Nairobi Heat by Mukoma Wa Ngugi

Author:Mukoma Wa Ngugi [Ngugi, Mukoma wa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9781935554646
Google: aSrC1pMI-OEC
Amazon: B004J4XG9U
Barnesnoble: B004J4XG9U
Goodreads: 11889238
Publisher: Melville House
Published: 2009-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

HOW MUCH IS A GUILTY CONSCIENCE WORTH?

I woke up very early the following morning, slid quietly out of bed and made my way to Muddy’s kitchen. Once there I tried to imitate O’s omelette, but it came out a jumbled mess – although with some toast and coffee we would still have a full breakfast of sorts. Finally, with everything as ready as it was ever going to be, I went to wake Muddy, but she was sleeping so peacefully that I decided to let our breakfast go cold. With nothing else to do, I unlocked her many security doors, made sure the dogs were chained up and then stepped outside for a walk.

I found the watchman milking one of Muddy’s cows and, much to his delight, tried to help him, though I only succeeded in getting cow shit on my shoes. Walking it off through the small orchard behind the house I realised that I had never had an avocado straight from the tree. They tasted amazing and I ate so many of them that I thought I would get sick. Then, having finished with my makeshift breakfast, I walked around some more, fed the chickens and played with the goats. I hadn’t felt so good in years.

After an hour or so, Muddy came rushing out of the house with my phone. Some nun wanted to speak to me, she said. It was about Janet. She had beaten up one of her classmates and the nun wanted me to speak to her. I had no idea what I would say to her but I wanted to help, and once I had explained the situation to Muddy she instantly agreed to come with me.

About an hour later, we arrived to find the girls at their mid-morning break. There was a lot of chatter and laughter; some girls skipping rope, others playing hand games in their bright uniforms. So Janet, who upon seeing us enter the nun’s office ran to me and held on to me sobbing, was quite a contrast to the life outside. She must have been angry that for her schoolmates life was continuing, while for her it had come to a standstill.

The nun left us in her office without saying a word, and it was only then that Janet finally let go of me and I was able to introduce Muddy to her. By then I was on the brink of tears, so I was relieved when Muddy started talking to Janet. And in the course of her talking to Janet I was able to understand Muddy a little better. Muddy had survived to wake up one day alone, where the day before she had had parents, brothers and sisters. They spoke about Rwanda, people they might both have known, Rwandan music and food, before Muddy got to it: ‘Sister, this is a cruel country on a cruel continent, there are no second chances. You decide here and now whether you want to live or you want to die.

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