Certified Brother

Unpaid intern

How do you know you have made it ?
Is it when she introduces you as ‘my person’.
But not her boyfriend.
Not even we are seeing where things are going.
My so called ‘person’ introduced me as “we are not something serious,we can’t be anything”
As she chuckled heartily as she placed her hand on my shoulder the guts to describe me like a fundi who has never once inflated a quotation.

For three years I was her pillar without strength.I had escorted her home more times than the presidential escort.I knew how her mother liked the concoctions of dawa za kienyeji.I frequented her shosh’s prayer every other time and everyone said amen except the one person who mattered.

The shackles of the system had me by the neck.Every other month at around 2:00 am a message would light my phone in the dark “Uko awake?”The message read.I was awake,I had been awake since Kasongo’s term started.She would tell me about Joel who had always left her on read,I would comfort her with the patience of a man reading a menu he is not allowed to order from.Then she would go for milk like somebody’s Dad and reappear after 9 days.This is where you realize breadcrumbing is portion control.

I knew the game,I was not a fool I was happy being there for her.I was a stakeholder who had put in fare airtime and an entire fuliza,Birthday dinner at artisan blend where the waiters danced to the bongo song and a jersey that never came back.My returns arrived as bonga points for the heart which you know cannot be exchanged for anything even a Quickmart hotdog.Anyway you keep checking the same balance.

Then on a random Saturday Michelle happened
Michelle was in her friend group.I met her when we were strolling,she laughed at my dry jokes without me needing to explain and something in my chest that had been lying down for years stood up straight.
Sheila saw our photo on a date,the network coverage improved dramatically from 9 days to 9 seconds.Suddenly asking if i she can bring me my jersey.She remembered our conversation from 2 years ago that she had not attended.She said “Kwani we are not vibing?”You were vibing I was on standby like a generator at Mp shah.

Then came the Ambush cocktailed in tears.”Ati you are seeing Michelle?The one Michelle my Girl?”and I just stood there admiring the crumbling walls.Three years no boundary but everything came in place when I started to leave.

The not so funny part

I know some of you are in a similar situation they don’t want you they want a version of you that will always be available.They want a light left in the house they were never coming back to just so the compound dosnt look abandoned.And you have paid the bill for the duration you have tried chasing with no avail.

The day you will leave the friendzone,you will understand that the friendzone is not rejection.Rejection is quick like the flash and the friendzone is slow lick a tick.

Michelle called while I was walking to her
Never have I been happier