12th Oct, 2018
You know those ‘mom’s friends’ that basically raise you so they’re your aunties? I had many of them. Now that I’m older and understand that we’re not related, I feel slightly embarrassed by all the sweets, crisps, pocket money demands I made of them… and all the mischief and lies in between.
There’s a particular one I remember. She later went on to become wale wa kutumiwa CVs but I don’t blame her. I’d be tired of me too if the tantrum-throwing drama kid is anything to go by.
See, she went to the states and settled there with her kiddos, ‘my cousins’. I remember bragging to my schoolmates about my many cousins who were ‘in abroad’. I truly apologize for the lies. I had no idea. I equally forgive you for all your imaginary trips to and made-up kin ‘in abroad’.
She would send goodies to mum every so often. A cool baggy tee for my big bro, shoes for my kid bro, a secret diary complete with a lock and key for me because Shout magazine, MaryKate and Ashley and them led us to believe this was life. I won’t sit here and sound ungrateful. My coolness scores shot out of the roof when I took that thing to school the next term. I remember my big bro saving his Nike tee for Chaguo la Teeniez and my kid bro wanting to wear his shoes everywhere. In fact, siku zilikuja ilibidi tumtoe kama amelala. The joys of childhood, huh?
My ‘auntie’ made the mistake of once asking us to tell her what we wanted. I wanted a flip phone. Not just any flip phone… my classmates’ walikuwa wanachezea Alcatel and Bird pale but not me son. The Motorola Razrseries had just been released. And I had to have one; specifically the hot pink one.
She didn’t wanna be disappointed. Back then I thought our folks just didn’t want nice things for us. Parents were made to be ‘refusers’. “Stop this!”, “Stop that!”, “Don’t touch that!”, “Nikupate kwa wenyewe!”, “Nisiwai kuona na Boi!”. I wonder Boi wangapi wameachanishwa aki. And so I believed parents didn’t want to buy us phones either. Cost and money issues are not a thing when you’re a kid. Certainly not a factor. When I shouted my wish, my mom’s facial expression screamed “I should have answered this Skype call alone!!!”
My ‘auntie’ said she would go check the next day and give us an update by the end of the week. I suppose my mom later told her not to but I guess we will never know the truth. Walikosana na mum so hata siezi uliza so many years later. Mbona Waafrika tunakuwanga hivi lakini?
She took two weeks to get back to me but from an early age I’ve always known that good things come to those who wait. Like waiting for rock hard avocados ziive. Or the time tulikuwa tunarelax kwa base ya mutura with no money so the guy would give us the day’s leftovers… but that’s a story for another day. Anyways, so my ‘auntie’ says to me that they were out of stock in America but ‘they’ said they are now available in Kenya so she had sent the money to my mom via plane.
My mum and ‘auntie’ would later give me a Bruce Lee type do story of how the parcel was hijacked upon arrival so it went missing. Cops couldn’t find it and they’d even dispatched an inquiry into the matter. Yaani theatrics!
I let it go. It was the thought that counted. And mom went on and got me this.
Again, it was the thought that counted.
If you’re sending or receiving money from ‘in abroad’, KCB IMT (International Money Transfer) services are your friend. We’ve got a wide array of money transfer services for you to choose from, making sure you can send your money fast and efficiently. Moreover, if you’re the one expecting money from ‘in abroad’, you can pick the cash at a branch, have it sent to your phone or have it deposited directly to your KCB account. Usicheswo kama mimi mamen! In other news, nauza mapera by the kilo. Mnipitie pale Kencom 4th floor. Thanxini xana!
Over&Out,
The Witty Banker
