A Sunny Saturday

A Sunny Saturday

Saturday. The weather was sunny and sweet.

With that tempting feeling of walking the length and breadth of Kenya. The couple felt it should not be wasted. They were paying a visit to a family friend nearby.

The family friend lived in a heavily iron gated building with their six-year-old son, Nzomo.

They were there in no time. Mokwele knocked on the door and the woman came to open the door and ushered both of them in after greetings had been exchanged in their local dialect.

“A beautiful Saturday,” Mokwele added.

Upstairs, a tiny voice was singing and there was the sound of a football hitting the floor:

Wakyumwa katambanga
Musumbi na muka na kana koo kanini
Mookie kwitu tukethanie namo-ka
Methia ndekw’o kana kanini kasya
“Ethiwa ndekw’o tukoonana ingi uni”

[One early Sunday morning
The King and his wife and little child
Visited to greet us
But they didn’t find me
The little child said
“If he is not in we call again tomorrow]

“Are you going to keep quiet up there!” Nzomo’s mother shouted.
“Children must be children.” Mokwele’s wife said smiling.
“If only you know what I go through with that boy.” the other woman complained.
“I was once there.”

Nzomo came down still singing and bouncing the ball on the floor.

“Mummy, I want to go and play football.”
“And you are taking your manners to the football field?” his mother scolded.
“Good afternoon, ma’am, good afternoon, sir. Can I go now?”
“It is Saturday, you should be home doing your school assignment.”

“No, mummy! Daddy?”
“Your assignment first.” His father said.
“Please, mummy!”
“Who are you going with?”
“Pili.”

Pili was his ten-year-old neighbour, friend, and schoolmate.

“Where is he?”
“Outside.”
“Make sure you are home early.”
“Thanks, mummy.” He was dashing out to meet Pili.

“Are you going to the football field in your slippers?”
“I cannot find my sport shoes.”
“Then go and look for them.”
“I remember now, they are outside.”

He lied and dashed outside. He had left his sports shoes in school the previous day and was too afraid to tell his mother.
“The football field is just there where I can put an eye on him.” The mother said.

Outside, he held the ball in his right hand and walked along with Pili while they talked.
“Do you know what I want to become when I am out of school?” Nzomo asked.
“I don’t know.” Pili replied.
“Yeah, I want to be a famous footballer and play for the Harambee Stars.”

“Why?”
“I want to travel the whole world, make money for my parents, and make people happy.”
“I want to be President like Barrack Obama.” Pili said.
“Why would you like to become a President?”
“Because I want to be President of Kenya.”

“My daddy said when people say they want to become President they say all the nice things, but when they become President they don’t do what they say.”
“I’m going to be a different President like Barrack Obama. Period!”
“I just want to play my football and enjoy the game!”