The Modern Girl

Welcome to the  story of the modern girl. But before I start writing about her, I would like to take this golden opportunity  to applause and write a brief encomium about "Kukhu" my late grand-mother...

I still remember how she lied
On her death bed.
A decade ago.
Breathless!
Her beautiful eyes wide shut
She died sleeping.
She was never sick

Memories of how she would go the river and come back home carrying a pot of water that perfectly balanced on her head, still reverberate in my mind. At 84, "kuhku" had strong hands. She never needed a bull to plaugh her piece of land. No! she would wake up at the crack of dawn to prepare for us brown porridge, kales, and smashed potatoes. She would then proceed to plaugh a portion of her land... and she was never alone. Chirping birds were always there to keep her company. She would plaugh and plaugh and plaugh and petition other portions to her daughters for completion... More about what sh e used to do can be found in this link.

THE MODERN GIRL
The day my grandma was laid to rest, was the very day when "the modern girl" came to birth. She was raised with khol on her eyes, powder on her face, high heels on her legs, wigs on her head, long nails on her fingers, and rings on her navel. She can hardly cook nice African meals by herself to her man. She'd rather be taken to five st ar hotels to eat french fries, pizza, sweets, cakes, chocolates and cheese. When she goes to the kitchen to cook, she would rather pitch upon coffee and fried eggs... *and wash utensils a day later.

She cares so much for her long nails... she can't do laundry the way my grandma used to do in her days of yore. No she can't. But she likes it when she pays a village girl to do the laundry for her. That is the modern girl for you.. she can do anything  for her hair! Trust me... especially when it rains.

When it rains, the modern girl would rather undress her entire attire so as to cover the treasured hair on her head, and the the layer of powder on her yellow face. You see, most of them used to be as black as my grandmothers' pot back in the village. Then things suddenly changed. The colors of their skin underwent a sudden metamorphosis. And that is why you will see photos of throngs of girls pausing nude on facebook and instagram. They fancy flaunting thei r pampered thighs, and thin waists and chest cavities and most of all, their... (I don't want to say *aßßes) that one

The last time I was in Mombasa. There were hundreds of modern girls waiting for ships that carry white tycoons to dock. They had dressed to impress. The only thing a modern girl does for a living, is to stay alive.

THE MODERN GIRL PART 2  is on its was coming. Do not navigate just yet.