Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The next day with George

The following morning I woke up to a brief confusion of unfamiliar surroundings. Brian had left and George was already up and he offered me a breakfast of sweetened tea and warm mandazis from the kiosk outside his compound. When I was done I said to George that since you are on holiday and I am not going to work today how about we spend the day together, he said yes, ‘I want us to finish where we left off’. Looking into his smiling eyes I knew last night was the beginning of something bigger than anything I had ever experienced before. We got into my car with his small adidas rucksack and drove out back towards Westlands and along the hills of Thigiri Ridge. As we arrived at the barrier gates to the estate I said to George, money is not what makes people happy because these are just houses that people call homes but the people here are not all happy. George nodded but I could tell he was not convinced.

Ten minutes later I steered the car into the garage built for trucks and we walked through to the kitchen where wonderful Imelda was chopping up a chicken and cleaning vegetables for my evening meal. Imelda and I looked at each other to say all was well before I made the introductions: ‘George this is Imelda my house-keeper,’ and Imelda proffered her right hand supported by the left one to George as a mark of respect. And she looks to me briefly as if to say don’t worry even this secret you are calling George is safe with me. Imelda knows more about my life than my mother and I love her as much. Whenever I have spent nights with a man she always serves a breakfast tray set for two, knocking on the door and quietly disappearing before I go to collect the tray. She once told me she knew from the pairs of shoes left downstairs in the porch.

Then I said to Imelda take the rest of the week off and go to see your son in Kawangware. And she told me ‘But boss it’s not Sunday,’ and I said just take the time off, here is 2000 shillings and it’s not a salary advance.

I asked George to make himself comfortable and Imelda went to fetch him a cold drink of apple juice as I whistled Binti Kiziwi in the shower and then changed my clothes. Surely there would be little chance of meeting anyone I knew on a Friday afternoon. And does it matter, I asked myself. Tamaku you must stop living your life according to what others think. So we got back in the car that Imelda had just wiped down, drove to the nearby Village Market and I felt so proud showing off George, all those women beautiful in their Bulgari shades and rich men in Jacaru hats thinking they are happy but they looked jaded and haggard from the secret weight of their journeys which now confined them to just sit in expensive cafés.

The good-looking young man sitting at the next table touching knees with an old mzungu man from the UN glanced at us forlornly because we looked like the couple he yearned to be a part of but he was picking at a sumptuous dish of tiger-prawns and sipping a ridiculously expensive wine at an attempt to douse the flames of a shame that he mistakenly thought everyone could see burning his heart.

We shared a pili-pili sprinkled pizza with George but I could tell that he was not comfortable basking in this glare of Nairobi decadence. So I said to him lets get some things I need from Nakumatt and then we can go. And he replied, yes we must be alone together away from these people. Then we left to go into the supermarket where I bought some things which I didn’t need before going back to the car.

I thought, how I can make this wonderful man accept me and my life just as I am, and I drove out of Village Market and headed towards Runda passing the barrier and proceeded to Mucatha to a bar-cum restaurant with a name that sounds like beats from an African drum. We had some beers there and shared a table with some lively girls from Safaricom on their night out and I could tell George was loving it now so we stayed because I was too . It was no surprise that we left at 8 pm to head back to the house.

When we got to my gate I told the cute security man from KK guards who I couldn’t remember his name not to let anyone through the gate, not my parents or my siblings not even my friend Mike. He looked at me and George with a thirst and I thought, you had your chance since you started here 3 months ago and when I made a move of friendship you rebuffed me, you blew your chances playing hard to get and don’t forget you still owe me that money you borrowed. Most of it was only my tipsy imagination from a long past of spending many evenings alone.

Then we went into the house and I said to George there’s more drink if you want it but he said no, let’s go to bed. So I took him upstairs and George settled to have a bath as I checked email from work in the study before I joined him in the bedroom. I undressed and had a shower and after I came out, George was lying in bed wearing the blue gown my sister had bought me from Deacons in November for my birthday as a dvd of Prison Break was showing on the TV. When I leaned to face him I noticed he was crying, I asked why.

‘I dreamed to meet someone just like you,’ he said as I held his head in my hands. And I couldn’t think of anything but to whisper, ‘I have met the person that I love; and it is you George.’ So I switched off the light because we now both needed to love.

31 comments:

  1. If only you knew with how much eager anticipation I was awaiting khumundu's juicy bits...

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  2. Hi Anengiyefa,

    LMAO! It's a thin line that I tread...I'm sure you understand. Lol!

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  3. OMG...what a lovely ending to the night after the night before...you are a very tasteful and authentic gentleman my new friend Tamaku...blessings to you and George and all the rest of us too...yes, it´s true, ¨we are¨ exactly who we were created to be...no doubt about it...¨being¨ is a very big experience when one sit in the front row of their own life.

    Just wow.

    Leonardo

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  4. is there such a thing as love at first sight. if so that what that was.

    X

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  5. Hi Leonardo,

    I love this feeling of being in love, I hope it never goes away. Thanks for your wishes.
    x

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  6. Hello Spyke,

    I waited so long for what many take for granted. I feel so lucky.

    x

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  7. I like this story...but I cant help and ask..how easy can things be?

    Two men bridging the Kenyan social divide and living so openly..yet we have all these challenges.

    Enjoy the bliss and wish you the best..

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  8. Hi GNM,

    Love conquers all (a cliche I know). But I think I am just tired of hiding and now just happy to be with my man.

    x

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  9. Am just thinkin "oh God, Oh God," It's like scenes from greys anatomy right now(but with men) LOL couldn't stop reading, so beautiful... Anyway what GNM sez is quite true, when am walkin with a boy who is not my friend am like Oh Shit!! but it's all in the mind

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  10. I wish you the best! A new relationship is always so much fun.

    And thank you for following my little 'useless' blog...

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  11. Absolutely amazing!
    I wish you love, laughter and happiness together. Godspeed!

    Max

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  12. No wonder he got tear eyed. wish you well.

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  13. He he he!That sounds romantic.It is a fairy tale.And my remarks would be,may you live happily ever after ...

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  14. Hi Haute Haiku,

    It's all good but the part I am dreading is when to introduce George to my friends. I'm keeping fingers crossed.

    Hi Billy,

    Thanks for your wishes. I am loving your blog, there's a tenderness there that I like.

    Hi Anon,

    Thanks, it's all anyone should be wishing for, love, laughter and happiness.

    Hi khumundu,

    I feel like the best man at a wedding giving a toast...lol...

    Hi M,

    It was also hot...hehee he. x

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  15. This is great, even better than pancakes i had suggested. Enjoy the bliss.

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  16. @Anon,

    I did think of you and the pancakes when I was having my tea na mandazi at George's place! Thx.

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  17. Wow man..That is one amazing experince.Rarely do men in kenya have guts like you, to even chat up a cop.You are a daring guy..If we have more men like you around, there would have been less secrecy among gay men in kenya who do everything in the dark.Make people get out of the internet, chat rooms or cyberspace as a whole and into the real world where real men are.

    So big thumbs up for you.Your gaydar seems to be upto to point.
    Go on with writing your experiences...its refreshing

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  18. Hi gay young kenyan,

    The danger was real and it remains very real. I'll post soon on how another attempt didn't end so well! We are still swimming in a sea of sharks among dolphins. Peace x

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  19. Dear Tamaku

    My experience living in Latin America, in a culture that is considered "heavily layered" is that it works best, and least for me and my Juan Carlos, if we take it slowly with the "integrating" into everyday life part...I knew Juan Carlos for six months before he moved in (and there were no servants in the house when he arrived late at night from work or left early for work)...we kept the house to ourselves on the weekend...it's now over two years later. JC has "his room" in the house (many think he is my bodyguard even though I don't promote this thought) and straight friends are crazy about him...use good judgment and nobody or their feelings will get hurt (mostly)...social resentments are real.

    Abrazos,
    Leonardo

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  20. Hi Leonardo,

    Yes, unfortunately the world is still a hostile place for many of us. The only way to survive is to weave a web of innocous lies and be careful who is around. Looks like you have this tied down pretty well! Peace

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  21. OMG Just discoverd this blog and I'm in love with it. I keep thinking, this can't be for real! What an amazingly beautiful story! Forget my usual Danielle Steel, I'm reading you from now on. Ebu I go catch up on your latest.......

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  22. Hi aaarrrggg,

    Wow, thanks for that! Happy to share with you the story our lives and love. x x

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  23. My dear Tamaku,

    I discovered your blog a few days ago and its all I can think about, I get home and go straight to this and am in the process of reading all the back issues, its official, am Addicted!!..... there is so much honesty and a tenderness that is almost tangible, angelic if you may! And your way with words, I love it.....am a straight Kenyan girl living in Dar es Salaam and in my short/long life I have not met many as people, gay/straight/white/black as real as you. Am glad to have stumbled into this...keep it coming, God bless

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  24. Hi Carole,

    Thanks so much for visiting and commenting on my blog, I am happy to share with you and others this chapter of my life. I am trying to be myself and to be open as much as I can; hopefully people will have the patience to understand the love between two people who just happen to be of the same sex.

    I visit Dar regularly on business and I love the warmth of the people. You are lucky. xx x

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  25. my eyes are tired and im using internet from work so i can read through that much....but this one...this one i read it all!!
    im so happy for you tamaku. this is what we all need. to love and to be loved. let no man/woman destroy that. "the greatest of these is love" thats in the bible.

    love, Lindsay.

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  26. Hey don't worry about your friends dear. Take it slow, let George get used to your life and then you can introduce him to your friends. Once they see how happy he makes you nothing really matters. Love is beautiful and I wish I could experience what you have, but having seen too much drama. This girl's a bit jaded. It's when I read stories like this that keep the flame alive ;-)

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  27. Hey.

    I just stumbled on your blog thanks to Mashada. Thank you for opening up. I wish you all the best!
    Stay brave! I know it's not easy...

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  28. hi tamaku
    my name is warugi and i salute you, you are a true phenomenon.this is what blogging is about. mad props keep on the good fight

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  29. I have been spending the whole of Sunday through your blog and really I am amazed this happen here in Kenya. This is prove if need be that homosexuality is not an un-african thing, it's in us regardless of skin color. I have been laughing at times and having tears at other just by reading your wonderful blog. I wish you and your men all the best and that the love between you will always be more than yesterday and less than tomorrow. Both of you are lucky protect and cherish it. Falco.

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  30. I have officially fallen in love with your blog. It just reminded me the first time I hit on a girl and how nervous I was....jeezzz.
    Also I love your house keeper and the part that "Even this secret you call George is safe with me...
    Hope all continuous to go well.

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  31. You've made me believe in love all over again!
    I'm loving your blog and how you have found a good man. You'll make everyone jealous because you surely must be glowing.
    Am catching up with what i have missed out on and making sure i'll stay current after today :-)
    xoxo

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Hey you, leave a comment but don't just be an asshole about it - try to be decent. That said you are welcome to heap abuse or ridicule if it makes you feel better. However in order to get published it must not be homophobic, racist or sexist. OK?