Like a fox near chicken, I do not trust Fiolina’s new ‘buddy’, Alex

Following the attack of chronic subdural haematoma that I suffered a few weeks ago, and which some enemies of development falsely attributed to untidiness, I employed the services of Anindo, Nyayo’s wife, to be cleaning my house regularly, wash for me and at times cook for me. I pay her good money.

That is why a day before Fiolina’s visiting day, I called Anindo and asked her to prepare some food that I would carry for the laugh of my life. I asked for her opinion about a dish for Fiolina and she suggested chapati, mandazi or cake. I do not know where she expected me to find money to buy wheat flour, cooking oil and other requirements.

We stopped dreaming, came back to earth and agreed that she prepare what we could get. That is why she prepared boiled fresh maize, sweet potatoes and cassava.

We also agreed that she would come back that evening or on Saturday morning to prepare tea or porridge but she never appeared. I know I haven’t paid her all her money but that was no reason not to come.
So, that Saturday morning, I packed the foodstuff in a kiondo, passed by the market centre and bought some pieces of sugar cane and embarked on the journey to Mosoriot.

Before leaving, I also picked a few pieces of dry soil from my parents’ house to take to Fiolina. She recently had developed a strong appetite for soil and although it is something I opposed, I was well aware of the Bonga points I would earn if I gave her this.

MAFISI
After a long journey, which involved four matatus, I arrived at Mosoriot TTC at around noon. Students were all over cleaning the college. At the gate, I bought two sodas: Fanta Madiaba and Stoney Madiaba.

I tried looking for Fiolina but could not find her. So I decided to walk to a place where some students were seated under some trees. Luckily for me, I met the teacher whom I had given “something small” to watch over my wife against mafisi.

He spotted the laugh of my life under a tree, with another male student and took me there.

“Hallo, Dre,” Fiolina said when she saw me and rushed to hug me; being shy, I did not allow her to explore a lot during that brief hug.

“Meet Alex, my classmate,” she said, pointing at the young man she was with. I extended my hand to greet Alex, studying him from head to toe.

“And, Alex, this is my lovely hubby,” Fiolina said, turning to him. Alex seemed to be disappointed at this news and he quickly left. Fiolina took a lesso, spread it on the ground and we both sat on it.

“So, how have you been?” I asked her once we had settled. “I am fine but I have missed you so much,” she said.

“Did you bring me the medicine I asked for?”

MOCK EXAMS
I had forgotten about the Actals for her incessant headaches. We agreed that I would buy some before I left.

I gave her the bag to open so that we could start taking lunch. We started by chewing a piece of sugarcane each. She then got out the sodas, which I opened using my teeth, and we took together with the maize, potatoes and cassava that she had got out of the bag. I could see Alex eyeing us from the distance.

“Tell, me, this Alex, is he just your classmate?” I asked. “He has been looking at you ever since I arrived.”

“Alex is more than a classmate,” started Fiolina. “He is my academic and revision partner, and I am very happy to have him close to me.”

Fiolina drank only half the Fanta and once I was done with my Stoney, I cleared what she had left.

Once we were done, I asked her for the results of their mock exams or any other test she had done.

“We haven’t done much work but I can assure you on the day of the exams I will do very well,” she said. “I have learnt a lot from Alex...”

PLEASE GUESS
I could not understand why Fiolina could not see that the mention of that name was bugging me.

I sought and got permission to walk with her out of the school. We went to the shops at Mosoriot market where I bought her the Actals. She spread her lesso under a mango tree, where we sat, talking. I really regretted that I did not know the market well; we would have gone to a hotel... for obvious reasons.

“Dre, life is hard here. The subjects are very difficult and the lecturers very harsh,” she said. “But I thank God for Alex. He has been extremely good to me.”

I did not answer her.

“Close your eyes,” I told her, then reached into my pocket and placed something in her hand.

“What it this?” I asked her. “Tell me with your eyes closed and if you are right, I will bring you more next time I visit. She took several guesses but was wrong each time. I allowed her to open her eyes.

FOCUSING ON SOIL

“Wow,” she said at laying her eyes on the pieces of dry soil that I had placed in her hands. “How did you know I really wanted this?”

For the next few minutes, Fiolina did not speak to me – she concentrated on the pieces of soil I had brought – enjoying them more than she had even enjoyed the food.

We walked back to college – although I must say I was a little disappointed I had not used the time we were allowed out well.

We sat at the same place we had sat before and she beckoned Alex to come to where we were, after we had noted him walking nearby and pretending not to look at us.

Fiolina gave him some of the food that we had not eaten. She then left me to take the remaining food to her dormitory.

She came back 20 minutes later to bid me farewell. I wanted to give her Sh300 but the thought of Alex had left me uncomfortable, and so I gave her Sh200.

It was around 3 p.m. when I left.

Fiolina kept waving at me until I was out of sight. I was happy to have seen her as I boarded the matatu but the thought of Alex bothered me.

For some reason, I did not trust the young man. The only comforting thing was the SMS I received from Fiolina just before I got home:

“Herby thank you so match for coming to see me. I rarely miss you so match all ready. Safe jarney bark home. Xoxoxo.” I can’t wait for the next visiting day.