Tuesday, October 16, 2007

An Iconoclast Leaves Us, Long Walks and other things.....

I was reading the story of the life and times of the great Professor Toweett, and in many ways I admire and aspire to be like him. You see a pal of mine used to live near him and used to regal me with tales of his bohemian and eccentric lifestyle. You have to admire a man who chose to live his life how he wanted to live irregardless of what people say and thought and even in blatant disregard of tradition (how many Africans have you ever heard of bequeathing their bodies for research?) and pursued many seemingly aimless projects. This man broke with tradition in many areas and did what he wanted without giving a damn what people thought and I am sure that even if they didnt tell him to his face, many people respected him. That is the kind of inner strength I want to work towards, to be able to do what I want to do, how I want to do it irregardless of what role or expectation society has for me. The Prof may be gone but he will live on in the minds and hearts of many.

Moving on, don't ask me how this came to my head but how many of you remember the way cops in Kenya would go on patrol and would pick up "idlers" and if you had no cash to bribe you would be made to take a long long walk with them. Yes Udi I am looking at you! I remember a pal of mine told me her story. I don't know how many of you are familiar with South C, you see this chic used to live near the mosque and was outside the gate of the house talking to a guy pal in her bed clad (tracks and a t-shirt); when two cops on patrol walked by unexpectedly. After the usual niceties the two of them were asked to identify themselves and when they couldn't they were asked, nay told to join the rest of the walkers. Lets just say the two of them were finally let go a few yards away from the Nyayo stadium police station. I had some other pals who were busted near Gill House and were made to walk with the cops for a few hours, the cops wanted to leave them huko OTC, and it was past mid night; they refused and kept on walking with the cops till they got to a safer part of town. Lucky for me I have never been taken on long walks down desolate city streets, have you.

After getting really homesick, I decided to have some furniture and other things imported for my apartment. Please take a look at chez Aco below......




After a long day at work the Acolyte came home to relax to familiar settings, tea, bread and a week old newspaper flown in just for him

Have a nice day and send me something to add ambiance to my apartment!

17 comments:

Amkeni wakenya! said...

You! kiti ulirarua ukido? Plus Gazeti Upside down, and I hope that brush sio toothbrush. Supa loaf??

Anonymous said...

ok...wewe ni mwenda! Hizo vitambaa...ni ndogo sana,why are they not covering the whole seat! Don't make me start on the colour(pink,blue,luminous green,brown...).I was thinking of buying you zile picha za wall,so would you prefer the two cats or the monkey in reading glasses? Let me know!
Everytime i read your posts,am so sure i know where you grew up.
I was in Nakuru last year and went to see the Prof's 'house' and i thought to myself that it would be fun to live there,but just for a while!

Flyness1 said...

I just sent the previous comment,sawa nataka tu u jua my name coz i've been anon for so long

Prousette said...

Dr Toweett was an admirable man his lifestyle notwithstanding true to himself which is what we should all try to be.

On cops wacha tu. Some time ago one of my pals went to the shopping centre to get bread and got picked up for not having an ID , who really walks around with a kitambulisho in their home neighborhood? When he told the cops his house was just around the corner he could get the ID they made him accompany them for kedo 3 hours walking around South C mpaka Westie those cops were mean and idle. I surely hope they have gotten better things to do.

I like your furniture, really ..

pesa tu said...

If the late Dr.Towett had been British we would have called him eccentric.Her shall be missed

Unknown said...

wapi display cabinet.....

Acolyte said...

@ amkeni
Supa loaf rocks!
@ anon/flyness 1
Always good to have someone unmask themselves! Now what to do if I am a true Kenyan with little sense of fashion?
Well I need to be careful lest you reveal my roots!
I wish I got to see that digz.
@ prou
I think the Prof in one way or another should be an example to all of us.
You dont mess with Kenyan cops, I was just as paranoid as your pal after seeing pals being take for long walks at night.
Thanks!
@ pesa tu
Indeed he shall
@ 3types
Ill make sure I get one soon!

Anonymous said...

haha Aco long walk nimechukua...busted while in campe we walked in town for almost 3hrs then tukaachwa. Oe thing i jua about kenyan cops is that they jua hw to talk matope....

Aih wats with the 'vitambaa za sofa' my mum used to weka that stuff on sofas at home and i swore my hse will neva have em..Aco hebu chanuka...

gishungwa said...

i was going to send you Tosti/Broadway unsliced but i see supa loaf representing. Instead, i shall send you a 6-pack of scones the yellow ones and cowboy spesheli, see me aside for the address.

Dr, Towett RIP great man that was.
Cops, those raos or being made to sit on the ground after being busted in the hood then you are all assembled. They talk trash to you (Kwa nini mnatongozana) all letting you go after you have frozen cold.

Anonymous said...

Dude, yani mpaka the vitambaa ya meza? LOOOL!!! Ata jam, Blue Band (I guss you must be very very homesick) I'll send you Quencher and table mats seeing as you really need them.

Kenyan cops are thibecio.

Udi said...

kwani my comment got deleted. Iz of how? and it was too long to repeat

Acolyte said...

@ eclipse
Damn son! 3 hours! Si you know I have to have the full taste of home in my digz!
@ gish
Broadways is some whack ish! Keep it away from me!
Kenyan cops are on their own level, that is all I have to say.
@ archer
Old school my guy, old school! Ebu tuma those things, I am waiting!
@ udi
Pole sana, that is why I copy and paste esp since WP has been shagging my comments lately!

Anonymous said...

gosh! that is so cramped, but its rude to say that, innit? mimi ninatuma ike corner tv cabinet and cutlery display set complete with a colour greatwall tv set 12". apo karibu na mlango there is still one foot unutilized. hehehe!! what is with the vitambaas by the way still cannot see the purpose...aesthetics...not so sure...keeping dust off...not at all they are not dustproof they got more holes than a sieve...LOL

Juju said...

I will send you a table drum to finish up you decor. Your apartment is soo HOME.

thankfully, I have never been arrested nor taken a cop for a walk, but I have a cop tale I should tell.

Frankie said...

i have neveer taken wwalks in the night..but home is really home with a thermos full of tea, United Loaf, some blueband and u can download those videos of mama kayai and mzee ojwang from u-tube. enjoy!

Seasons & Reasons said...

Aco,

You just pulled a fast one on us- that cannot be your apartment. It does not fit in with your character.

LOL on the cops on patrol story.

I have mad respect for Prof Towett

Lola Gets said...

While those chairs and settee look comfortable, man theres too much stuff in that room! Time to downsize!
:)
L