T.M.E. – Dry Taps hit the Slopes

For a few months, the people of the slopes had been very angry with the water condition. The slopes daily, a daily production magazine printed by Njooro’s nephew had reported that there was expected a temporary water shortage, due to what was termed as “Some renovations on the supply pumps and pipes”.

Water shortage is some unheard of news, with two huge rivers running from the forest, and running on each border of the slopes village. A small seasonal river, karigirigi also cuts through the village, making it a haven of water supply.

The news about the water shortage were taken as a rude joke, since nobody ever imagine dry taps that close to the water source which fed the whole county, but then it happened.

Mukoigo’s wife was busy doing her household’s laundry when the tap started going crazy, spat out water in irregular frequencies, then slowly reduced to a trickle, finally went dry.

“Kago, who is playing with the water meter..?” She had called out to her son.

“Nobody ma…” Kago replied.

Mama Kangi threw down her half washed petticoat, wiped the foam off her hands and stormed to the water main knob at the gate. There she found Mukoigo smoking his third tobacco stab of the day, struggling to read through the crossword section of The Slopes Daily.

“Baba Kangi, are you the one who shut down the water…?” She asked, trying hard to hide her anger.

Her husband just looked back at her, “Mama Kangi do I look like have been playing with the water tap?”

“Baba Kaaaangi, .. eii… I was just asking…. But wait,” She paused, like she had suddenly remembered where she had secretly hidden a fortune, “there was word going around about spoilt pipes and a water shortage, would it be happening?”

“That is just propaganda Mama Kangi, the water will be back in no time.. Go on with your washing..” The middle aged man assured.   

“I really hope it does, I still have so many clothes to wash, and am too tired to walk down to Karigirigi to fetch water.” She said and swayed back to her laundry stack.

Contrary to Mukoigo’s belief, the water never showed up after the few minutes, panic spread throughout the village like wildfire. Men spent days in clusters discussing the water problem, coming up wih theories for solving it, while their wives broke their backs scrambling down the river valleys to fill the tanks at home.

Two weeks into the water shortage, word had spread that a Chinese firm had been hired by the government in the City to come and repair the damaged pipes.

“We need a permanent solution for this…” Mukoigo had pointed one late evening as they took their rounds at the local bar.

The three men sitting around the table all looked back at him, wishing to have a ready solution for the predicament.

“They said they are sending a mushaina to come and work on the broken pipe… or pipes, whatever!” Alex, Mukoigo’s in law pointed out.

“Propaganda…! They have been sending the coloured men since last week and they never arrive.” Mukoigo jumped in, “Mama kangi now walks like she has had a lorry walk over her back because of the many daily trips she makes to and from karigirigi to fetch water.”

“You should see Mama Kamau…….” Baba Kamau pointed out, then swallowed a mouthful of the clear scorching liquid, “You really should see her walk my friends.”

Njooro just looked at the other men, secretly he was glad there was still water to make the brew.

“…Our friend Njooro here should tell us how it feels to sramble down the valleys to fetch water!” Alex joked, and all the men broke into sarcastic laughter. Njooro’s wife ran off years back, after he had his mole-catching business, complaining that she couldn’t stand the dead rodents in the house. She had left and never came back, and Njooro was forced to make the trips to the river.

“Don’t go there Alex.. We all know you pay your wife to fetch water so people don’t know who is the man in the house..!” Njooro fought back.

The jab hit well, Alex sat still, flushed down the remaining liquid in his cup and decided there was need to change the topic.

“… Word has it that the water should be back any day from tomorrow, a Chinese man was seen around the water points working on the pipes yesterday.” Alex said, calling for another round for the four men.

They drank till minutes to midnight, discussing the big city, the upcoming general elections and their wives and children, till they were so drunk to make any sense.

Making aweful noises and singing different songs, the men staggered out of the bar, and each took their paths home, Mukoigo deciding to use the shortcut behind The Slopes Primary school, a path he knew perfectly he could walk with his eyes closed. It also provided cover in case the alcohol took over his legs and head and he decided to black out.

As he walked past Baba Kamau’s home, the alcohol started taking charge, he remembered all the tea he had taken in the morning and throughout the day, counted almost 10 cups of brew, but not even a single recollection of him passing water. His bladder complained.

“Ooooooh… I have to reach home…” He assured himself.

His bladder had no patience, and threatened to burst any moment. He had lost the battle, and he stood beside baba Kamau’s fence, inside of where stand’s Mama Kamau’s cloth washing area, and let his bladder go full throttle.

In between the splash, he heard a badly greased door inside the compound open, and looking closer through the darkness he saw Mama Kamau rush towards her son’s hat.

“Kamau…. Kamau….!” Mukoigo heard Mama Kamau call.

“Yes mum..” Kamau answered from his small thatched one roomed hut.

“I think the water is back, I can hear it running at the washing area…” The lady added, half shouting, with her voice full of excitement, “Take a few buckets and fill them up.”

“Damn it!.. the fools think the water is back…” Mukoigo cursed as he heard the young man collect some buckets and run through the darkness towards the washing area.  The man took off hurriedly and decided to finish up at his home.

“Mum.. There is no water! The tap is dry…”

“But Kamau.. I heard the tap running myself…. Are you sure…………..”

Mukoigo could hear the young man and the mother argue, quite heartbroken. He cursed the millionth time on realizing the last few liters of the ‘water’ were soaking his favorite corduroys trousers.

That night Mama Kangi didn’t believe how Mukoigo had allegedly ‘fallen’ in water, when he walked home with wet trousers and gave the fake explanation, though the funny scent gave her different perspective to the story.

Three days later the Chinese man did his magic and the water filled the taps of the slopes, but a deep secret sleeps in Mukoigo’s heart, and Mama Kangi still believes that night the water had flown for a moment, though her son strongly suggested that she heard it in her dreams..