Joe looked calm as he boarded the bus from Nairobi CBD on his way to the countryside to meet his 'fiancee' whom he had not seen a whole twelve months, she had received the message of the arrival of a baby, a baby he had been anxiously waiting because of reasons. Reasons as hidden as the outcome. He was suspicious of several things. His relationship with Maina was no longer what he thought. Baring in mind that he was working in the same school with this so called 'fiancee' there were so many unanswered questions in his mind.
In fact part of him was almost convinced that they had shared the same plate with Maina and that the kid might even be his.
He could not hold his anger. He could feel the wrath rising in him like mercury in a thermometer. The anger blinded him, reddened his eyes such that even the person seated next to him in the matatu made to move further to avoid causing trouble.
He made to look outside the window to try and forget everything but he ,couldn't. He took a deep breath and sat still. That when he realised he had gone too far that he didn't even hear the loud banging music in matatu.
He chose to at least listen to the music to overcome the stream of thoughts in his mind.
*** *** *** *** ***
The song playing was of a Tanzanian artist called Diamond Platinumz by the tittle Sikomi.
Yea, why doesn't everything cease, the thinking, the heartbreak, the fake friendship, why....
Why must he have a woman in his life,
Why must he have a good house, a job, a car for him to secure a status in the society.
Why should he follow the footsteps of his father to be a teacher?
Why must he work so had to achieve a good grade academically yet there was success without academic excellence.
*** *** *** *** ***
He was distracted by the chill outside, it was too cold so closed the window and realised they were already at Limuru, the vehicle was really speeding. He thought of how fast he was arriving home.
He wanted to first meet Mariam, see the baby before proceeding to plan B.
His plan B was to go meet Maina, confront him because of his cunning nature, why he would choose to back bite him.
All this would be prompted by his first encounter with Mariam and the baby. If the baby showed any signs of resemblance with Maina, he was pretty sure that someone would end up with a broken nose. Maina would have to explain in diagrams how he would have chosen to be sleeping with his girlfriend.
No, not his girlfriend...lets say his f*ck mate.
Since that instance he had of Mariam seducing and laying his friends, his heart had frozen and locked the doors of love he had intended to open for her.
The law of love has it that, if you don't respect my feelings you cant treasure a heart.
He was no longer attracted to her...no, he longer loved her but he could not avoid her beauty.
She had a stunning beauty was blinding. Since she was a kid Joe had always seen that beauty more than breath taking. He had spend quite a time in his life thinking he had and would never encounter such a gorgeous woman.
*** *** *** *** ***
Joe felt for his pocket notebook and pen.
When he thinks about Mariam, the only think that comes upon him is to write, write about about her beauty, write about her iniquities, write about his liking and what he wished she were.
He wished her beauty would depict her inner self. A self that he has always wished to study yet so hidden. A self that carries a load of secrets, all her goodness is only displayed in her smile that makes folks hold their breath.
When he found the pen he scribbled down a short poem.
It was more of a confession than a poem.
PUZZLED MASK
You unleash a smoky atmosphere
You make grinding stones shatter
The grip of your smile is tighter than...
The confusion you cause is infused
Infused with beauty and cutesy
crammed together to confuse even the passing wind
Confused birds sing of you not their creator
confused rivers whistle your name not the season
lonely flowers find shelter in your arms
My boiling anger sublimes in your presence
what a charm you posses in your stare.
#Joe_for_Mariam
*** *** *** ***
He was awakened from poetry land by insistent noisy hooting by the driver and the reminder by the tout.
"mwisho wa gari....mwisho wa gari weuwee..."
The last stage....the last stage alight, he meant.
Joe picked his back pack and alighted the vehicle. The beginning of his task and mission had now launched officially.