Monday 12th October.
Dear Diary.
At the mention of matatus, I shudder and I’m filled with memories of pushing and shoving, smells of sweat and alcohol breath, crying babies and excess heat. Let’s also not forget rude touts and crazy people as drivers. Matatus. Why y’all gotta be so rude?Lol. Then again in present time, is it really all that bad? Memory does serve me correct but that was way back then, when I was in high school. The madness was real. So strong was my faith in the transformed matatu scene that I decided to take up 2 weeks of public transportation while my car, Scarlett, was being fixed.
This wasn’t a social experiment really, I was just in it for the ride and saving money while at it because, yes diary, I was not about to spend a fortune paying for cab rides to and from the office for that duration of time. In the process of going back to public transportation, I asked myself, why not document a few things that I will get to share with my peeps? Pretty neat, huh diary?
Day 1: Butterflies in my tummy. Will anyone recognize me and ask me questions as to why I am using matatus? Wait, which matatus should I use going to the studio? And are they safer now? Because, I sort of, kind of, have things in my handbag that I like! Gosh! The jam coming back home…will it be brutal? Why am I doing this again!? What am I trying to prove? Can’t I just take a cab?
So I take that step of faith; wear comfortable shoes and a pair of sun glasses and head out the door. This had to be done, and I had to do it. And do you know something diary? The day proved mainly painless! A few stares here, familiar faces there, extremely loud music coupled with a bumpy ride… even a listener sat next to me in the bus going back home and we struck conversation about teacher’s pay and stuff like that. Hahaha! It wasn’t that bad diary! All that anxiety was for nothing. It got to a point I got excited reminiscing on the days matatus were all I knew, in fact if I was lucky. When I was an intern on another radio station earning 100 bob a day, surviving on HELB loan, telling myself one day I will be driving my car and how I will be super grateful everyday and not take it for granted. Ah yes, this was a humbling moment. It was that “look how far we have come” moment; and there were many more to follow this day.
How did day one end? See the video HERE!
Have you had a matatu madness moment? Share your story in 2 paragraphs and email it to me on info@localhost I want to publish it here!
Love. Live. Learn
Mwalimu Rachel.
