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| L&L |
Damsels and sirs today I mention names. Yes, I know it's sort of a first. This is the story about a company I hate, a Mr. Henry, no let's just call him Henry and Everly. You will get to know this two fellows as we move on. Not to get to know them like you do me. To get to know them like you have got to know shit.
Lawn tennis is a beautiful game. Sirs and dames, do you play sports? No. Okay at least you have sex. But it's not the same. Sports is incredible, I love tennis. And I was going to make love to my tennis balls and racket. We got to the court. I was woth a buddy of mine, this guy is so cool and himself, if he were to watch a Swiss watch, it might forget it's identity and with everyday he wears it it will turn it's name from Swiss to his name. Cause he is so sure of himself he could melt metal, metal like the silver on watches. He is so cool, he could cause a Swiss watch identity crisis.
As I said, lawn tennis is a beautiful game.
"Bobby, at least you can release your stress today..."
"what do you mean?"
"tennis..."
And there it hit me. I had been a little stress lately. If you read me more you would understand why I felt like crap. And suddenly, I felt it was going to be a good game. Every time I saw the yellow little tennis come to my court. I would raise my racket an in a very open arm stance, and I would think about my stress and you know what I would do? I wouldn't hit the ball lightly cause it's tiny, I wouldn't hold myself back from letting out a scream. No, sirs and dames. I saw a soft innocent ball cross the net to my side, I would think about my stress, and run towards it like a bullet, like I was running towards my stress. And I would imagine all my stress was wrapped up around that little tennis ball, normally, you wouldn't jump up on the air and completely open your racket to slam a slow ball, but that ball felt my anger. It felt the full force of my frustration, I jumped at it, I beat it, until I was sweating, and to tell you the truth, that game was a complete success for me. Though I lost to Mr. Swiss watch over here. I felt my heart lighter.what I didn't know was that everlyn and Henry will mess it all up.
"Dude, we need to be out by four..."
I banged at the door in the shower room.
And a few minutes passed four I was not in white clothes and sport shoes like tennis is. All that was in my gym bag, which I left at the luggage collection desk outside Kenya power building.
"they are almost closing so hurry..."
And my pal, mr as cool as a Swiss watch guy and I basted until we were in the building.
It was then that I noticed I had carried the wrong electricity bill. I dialed a number.
"hey, please send me the account number to my electricity bill..."
"hey, you can't use your phone here."
The guard wearing brown like shit from Radar security told me.
I walked to the door, cause he asked me to. I was going to walk outside to continue with the conversation I had on phone, then walk back. But you see they were closing, so they didn't want to let anyone out and back in again. Regardless, this guards in brown were very disorganized and rude. Thorough actually. One asks me to go out, standing next to the other, the other asks me to continue with my phone, call get the account number, then finish up.
In all the confusion, I ended up walking out.
And when I was just outside the door. And I want to walk in.
"we are closed!"
That's what he told me. That stupid guard.
"am not letting you in, it's the law... Come back tomorrow."
And I saw his face. He held that padlock and shut the door woth it like he slept in those offices. He was determined to show he had authority and power. I felt bad. I wanted to cause a tantrum, it was their fault they were treating me badly. But mr. Swiss watch over here made me leave.
"it's easy man, don't waste your time with watchmen..."
We left. I left. After all the tennis, all the release, after my attempts to make my day perfect. I literally sweated my ass off on the court to have a good day. Only to have it ruined by some ill meaning guards.
I got home at days end. I dropped my gym bag on the floor. Threw the tennis racket on the floor. Got off my grey khaki pants, kicked off my black sandals, and that is when it hit me. Probably, thats the problem. Those guard didn't have taste. They didn't understand that suits and ties run the day but now, sandals and t-shirts run the day too.
Morning came.
I took a shower, it was very refreshing that's why I am mentioning it. It was so refreshing I felt as if my whole body was chewing mint. I played music louder. I walked in my towel to my wardrobe.
I wanted to pick the blue shirt, and then I decided against it. I looked at the grey one, the one in grey and a white collar and sleeve. It looked more wild. I sprayed something under my arms then wore that shirt. Do you dress without music, oh that is sad. You don't know what you are missing!
I picked up a blue tie with grey strips to match the pants. I wore blue cufflinks, a proper watch. I wore black suit pants. I looked at myself in the mirror and felt power. The tie, the grey shirt with white collars, the black pants, the proper leather shoes, polished nicely and looking neat. I shook my wrist to let my watch fall into place, I kicked the tin of shoe polish cause I felt powerful. I fixed the cufflinks better and felt powerful. As if that wasn't enough, I picked my pair of blue suspenders and wore them. They matched the tie, the cufflinks and what I felt that day...Powerful.
I stared at the iPad on my bed. I carried it, I threw it's sleeve next to the tennis racket that was still on the floor from last night. It was going to be naked. Besides, the grey back side matched with my grey shirt, and the black screen matched with my pants. I picked my phone, it matched with my shoes too black. I looked at the lighter on the table, the black one with golden detail, I thought I should go all the way. It looked like a cigar anyways.
I really wanted to pocket this things, except for the iPad which I cannot pocket and if you can pocket iPad by the way. Go play tennis, or go to the gym or take a diet. I wanted to put my phone, my wallet, my lighter into my pocket, but my pocket had a hole inside. I could match with a cigar from the outside, but I didn't mind, cause having to carry all those things in my hand would be useful.
"am not letting you in, it's the law... Come back tomorrow."
I was back. Back at Kenya Power. And I was looking sharp. Tie, suspenders, all the gadgets on my hand and a little attitude, everyone looked at me. Women gave me a friendly stare, even older ones, they gave me a smile. Some looked like they were having a bad day, and gave me the first glance then looked away. And it's like they didn't believe what they saw, so they looked at me the second time, some smiled but mostly you could see their faces warm up. Like I took their attention so much for a micro second they forgot their troubles.
I found a queue that went up to the gate of the building. I didn't join the queue I went straight to the guard who locked me out with the most rudeness and treated me with thorough indecency the day before.
There were men on the line, and I could see they were watching me. I had to put a show. Oh yes sirs and dames. I owed it to myself, and to the spectators.
"I was here yesterday, I don't know whether you remember me..."
This is how power speaks. You do not ask so many questions, cause that gives people the option not to reply and just like that it messes your confidence. I was going to ask the guard questions and before he had time to answer them I would move to the next. Here we go.
"I was here yesterday, I don't know whether you remember me... But I know you do. I came as you were just about to close... So I am back and I want two things from you..."
I took a breather. I started to arrange the things in my hand like busy people arrange files they have in their hand. Only that I was arranging my iPad, my blackberry and my black lighter with golden high lights.
I raised my head. That's what you do when you want to show authority. He looked down on the ground. That's how you know you have intimidated a guard. I placed my hand behind my back. That's body language swearing that you are strong and open, not afraid and brave. He had his hands fidget, his shoulders were pushed together in front and not pulled away from each other like mine were. He was afraid. I put him out of his misery, I broke the suspense, and went on...
"I want two things from you, first, show me where I will pay my bill... Secondly give me your name. And I want you to know that it is okay of you don't give me your name cause I will still find it."
He hesitated, cause let's face it. I had his attention and everyone else's. He had stopped trying to get people to stay in the queues, he was now completely looking at me. I bet you right he was wondering who I was? I could see him stare hard at my gadgets, and I knew he was, I wanted him to, but I pretended I was hiding them behind me, away from him, hiding them even. Cause when you do that it shows power, power that show offs lacks. I didn't want to seem that way.
"my name is Henry..."
"Thank you."
I made sure I gave him a couple of glances, but most of the time as he talked I would look away. Look at the walls, not the floor. Just to show him he wasn't worth my attention.
Can you imagine I didn't queue, he led me straight to the counter. There must have been more than two hundred people waiting for their turn. I made sure, I walked ahead of him and he followed me. I had to give the crowd around me a show.
I cleared my bill. And as I walked out, I took my time, cause confidence takes it's time even when it's unsure and is calling people's bluffs.
"There was a lady seated their yesterday, could you please give me her name?"
"my collgue is called everlyn..."
I just asked for the names of the two guards that annoyed me the day before. Cause the rest were okay. But all of them formed a small circle talking in whispers, I think they were taking about me.
As I walked out Henry followed me.
"excuse me, you known you asked me for my name, and I gave it to you, I wanted to ask for yours please..."
I looked at him. I stopped. I put my leg on the stair that lead to the fountain.
"one minute..."
And I wrote a text to my buddy, mr. Swiss watch.
'I wish you were here, my ass is being kissed at KPLC'
He was still standing there. When his shoulders were curved forward like worry is. I spoke.
"I am Mr. Mugo."
"from where..."
I started to walk away. Slowly.
"that you will know with time. Thank you."
And I walked out of the building, leaving him and the conversation, cause that what bosses do, they leave meetings and leave the conversation first. I didn't want to look back. Cause when you intend to cause fear you don't look back. It shows uncertainty.
Dames and sirs, two things, if you walk into Kenya power between Kenya Airways and Cfc Stanbic, you find that you are treated well by the guards. Thank you. The fear I caused them will last a year.
And if you want to know whether what Bobby write is true, ask for Henry and Evelyn. Ask them if they know about a Mr. Mugo.
"I am Mr. Mugo."
"from where..."
I started to walk away. Slowly.
"that you will know with time... Thank you."
It's been a pleasure.
