COMEDYOPENMIC ROUND #22: WHEN I GOT CAUGHT UP IN A STRIKE!

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This was initially supposed to be left as a comment made under @coruscate's post/huge giveaway that I'm sure y'all would enjoy. The comment got super long so I decided to make into a post, under @comedyopenmic's contest too. ;) I nominate @bmotives and @zahabu.

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This story happens in 2012 when I was still living in Nairobi. It was either towards the end of November or the beginning of December, when the matatu(bus) strikes were happening. Bus drivers were protesting a recently proposed transportation law.


So one day, along with a friend of mine(let's call him M), who like me also lived along Waiyaki Way, visited another friend(C), who lived in an area called Hatheru, to play xbox. As we always did when we had free time. We had met up earlier, then walked there and reached around 10AM.

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_{Nariobi, Bus stop - by Jush - CCO, pixabay.com}

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We were there for maybe 2 hours, when C remembered he had to go pick something up from his cousin, who lived on the outskirts of Nairobi (Don't remember name of said location.)


So he asked us to go with him, we refused but he could be so persistent and persuasive. Telling us that there would be good food, playstation with new games(we were tired of the xbox), transport when returning and possibly some whiskey, if we were lucky. We were sold!!


While waiting for C to get ready, we obviously opted to play a game or 2, that quickly turned into 4 and then into 6. Once he was ready, we decided that in order to save money, we would walk up to town then take a jav(matatu) to wherever we were headed.


Once in town we weren't really talking, each was lost in his own head, listening to his music. So we're walking, C is in front of me and M is behind me. I think I had been looking down or something coz all of a sudden, I see C running past me and yelling my name! I look in front of me and see a mob of people running full speed towards us!!


I don't even remember turning nor when I started running but the next thing I knew, I was bolting and had caught up with my friends, and we kept running till everything calmed down.


That's lowkey when I knew I was fast. I say that coz I hadn't exercised in a year + and my friends practically lived in the gym. C was a soccer player with dreams of the Epl, and M just loved the gym, religiously! Yeah, I know the adrenaline rush might have had it's part to play in that whole sprint but, come-oon!!


SO! After our spirits calmed down and we acted all tough and sht, we decided to go cool down a bit more by getting some ice cream. Best ever! After that we were like, you know what? Fck it! We've already come so far, let's try again. So we used another road to another bus stop.

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Getting closer, there was a barrage of people, and as soon as we saw them, they started running towards us. CRAP!! Not again!! So we start running again! Lucky us though, it was a false alarm and the whole thing only lasted a few seconds. But at that point, it was clear that buses wouldn't work and even if they did, may not be a good idea. So we shamefully opted for a cab and to split the cost.


We then started walking again, a lot! Looking for a cab as they were highly in demand due to the strike. We finally found one and C started to negotiate the fare. I don't remember what price the cab driver claimed but, it must have been pretty outrageous since it made C dare touch and mess up his own mohawk. A sacrilegious act, feared by many!


Ok, Breathe in breath out, breathe in breathe out. He finally calmed down, then we proceeded to ask the driver, how much to Westland. (practically in the center of where all 3 of us resided.) He said 2K! ...


All 3 of us nearly lost it!! Usually it cost 400 at most and this guy was charging 2 F*CKIN K! I don't know what the peg is right now, but at the time 2000 Kenyan Shillings was roughly 25$!


At that point, we were so tired we didn't even bother negotiating any further. We decided to just walk back home. Actually, first get some junk food, walk back to hatheru for a few games while munching and THEN, walk back home! SmH


Fortunatetly, this plan worked without a glitch. Well, maybe except for a few in my legs. ... And sooo Hatheru we reached! Munchies were munched, trash talks were held, egos crashed and our glorious exploits were once again reviewed. And maybe slightly exaggerated. Then out of nowhere, came 7PM! It was time to start heading home, and so we did!


By the time I got home, I was drained and sore Af! The soreness even lasted a few days. But in retrospect, that was and still is one of the moments that encourage me to get healthier. Before I didn't care that much since my metabolism allowed me to eat anything, any time and stay skinny, or skinnyish.


And as you can imagine, it was a story that was told and retold countless times, whether at school, over drinks, in the bedr It was told so many times that I am kind of disappointed at myself, for not having thought of posting about it earlier. lol

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Anywho, PEACE!!

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