Remnants of yesterday

Oprah once featured super gifted children on her show. One of them said that an adult is just an overgrown child. Perhaps he was right. There are habits from my childhood that have remained with me to this day and I have refused to shake them off despite advice to the contrary. I thoroughly enjoy kicking a maize cob along whatever path I happen to find one. Never mind that I have been told repeatedly that it is childish to do so, it almost seems unfair to leave a cob in peace. I still do the balancing act on the edge of pavements, trying to make sure I don't fall off, to this day.

The other day on a busy walkway, I caught myself aiming for the spaces between the spikes of a barbed wire fence. I used to get a kick out of deftly avoiding the barbs with my fingers and tapping the plain wire. Still do! Sucking all the air out of my cup (thus creating a vacuum like effect) with the brim of the cup covering and entirely suspended by my lips is another occasional indulgence of mine. I also make prints on the floor using the treads on the soles of my shoes whenever there is spilled water. Playing with large grains of salt or sugar in restaurants is also rather gratifying.

The last habit I haven't completely dropped (and it is happening as we speak) is saving the best for last. As a child, I would always eat my fries first, then relish the sausage last. At other times, I'd quickly be done with the rice, ugali or maize, just so that I could happily concentrate on the beans, peas or meat at the end. The unfortunate bit about saving the best for last at this point in my life is that friends out to teach me a lesson on the importance of 'kujibebea' often steal my patiently saved sausage, piece of chicken or other yummy stuff. Boo hoo!

The perfect little girl

Sugar, spice, all things nice and chemical x is what it takes to make the perfect little girls*. The Kenyan equivalent in the early 90s would be:

• Nguo ya gorofa or Nguo ya Net: purchased at Garissa lodge for Christmas
  
• Socks za net: ankle length
  
• Pumps or Bubblegummers (Pink)
  
• Goggles: From the Nairobi Show
  
• Punk hairstyle: push-back and lift at the front
  
• Mum's lipstick
• Single dot of wanja on the right cheek
• Plastic jewelery set: birthday gift
  

Ah... 'tis the wonder of childhood. You cannot say the same for the current fashion for kids now can you?
*Professor Utonium et al