I know a lot of information about bicycles.At times we think all the bicycles are the same,we are damn wrong.Just like vehicles there are varieties.My dad had a cycle mart,it is there that I learnt everything.The first kind of classification of bicycles is a weird one.There are those bicycles that offered services to the old man of the home(kwanza my dad),it was like the government vehicle which must undertake only official duties(haungeguza)..then there were other bikes for the youth..the reckless..you weren't sure if the brakes functioned or if it had all the pedals😂
The kind of bike one owned determined the class one belonged to.Phoenix was the for the well to do.Only cool kids had the privillege to ride the Bmx in December when they travelled to 'shags' for holidays.Hero Jet was the 'Toyota' while Avon was the 'Nissan'.There was no bodaboda who used Phoenix for the trade..it was like buying Mercedes E300 for taxi business🤔.There were people who owned bikes which were despised,the only thing that mattered was the wheel turning(bora uhai)..these were the owners of Raja and Hamber..hehe the cheapest of bikes.Yaani this world will always classify people.
I will be missing the point if I fail to recognize one client we had.His name was Kipkolom,he was an old man,he is the first guy in my life who I knew had a Volvo.I mean a volvo,those days when my dad had all the respect for the Peugot(read:Pujo)504.The peugot was that vehicle used by the CID..no..the 'Special branch'.It was a fast car.Kipkolom too had a phoenix bike,he used to bring it for service at our cycle mart.Phoenix bikes are serviced..others are repaired..hehe.Kipkolom was very kind and understanding.He used to give us a 'tip' also..who doesn't like tips.I just loved how he would interact with people like us despite him being wealthy.He never spoke so much but I would always remember how his lifestyle spoke to me to and inspired me so much.Well,this is why I have never forgotten his name many years later.
You see all the above happened while I was in primary school,I can't really put a finger to the date I started repairing bikes.I was in school too,full time trying to be top of the class and moreover to beat Gideon Kipsang..hehe.Gideon was good in GHCRE..(hehe..kweli tunaezeeka),slayqueen..hio ni jina ya kitambo ya Social studies..hehe.Mathematics was a playing field for us both.I floored him in languages...y'all know this is my thing.Gideon had only GHCRE and Science to show his prowess.
Life is funny,being a fundi and a pupil wasn't an easy task.As a boy it was embarrasing at times..maboy mnaniget..hehe,my esteem wasn't the best of things.Over and above this I beat 'em all.There was a girl a class before us who was very bright,she would always be number one.The girl was always smart,with multiple pair of uniform,shoes,clean pair of socks and a pullover.Her Name was Gaudencia.Some of us only had two clothes on us..hehe..a shirt and pair of shorts,this was enough..lol.I mean this was all that was on my body.An official school pullover was a preserve for the well to do..hehe.During cold season my mum would buy a pullover with a colour close to the official one..hehe,Sadly at times they would be confiscated by the school authorities.The irony of life is that I used to stand next to that girl when the top performers were called,probably to remind me that the competition was for the smartness of the mind..hehe.
Years later after high school I resurfaced again as a phone repair guy..hehe.When life is tough you learn things faster.Thankfully the phones then were simple and had easily replaceable parts.We were good at the trade,but when you've been through life God also fights for you.When I joined campus I still repaired phones during the long holidays.You can't just imagine how many customers used to say I am studying engineering..hehe and trusted me,I did my job well..oh.This phrase was common,"Huyo amesomea hio kazi"..hehe.What they didn't know was that I was cracking Microeconimics (I)..and there was nothing engineering about it..hehe.
There is a song my high school deskmate(msee wa bake_basketball)used to sing.."I know I can..be what I wanna be..if I work hard at it"..I think it is by an artiste known as Nas..it's a kids song..never despise a young person because of who they are now,they can be the next CEO of that multinational😃..
Every time when I go home..this bike helps me move from one point to the other but mostly it reminds me that God has been so good to me..if by human theory we would draw a graph then I would only be a better bicycle repairer now.Well, I still have the knowhow...but glad that it's not the only thing I know.
One last one..Congrats to KU and MKU graduands😊
Great Friday ahead!
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