BROKEN

He is not the kind of guy who fills a room with life. His personality, from my point of view, is the wilting type. You can't place it, never the lively guy, begging for attention. Just likes his space. But then, there's a vibe to his silence, insanity which sucks you in. In any case, let's say you walk into a restaurant and you see him enjoying his meal, something might compel you to intrude his space for some small talk. But again, you'll let him be. To be honest, there's nothing attractive about him. He is not handsome, certainly not good looking. It's fair to say that he was born looking like an old man.

He's not old though, the guy says he his 22. And claims to have seen it all, the problem now, is that he wants to see more, and more. Satisfaction is not his mark. What offset all this, was when he saw the light in class seven. He says.

"A boy changes when he realises his "mjuols" can be used for more than urinating."

Its when the rain started beating him( what a phrase! Clap for me). Attention! All men reading, isn't that the time also when life becomes hell. We're transformed into savages, we start scouring around for ass. Hunting down people's daughter's. We become devious, tricksters who'll do anything to get into a woman's pants.

He was a good boy till class 8. One evening in the common bathrooms, he saw a boy masturbating. That's when the sun hit his eyes, he was changed. This time, forever.

All men do "entertain" themselves once in a while. Let's say you get home, stressed but horny as hell. The missus, not in the mood for you, turns down your amorous advances. Well, as you take a shower, chances are extremely high that you will "entertain" yourself. Guy, used to masturbate as any normal man, but now at rates so exorbitant that it could not be normal. He used to do his shit at the weirdest of times. He would leave class to go "entertain" himself.

Being in a purely boy school did not help alleviate the situation. He would lust at female teachers, drool at the canteen attendant. Anyone with a skirt was like a piece of wood to fuel his fiery imagination.

He says at the time he was battling with one little problem.

He was a virgin.

He was pure. Not for long though, his day of reckoning was looming. Circling like a hungry eagle. For the time being, watching pornography was his source of gratification.

He finished KCPE. A life changing moment, he lost his virginity. And when that happened, everything changed. He changed. We all change. Technically he was abused, I tell him, but guy won't accept it.

How do you explain this? He had his eyes on the neighbour's help. Unbeknownst to him, the help also had her eyes on him.
It happened like a flash he says.

"She came into our house asking for my mother. Mom was at work. Somehow, we found ourselves in my room. Clothes were ripped off, her body simmering against mine. It was over before it even began.

This was the harbinger to a broken life. A life of racing, wanton debauchery.

We're seated at the rooftop of equity building in Kisii cbd. A monumental silence dances around us. I have no idea which question to ask next because I'm not the kind of writer who prepares for interviews. I just go, then we talk. We sock in the withering afternoon sun. Life goes on below us. Cars hooting, people minding their business. There's a slight jam towards the migori highway. A proud testament that kisii is surely growing.

"How many girlfriends have you had?"

A simple question which leads to a narration.

"There was Christine. It never worked. She was a neighbour, always  available for a shag but I realized it was better to "eat" away from home. But we never broke up, some negro with money swooped  her away before I could  rip her heart.

Then came in Cate. God knows I loved that girl. I took away her virginity while she was still in high school. We pushed for a while but alikuwa na utoto mwingi. I dumped her after a while. She cried that day, threatened to shoot me, shoot my mother and my grandma to hell. We just had to go our ways.

Ruth walked into my life without knocking. And boy! She was fun. Going back in time, I guess the only reason why we worked is because she was broken like me. But you know, as the sun rises in the east, romance also ends. Distance played it's part. Never available for "some fun". We were listening to the same song but dancing to different tunes. Ruth was mature enough though, she understood the predicament facing us. Homegirl also needed someone to shaft her."

All this time I never interrupt. I just listen, watch, as he cuts himself open and feeds his dark side to me. He has a peaceful face, despite the rowdy architecture of his skull. Has huge eyes, I wonder how they fit into their sockets. Pimples are arched around his face imbibing beer. From the corner of my eye, I notice him studying me.
Not for long though, he launches on with his tale.

"This other girl, I don't know what brought her into my life. She was too young man. Like, she was in form one while  I was in campus. But then, I wanted a good time. Could I say no?  Not me. So our sojourn began. I robbed her innocence. It would have had a happy ending, only that she never showed up for my birthday. Like, how dare she miss my birthday. She was home for mid term so there was no room for excuses. I dumped her immediately." 

This is the part where I laughed myself sick. Seriously, it's just a freaking birthday. Life will goes on, whether your birthday is missed or not. But homeboy wasn't having such shit. Dear reader? If your man or lady skips your birthday, do you dump him?

After parting ways with the high school kiddo, he changed, for the worse. I'll keep his identity under wraps, obviously, but I'll give you one little secret. He is  studying at one of the universities in Eldoret. Eld, is one town with a wonderful nightlife and it's crowning jewel is paradise street. Do you know paradise?? I have never been there. But from word going round, paradise street  is Eld's red light district. Where sisters of the night congregate to parade their wares to  the ever present customers. In that place, sex is peddled from morning to evening. People bargaining for a better rate.

"Shoti moja ni ngapi?"

"Mzee hiyo ni 500."

"Ati nini, si hiyo nimwage tu nje."

"Bado bei ni hivyo, petroli imepanda." 

"Kwani unatumia petroli wewe??"

This is part where the hooker smiles and gives in.

"Sawa mzee, leta mia saba, shoti mbili."

Guys, not like I've been there and listened to such a conversations. He'll no! I was just told how businesses proceed there. Our guy used to frequent the place. Paradise sucked him in, turned him to it's child and he sang it's songs. He blew all his helb money at night nurses. They're are times he could be there for a whole week, just sexing. His dick would hurt as hell. Walking would be such a hard task. But then he would go back for more and more.

This went on until his current squeeze showed up. She goes by the name Alice.

One little mistake.

Alice was supposed to be a friend. A friend!! But then shit happened, one thing led to another. And blup!! She marked her territory. The new lioness in town.

"I had no problem shagging her. Like, I live for that. The problem now is that Alice is telling stuff about love, how she can make a good wife. And all that  bullshit that women say when they like you and they don't know the kind of negro you are."

"Do you believe in love?"

His eyes dart around for a while before guy finds his voice.

"First of all, I think true love is a very dangerous operation. At the time, love has never crossed my mind. That's just crap broadcasted on movies and soap operas. Love might show up maybe when we're in 30s there, thinking of marriage. At the moment, us teenagers are just enjoying ourselves. To be honest, I don't understand people who talk about love. Do you believe in love?"

"I do. Love makes life bearable and fulfilling."

He stares at me ludicrously and breaks into a long drawn laugh.

"You're going to get hurt pretty soon."

Before I wrote this story. I told some people, and they think that he needs counselling. But then I'm never the judgemental  type. I never told him shit about going for counselling. We're all broken in our on ways.

We moved from the equity rooftop to the nearby market plaza. In the elevator, our eyes locked. But dammit!  How can I put it?? There was a graveness to his look. Death.
I looked away.

In market plaza, we troupe into GAMESTOP, the hottest gaming joint in kisii for some rounds of FIFA. Which I of course win.

Few little things about GAMESTOP.

It's run by wonderful guys. Siradam and Alvin( bytha you people  should be paying for all this mentions). Anyway, it's an epic place, should you be in Kisii and FIFA streaks your  mind, do visit GameStop. Those homeboys will blow your mind off with their service (Alvo natuma invoice sasa). From the very, very top drawer.

Our hero is called by his mum and we have to part ways, a hasty fist bump and he is off. I put the PlayStation pad away and think of the parent child relationship.  Maybe his mum has no idea of his troubled life. What he has gone through, what he is going  through. Most of the time she calls and he lies.

"How you doing??"

"I am okay mum."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the hostels." (Lying shithead. Negro, is in a brothel. A hooker is grinning widely. Made another campus chum broke.
Ma, I need more money."

"I just sent you some last week."

"I need to register for..."

All obese lies. But because mothers are good, she mpesa's him something small.

Life continues.

More hearts are broken.

Ps.
Names of people featured have been changed to protect their identity.

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