid', to which he nodded. I quickly followed the old man and intercepted him when he was just about to knock. I pulled him aside and asked him to enter my house instead.
He agreed reluctantly. Before I could explain, Mutuma and Gateri entered shouting, "kazi ni kukula wamama lakini mnahangaisha tenants! Niwache nijenge shade na extension".
They exchanged suspicious looks and descended into Nyeri Kikuyu dialect and they on who discovered the well first.
That Sunday, Major Otieno emerged wearing all navy white. I thought he was a back to work. I noticed the salvation army insignia as he said, "jirani, wacha nifike kanisa". I went to balcony to see him walk briskly to church. Mutuma was at the veve base and he screamed excitedly, "aki huyu jamaa alitishwa na mtu ya kupiga madrums na kubeba bendera ya kanisa!"