By Abraham O'Obunga.
‘Dear, I have just picked a letter from the post office. It is from Moi University and I tell you what…, I am so happy. I can’t believe it. Imagine, we’ll be at the same university. I am very happy. I can’t…’
I read the text message full of joy. Two days before, I had updated my Facebook profile status. ‘Attended Moi University Main Campus’. This was after I received my letter of offer from the university.
Our chat had become often by then. If it was not by text message then it was on Whatsapp accompanied by exchange of snapshots. I was very much eager to join campus so that I could meet my ‘darling’ face to face.
In August I was finalizing on my preparations before I report to the university in early September. I had spent the month of July cycling from home to either the chief’s office, the dispensary, former secondary school, former primary school or the cyber café. I was collecting my documents, getting forms signed and applying for HELB.
Then bad news came by only one and a half weeks to reporting date. On that day, I called Maryanne. She told me that she was on a matatu and that we could talk when she gets home if I didn’t mind. Even so, she was clueless on the news about postponement of reporting date.
‘It’s okay dear,’ I immediately replied.
Half an hour later, she called and spoke in an angry voice.
‘Why do you sound angry? Anything amiss?’
She hang up.
The Minister of Education was giving a speech at Mitihani house. Sooner or later, the K.C.S.E results would be released. The speech seemed not to be ending. I turned off the radio. I became restless and decided to visit social media to pass time, Facebook being my favorite. I was only three weeks on Facebook and had the urge to have many friends.
While sending friend requests, my eyes got stuck on one Maryanne Mmoja. The young woman was strikingly good looking. I quickly zoomed into her profile picture. Her features were complemented by long curly hair extensions. In the picture, she had a pair of grey long trousers. In all honesty, Maryanne was a beauty. I admired her the very moment my eyes had landed on her picture. I downloaded her picture to my phone’s memory. I spent almost the rest of the day either zooming in and out her picture or on Facebook, checking if she had accepted my friend request.
The very curiosity about my results that had made me restless only reappeared the next day. A couple of days later, Maryanne accepted my friend request and I did not hesitate to send her a message. She later told me her name was Judy.
On October 27th, I left home at around mid-day for Eldoret town where I would spend the night at my aunt’s place and report the next day. Maryanne told me that she was in Nakuru and that the next day we would definitely meet.
“I still can’t believe it. I am very happy my dear,” she said in a text message.
I hardly slept that night. At the crack of dawn, I left town for Kesses as the conductor told me, that it was where the University was located.
I switched off my phone before I left my aunt’s house. My aunt had warned me of thieves in town. She told me that they snatch people's phones and wallets and no one dares go after them. As she was telling me this the previous night, she narrated to me her own experience with the town thieves.
"I had stayed here for couple of weeks only. I went to town as I had to do some shopping. Then while I was on my way to the matatu stage from the supermarket, my phone rang. I received the call and while I was talking, I felt severe pain on my right ear. The thief was at top speed going away. I ran after him but he stopped on reaching a corridor. I heard him in a faint tone telling me to go for the phone. I was later warned by the touts." she said.
On arriving at Moi University, I quickly joined the queue of students at the school of education. As soon as I was done with the admission process, I switched on my phone. I had two messages from Maryanne and a call notification. I called back. Unfortunately, she was offline. I checked her on WhatsApp, ‘she was last seen at 3:03am’. While I was lost in my thoughts, the phone rang. The caller's identity was hidden. I did not hesitate to receive.
"Hello!
"Darlin...a.m s...or.ry. My..d..ad is d...ea.d."
And she hang up.
"What's all this now? How? That's not plausible. Dead? Huh! "
I woke up at the ringing of my phone. Maryanne was calling.
"I will come after the burial, two weeks from now. Love you."
"Hellow! Hellow!..He..Hellow..!"
I felt cheated.
"Why can't she just let me talk?"
My wrist watch read five minutes past four o'clock in the morning.
I decided that from that day, I would not call, text, Facebook or WhatsApp her, unless she does so. Whenever she called and I detected sorrow in her voice, all I said was "just take a heart dear". And I would add, "I love you so much" at the end. So it went on this way for about ten days.
On one chilly Wednesday morning, she called and told me that I should expect her on Sunday.
"Nitataka niraukie hizo admission processes sa nkidoz huko itakuwa sawa. Ama? (I would want to finish with the admissions early. So, it will be better if I spend the night that side).
"Iko tu sawa. Nakutegea mbaya."(That’s very good. I am eagerly waiting for you).
On Sunday, I didn't even go to church. I woke up and washed the room sparkling clean. I then asked my roommate to excuse me for the night.
"Haina shida. Hata ntakuwa na kesha leo." (No problem. In fact I have an overnight fellowship tonight).
By noon, I left for town by bus to collect "my sweetheart". She told me she would be in Eldoret in an hours’ time. We kept chatting and she sent me 'selfies' showing her in a vehicle.
Joyfully, I alighted off the bus an hour later and called her. I called three times but she didn't pick. I sent her text messages. She didn't reply any of them. Two hours later, I was still in town waiting to hear from her. Disappointed, I left town very late in the evening when I got fed up with her say, “I am almost.”
Abraham O’Obunga is a student at Moi University.
