Growing up, I used to react to a number of foods containing proteins, so I tried as much as possible to limit my protein intake. That's the period in life I dropped beans from my menu. I was in boarding school and githeri was the main meal back in the day. We ate it almost daily!
Our higschool had allocated 14 students per table in the dinning hall. Each table had serving pots with food enough for 14 people. We served ourselves from the pots. Since I didn't take githeri and my close friend loved the meal, she requested that I be serving and giving it to her so that she could eat it late in the night. That's what I did every time githeri was in the menu.
Apparently, there was this one student at our table that didn't like that idea. Let's call her Ofunyu; Ofunyu the Caterpillar. Ofunyu wanted me to leave my share so that they could share it among themselves. She never asked me to stop but she complained to other table members. I honestly had no idea.
One time during dawn preps, we were in class as usual. It was around 5am. I am not a morning person, so I was deep asleep on my desk. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain on my head. At first, I thought I was dreaming but then I felt another blow on my head. Confused, I lifted my head trying to figure out where I was. I thought we were under attack! The moment my head was up, I saw Ofunyu standing next to me and other students were shouting at her to stop. She gave me another blow and my head gave my desk a high five. Before I knew it, she had held me by my shirt and lifted me up. I was about to ask her what the issue was but the moment I opened my mouth to speak, she gave me several slaps on both cheeks, hit me against the wall and started boxing me! I was a tiny human and she was a bit big. We were in form one, it was actually about three weeks since we had reported. We barely knew each other. We didn't even have a prefect yet.
All of a sudden there was commotion and people were shouting. She dragged me across the floor and started kicking me hard while asking me why I give out my portion of githeri to other people. At this point, I had surrendered and given my life to God. I knew I was dying. I did not return a single blow. I never defended myself at all. Not because I didn't want to but because she ambushed me in my sleep and 'finished' me as I was still loading. By the time she was walking out of the class, my blouse was in pieces and there was blood all over it from my mouth. That lady was strong.....she tore my sweater. She beat me mpaka my sweater left my body. I swear I didn't remove it, it just left my body.
Slowly, other students started going back to their desks. I rose from the floor and went back to my chair. Have you ever shed tears yet you are not crying? Yes, that was me that morning. Tears were flowing from my eyes yet I wasn't crying. They were just coming out unceremoniously. I suddenly started having a sharp headache. I felt the Adam's apple in my throat. Some students were looking at me and pitying me while others giggled.
I put my sweater back on. It never had one hand, instead, it had a big hole where the hand was, but still, I put it back on. Then everything went back to normal. I felt so ashamed!!. At 6.30am, other students left to go for breakfast as they talked in hushed tones. I was too ashamed to walk with them. I waited when everyone had left, then sneaked into the dormitory and changed my blouse and sweater. My face was swollen, you would think I put it inside a beehive when the bees were awake, alive, alert and enthusiastic .
At 7am, we were all at the assembly ground as was the norm. My head was bowed down, I didn't want anyone to see me. After the assembly, just before we were dismissed, the principal said "Form ones, Can I see Beryl Itindi and Ofunyu the Caterpillar in my office immediately" I was shocked! I hadn’t reported her. If anything, I wasn't going to report her because I was afraid she would beat me up again.
We met at the principal's office a few minutes later. Inside, we found our headgirl and the principal. Ofunyu and I were standing before the principal, she sat on her chair looking at us from the space above her eye glasses. I was struggling to see her because my eyes were swollen, almost shutting. She looked at us and asked the headgirl "Are these the two wrestlers?" She responded by saying 'Yes'. The principal looked at us and said "No need to ask who was attacked. It's evident." She walked to Ofunyu and gave her several slaps then told her to go pack her stuff and pick her suspension letter. She was suspended for two weeks and told to come back with her parents. I didn’t speak a word. I stood there as the principal told her all that. Then she turned to me and said "Go to the dispensary and get yourself checked. Next time, try to defend yourself. I don't want cases of death in my school. What if she killed you?" Still ashamed, I walked out of the office and went to the dispensary.
Ofunyu came from Kisumu. Since that day, I gave Kisumu ladies total respect! Those ladies have the strength that can only be equated to the engine of those Bayusuf and Sons trailers. They always walked in groups while in school.....they segregated themselves from everyone else. You couldn't tell a lady from Kisumu anything! They were powerful with that Kimwa of theirs. Through my 4 years in high-school, I feared ladies from Kisumu. You don't joke with people who grew up in Kisumu backnin the day. They can rearrange the geography of your face. Their eyes alone can dislocate your shoulder even before they attack! To date, if you tell me you grew up in Kisumu, I will clear the way for you and bow down as you pass. I still love my life 24 years later
Note: If you are here and we were in school together, mention her at your own risk.
