Sometimes I ask, what are thoughts? This is especially true when they are negative. Someone said something to an audience. The audience thinks, “Why are you so negative in life?” Get some positivity and you are like, “I was not telling you that to give your view. I was just speaking to free myself from these endless thoughts.” Again, what are thoughts for if the best they can do is fill us with fear and trouble our minds tirelessly? Is it for caution, not fear, as we may perceive it? What are thoughts and what are they for?

Ian Gideyi is a nice fellow. He is an air load Master  in the Kenya Airforce. He studied aviation and chose to donate his skills to protect the Nation. Is he not a fantastic and patriotic guy? Ian is that person you will always want to be next to. He is funny, bubbly, and talkative. He is wise and careful. He likely learned this in the forces or from experience. I don’t know…. Before I get to his appearance, he is quite disciplined and has an “I don’t care” attitude. That sounds like a paradox to someone who’s cautious. Ian is a lot more interesting and never boring. He wears a clean haircut with a little more hair at the centre of his circular head than on the edges. We used to call this style “pank.” Nowadays they call it a “fade.” He is short and dark. His girlfriend will surely define him as handsome. That is what a girlfriend does, blows their own horn. In the fast place she landed in that box because she thought he looks good. I am proud to walk around the streets holding his hands. Save all the qualities a woman may look for in a man, looks is always a point.

I haven’t known Ian for long. I knew of him before I met him. I often heard of him from my brother, Vin. What I would say is, I want to meet this guy. I finally met him. The last time I saw him was on a Thursday evening. I was at his place at White House Court, Umoja. He was from picking his well-maintained Toyota 110 from the mechanic and I was from work. I returned his weighing machine. We had borrowed it to weigh Vin’s luggage. We did so to ensure they did not pass the weight limit indicated on the air ticket. We wanted to avoid the embarrassment to bring back home the extras from the Airport. The weighing machine at a point helped and we packed well not to go against the stated requirements.

That evening, our conversations covered many things. They were about everything but women. I mean, men always talk about women when they are alone. This time, we talked about Vin’s recent trip to Poland. It led to a discussion on being careful and ready for anything. The conversation reminded me of a day when Ian was talking to Vin on how life can be funny. You leave for work and then you come back when you are no more. Vin’s response was, “why are you negative?” Ian told him he was not negative. He said he was speaking reality with courage. At this moment, when Ian was sharing, I reflected on things that have happened. I thought of my first day at M-Gas. We were crossing the road with a guy we had boarded a matatu with. I saw strife and hard work on his face as he made phone calls. He went first. I don’t want to say he was not careful. Or that he did not look at the road before crossing. Because I did not see where that Government Pick-Up truck came from. It knocked him down and he was lifeless. His family were waiting for him to get back home. Now, they were to go check if it was him in the cold slabs of the government mortuary. I saw a lot of accidents along Mombasa Road and Outering Road. The best I could do is feel sad and empathize with the family. All the victims were hopeful at some point. They were out for various reasons. They hoped to see their families in the evening. They were not negative. It happened. I don’t know if it is fate or if it’s the devil who lurks around sometimes. I don’t know. It happens and may their souls rest in peace.

These thoughts came to me because of what happened on Sunday, 25th, February 2024. My question is why that date of all dates. I don’t mean that some dates are bad and others are not. I mean this was the date Vin was supposed to leave for Poland for a better life (He did travel that night). It was not a coincidence, I think. I still fail to understand what it was. Vin was heading to Ian’s place. Ian lives a stone throw away from where Vin and I lived. Vin was heading there to say goodbye to some people he needed to bid farewell to. These people impacted and still impact his life. He used the same route that he uses to that place…..

Then, on that day, the watchman guarding the nearby garage decides to leave his dogs untied. The dogs, upon seeing an enemy, Vin , decided to prey on them. Vin ran. A lady who was walking next to him decided to be calm, as we are always told to be calm when dogs chase after us. Vin escaped the dog bite(s) but hurt his leg’s palm. The lady received many bites. The watchman or garage owner should be sued for letting harmful dogs roam. The dogs attacked them on a public road, not on private property. They were just walking, not invading. This incident made me think. If Vin was bitten, he would have not traveled and the chance would have gone. It was just God working miraculously and I thank Him daily. I pray for the woman to get healed and get justice. This all brings me to Ian’s caution. He says life can change in a jiffy. I realize it’s not always fear of the unknown. Sometimes it’s caution! So as Ian puts it, “Brace for Impact.”

@okelododdychitchats