Of Professors and free rides!

So there is this one time when I boarded a bus destined for Nairobi from Mumias. The bus normally departs from its Mumias town office at 8pm sharp but for some strange reason on this particular day, we were kept waiting. I found it odd that we were being delayed and yet the passenger manifest had clearly confirmed that all passengers were present and on board. “What could be the reason for our delay?” I mused.

Being the curious type, I couldn’t help but notice that our bus driver seemed to be a new one on this route…or a ‘new signing’ to the bus company, for there was another driver on board too. I guess the latter was mentoring the former coz the new driver kept asking, "si twende? Kama hakuji sisi twende...kwani tutangoja yeye mpaka saa ngapi na kila mtu yuko?" (shouldn’t we leave? If he isn’t coming we then should leave…for how long are we going to wait for him yet all the passengers are on board?) This prompted one of the bus’s staff to whip out his mobile phone and make a phone call. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation and it went something like this (not verbatim):

Staff: "Uko wapi? Gari imejaa...kila mtu yuko ni wewe tu unangojwa. (Where are you? The bus is already full…everyone is on board and it is only you that we are waiting for).

This was followed by a silence. It was obvious the guy on the other end was talking (the guy that was keeping us waiting) for our staff guy was quiet, pensive and was bent forward…like he was leaning. Maybe his phone was too heavy.

Our staff guy then straightened himself up and quipped, “Ati twende tu? Sawa". (Oh, so we should just proceed and go? Ok then). He then looked at the elderly driver (the mentor) and told him (like he was unsure), "anasema kama tunaona anatuchelewsha ati sisi twende tu" (he says that if we think he is delaying us then we should just proceed on going and leave him behind). The new impatient driver (the mentee) immediately revved the engine and proceeded to engage gear but the elderly driver and some of the office staff, as if on cue, motioned him to stop and urged him to be patient. "Wewe ngoja tu...huyu hawachwangi" they told him (just wait for him, this one is never left behind). Our mentee was evidently pissed off. He turned off the bus engine and reclined back his seat. He seemed exasperated. I was sitting directly behind him. An awkward silence followed.

And so we waited for what seemed like eternity.

Finally, a tall, scrawny figure sauntered in clutching some newspaper and some petite looking leather briefcase that had seen better days. His mere presence evoked an eerie feeling. He was greeted by the bus staff. The elderly driver too mumbled some greeting. Our mentee didn’t utter anything. He was preoccupied...probably cursing in his brief doze. The elderly driver got up from the conductor's seat and beckoned the new driver to now drive off. The strange man sat on the conductor's seat. His shoes caught my eyes. They were sharp pointed with the pointed ends raised high up as if in supplication. Our bus snaked its way through the dark night. For some strange reason, everyone was quiet. I kept staring at this tall frame of a man. I conjured all kinds of thoughts in my mind. I mean, who keeps people waiting like this only for them to saunter in without an apology? Where are his manners? Maybe he owned this bus company. But then again, does that give him the odocity a.k.a audacity to treat us in such an uncouth manner?

Anyways,

We arrived at the next booking office at kakamega, some 32kms away. Our bus heaved to a stop. The strange man stood up, mumbled a weak, "haiya..." (alright) and off he went. Just like that!

Some guy (one of the staff belonging to that particular office) came by wielding a clip board and some old pen that evidently missed its cap. He mumbled to the mentee, "mumechelewa leo" (y’all late!). Our mentee, without even looking at the clipboard guy, pointed at the tall frame that was now disappearing behind the bus's rear and mumbled, “tulikua tunangoja huyo mtu...yeye ndio ametuchelewesha" (we were waiting for that guy. He is the reason why we are late).

The clipboard guy leaned back and caught a glimpse of the tall guy and shouted, "ah!! Vipi Proff! Kumbe ni wewe?" (oh! what’s up Prof! I didn’t recognize that it was you!”)

The prof probably didn’t reply (or so I imagined). Maybe he threw his arms up in a dismissive manner but our clipboard guy…he turned back and told our mentee, "huyo hawachwangi...bure hata hamngefika", (we NEVER leave that guy behind…not unless y’all don’t want to safely arrive at your destination!”)

After a brief passenger check, our bus now left. The clipboard guy was aboard too. He then fed us tales of the tall guy.

The tall guy was Professor Maji Marefu. Apparently, the Prof resides at Kakamega town and he always uses the bus as his daily means of commute…for free of course!

I had heard of him throughout my entire childhood but had never met him in person though. I only knew for a fact that he was a connoisseur on matters "bluetooth" (witchcraft) and that he had offices spread far and wide. His scary resume thus earns him free rides.

If we hadn't carried him on that day, we probably would have tightly embraced the rear of a sugarcane hauling tractor somewhere around eluche just before Shianda and yours truly would have been past tense (given that I was sitting right behind our mentee).

Many hours later, as the bus crawled up the steep Kinungi ascend, I couldn’t help but ask myself why the Prof couldn’t just get himself a broom instead of keeping innocent passengers waiting.

I wonder where the Prof is currently.