Stocking up!

I am writing this blog from the Brew Bistro, alone. I’ve got a 'Sunday afternoon' theory that needs a blog of its own. Meanwhile, I’m here, having a mojito at 6.30pm at this mini brewery that's become my favourite social hole over the last few years, even though my house is several kilometres away.

I come here for the ambiance. They have a Jazz Live band on Sundays. My favourite day however is Wednesdays where i get some therapy showing off the few steps I learned in my salsa class.

Seated in front of me is doobies (the rapper) wearing a shocking T shirt written ' 'don't let my big d**k scare you, I'm really a nice person." he's seating next to a lady whose Afro puff makes my mini puff get an inferiority complex. There is also an Asian man with slit eyes that keeps staring at me, and 3 white people. One of them is British; her accent makes me want to talk to her.

On my right two guys are having very philosophical conversations. They talk about a lady called Shiko who knows what she wants, she is very confident, she says what she wants and she doesn't like "-aibu ndobo ndogo" in their own words. The more talkative of the two is in a red tee shirt and speaks with a few kikuyu phrases every now and then when quoting Shiko. His friend is in a black tee shirt written ODM , uniting Kenya and Raila’s website . www.raila-odinga.com.

On my left is a friend I met last at a parking lot in December after his sister's wedding.

It's just one day before the Kenyan presidential elections. The elections will be the most complex after a new constitution; most Kenyans will be learning at the ballot box exactly what is expected of them. We are told it will take approximately 8 minutes per person to cast his vote.
There is a silent calm at this mini brewery, restaurant, and lounge this afternoon, as it slowly blends into evening. I think about the house shopping I have just done. I'm told that super markets and shops will remain closed tomorrow. So that means I should have just bought milk. But somehow, I was convinced to “stock up just in case”

But I am one of those hopeful people who believe Kenya will remain open and attractive for business after tomorrow. I wasn't going to shop, but this man who is increasingly becoming relatively important in my life insisted that we do it. He called it precaution. I called it loss of hope.

In 2007, we, like most Kenyans I was caught flat footed, and if the shopping crowd at Nakumatt West-Gate was anything to go by no one will be buying airtime for twice it's worth, if at all the elections go haywire.

So I'm here listening to the jazz rendition of "they say two wrongs don't get it right" wondering if what I did was that a loss of hope, or just precaution, as Mr. Important said it earlier.

I'm wondering how many people here around me at Brew Bistro have stocked up. And what that means to them, because my stocking up has made me feel very conflicted as a person who believes that Kenya will remain open for business after the 4th of March.
My daughter is also headed to Arusha with her father.

I put out a random tweet about my conflicting 'stocking up' and the most memorable tweet was of someone calling me and other Kenyans who have done the same 'hypocrites.'

There was someone who said, ' I haven't stocked up and I’m wondering if I'm the father who will be called irresponsible."

These elections have taught me loads, that decisions made by family remain so, that I may be in a relatively middle class lounge on a Sunday afternoon with many who are hopeful for a peaceful election and are dashing home to ensure they are up and running by early morning to vote. I have also learned that that precaution and hope mean the same thing where elections are concerned.

My Mojito’s just doubled again and this beautiful man just asked to join my table! I oblige, perhaps that's a blog for another day?

Vote wisely!