Graduation

Am sorry to disappoint you but am not talking about the famous Kanye West Album. Am talking of that time people clear one level of education to the next. In this case, University. I was called as a guest to my best friend’s graduation party last weekend and trust me I was the most excited for him, probably more than his parents. This is the one day you don’t believe you actually did it. It’s one of those ‘mama I made it!!’ moments.

As I was on my way there I was reflecting on my own graduation. To be honest I am proud of my friend George. The paths we have trodden on, even angels can’t dare look that way. Not to brag but George has been that little brother I never had. Big brother syndrome always affected me. Cleaning up after him at times or even watching his back when he didn’t ask for it. Call it bromance or whatever but I owe him so much in return.

Back in high school he used to get the special food that normally goes to the staff room. This was that type of food that one would only get to eat at home. He used to get a big share and I was the first beneficiary. I am quasi-vegetarian so all my meat was his too. Exchange is no robbery they say. The most interesting part of it all is the gikomba experiences and the suspension we both went for.

Gikomba is a popular market amongst Nairobians and we used to go there every time we were going home for midterm or end of term. Contrary to popular assumption, it’s not clothes that took us to gikomba. We went for a daily auction to get phones that had just hit the market. We didn’t care much about where they got them from but they were good phones of that era. It is where I got my first coloured phone. A Samsung slide phone which was quite prestigious by then. Not so many people had Bluetooth at the time either. The time we went with George we bought a phone that had infrared and co-owned it. That is how far our childhood had taken us.

I wouldn’t tell you of the suspension and other funny experiences because I wouldn’t know how to face everyone who reads this afterwards. All you need to know we is that we look back at those things we used to do and we laugh till our ribs ache. With such events, our high school life was not just a part of the educational system but an experience.

I was one of those who didn’t believe that George could actually stop being a cartoon at some point and focus. I was happier for him on news of his graduation that he was for himself. I told every relative that cared to listen that my best friend had passed both after high school and now after campus. I’d hate to look like the one who was wasting him. Am not any brighter but none of us should have passed more than the other. Stealing each other’s shine was against bro-code.

I may not have said this in my speech but George’s mother has been a mother to me too in many ways than one. I found in them another family. An emotional breakdown would be very ratchet. To be honest I can’t wait to graduate too and hopefully he marries before me so I get to date half his bridesmaids or his wife if am lucky. Hehe am just kidding. Talking of wives, we ever wanted the same girl at some point. I won’t say who won but wueh! That was just super dramatic and probably the most trying moment. Anyway, congratulations George. You may just be one of my lawyers sometime. As the budding journalist I am I will need a dream team.