In my prime.

          Kuna hizi silhouettes za a popular figure zimekuwa zikinimaliza ajab, plus story ya Baltazar Engonga ikatokea, that legend, singlehandedly putting his country on the map. The last time I heard anything concerning that country was many years ago, when I was in primary. Kidogo nisahau kuwawekea story mfurahie. 

Anyway, nilikuwa nimejipata nimepitia thread ya “in my prime” kwa social media, sikumbuki kama ni TikTok ama Twitter, a few days prior ndio nikakumbuka hii story, after kushangazwa na revelations za watu, particularly, what people's daughters did in their prime.

I had an ordeal in the hands of my own mother twenty-five years ago that I have failed to forget. Back in the day kuna wale wazee walikua wakizunguka vitongoji duni wakinunua "chupa na debe" n old stainless steel sufurias. The pioneers of Mari kwa Mari, or old skull Mari kwa Mari. 

(For context and for those who don't know, 

Mari kwa Mari are people who go around estates looking for old stuff that people no longer use, in exchange for new stuff. 

A barter exchange of sorts, or if you don't have old stuff you can exchange the new stuff for cash.)

So siku moja, after new year imepita na siku kadhaa nikapata idea. Kuna tusufuria twa mathey tulikuwa tumechapa and she had been using them na kuku , ducks and turkey zake, I mean zetu, kuzifeed na kuziekea maji ya kunywa.

The entrepreneur in the making in me ikaonelea, acha niuzie wadebe alaf ninunulie my mum tutatu hivi mpya as a new year present. Kupelekea mzee wa malimali, akachunguza, akazipondaponda na kunipea three bob. Sema kupigwa na butwaa, akaniuliza kama nataka anirudishie sufuria zangu sikumjibu nikajua my fate was sealed. Nikakubali three bob yangu shingo upande. 

I was expecting more lakini haidhuru, it is what it is. The next day ni kama nilikuwa na bahati ama vipi, mathey alisahau kupea kuku, ducks, na turkey maji so hakujua if sufuria ziko ama haziko. 

Mambo ilianza kuchemka venye alituma one of my siblings aende akazilishe, akasema haoni sufuria. Mathey akatoka nje akajionee mwenyewe. Vile alitoka, akashangaa kwani sufuria zimeenda wapi? Kiasi ndio huyo mtu wa chupa na debe nikamskia na huko nje. Nikajua hapa mimi kwisha. 

Mathey kwa pilka pilka za kutafuta akaamua kutoka nje akakutana na huyo msee. Msee akiwa very excited akamuuliza unaweza kuwa na sufuria zingine kama zenye kijana yako aliniuzia jana. Mathey after amestuka akamwingiza ndani akamuuliza kijana mgani wangu, tebu nionyeshe, gaidi akanipoint. 

Ushawahi sweat haga wewe? 

Mimi kwisha! 

Hio jioni ile kichapo nilichapwa sitawahi sahau.