HOW AN ALARM CLOCK SAVED A BROKEN HEART

Tuesday 9th November, 2010

Raymond Yego tells of a story that never stood the test of time

I remember vividly the first time I set my feet in this place that was to be my home for now close to four years. As someone who is always moved by the drive to put pen to paper, I thought, “What a wonderful stay will it be! “ I said this to myself as a point of assurance to this coward in me that is always afraid of new surroundings.
I believe that one of the reasons one worked very hard to get to campus is not only to achieve their future life professionally but also grow in other dimension; the social life being a focal reference at this point. That reminds me of a story I have to tell.
I often tell people not to forget the verse that follows the line in the bible; enjoy your youth while still young…
One time, my colleague was telling me how lecherous he had tended to be sometimes ago. Having had a girlfriend who was rather older and taking quite a technical course than him, he had all the campus time on his side. His girlfriend lived in the very silent, calm ladies’ Ngeria residence, far away from the so called CBD (Soweto). His attempt to bite more than he could chew did not stop him regardless of the many times he had failed. He could, everyday, go to the very many meeting joints in campus to have fun and enjoy his youth as the bible said. I often tell people not to forget the verse that follows the line in the bible; enjoy your youth while still young…
For our comrade, one night was quite different. Almost all the time, he could get back to the girlfriends place at night and the following day when the girlfriend could shout at him and tell him to stop coming over late, he would defend himself by saying it was only 11pm when he arrived and that was not late by any chance. This was definitely not his night.
Earlier during the day, door-to-door vendors had arrived at his girlfriend’s room and sold her a talking alarm clock that would say exactly what time it was when ‘pressed’. As usual he arrived staggering banging the door before he remembered he had his own room keys that the girlfriend had got from a key cutter. With no precision, he poked the door with the key until he finally slid it into the right hole. The door swung open and immediately, like she was waiting for this moment, she pushed the button to the talking alarm which in turn went, “it is now 4:30am, 21 seconds.” How funny is this! I laughed as I continued to eagerly listen to what happened next.
“Get out!” she screamed. “Everyday I do tell you, or rather pound it into your thick skull that this is no toilet you come into whatever time you want to budge in for a call!”
He, instead, continued his mimicry of her with gestures putting in the American accent that the girlfriend had adopted after watching a few black American movies. She was faking it till she makes it. Hahaha!
All in all, that was the last time my friend ever had to see the door steps of this lady’s room. She had had enough, loved in vain with very little in return.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
You can fool some people at some time but not all the people all the time