Act 2- Continued from Act 1
The sun sets upon the horizon,
Kiguunda returns from his work. That tired face, his sweaty body glimmered
under the golden illumination of the sun; he gave a loving glance at his wife,
Wangenci, who is preparing their usual meal- rice mixed with salt.
Kiguunda: Honey, I’m back. (*hands wife money for food supply)
It had been a week since Gathoni had been out for her honeymoon in Mombasa,
the house had been quieter than usual since.
(*They settle down for dinner)
While settling down for dinner, a
distance car rumble was heard. Excited Gathoni rushed in and said:
Gathoni: Dad! I have good news!
Kiguunda: What it is?
Gathoni: As our wedding gift, John is
turning our land into a farm! If you agree, he wants to talk to you.
Wangenci: A wedding gift? Is that
what I’m really hearing?
(*Celebrates together with Gathoni)
Kiguunda: Call him in. We shall
discuss the facts.
(*Gathoni heads for the door)
Gathoni: John! John!
John Muhuuni enters the room,
tall and buffed, a black sleek branded coat accompanied by a striking red tie,
he’s entrance was grand. He then greeted everyone politely, a firm handshake
with the father, and a little kiss on the hand for the girls.
John: Hi, I assume Gathoni told you
the news?
Kiguunda: Yes, but your identity doubts me. How can I
make sure that you’re not helping your father to get the land?
Gathoni: Dad! You can trust John.
John: It is very simple; you will
witness the changes immediately. We will have a plowing machine coming here on
your acceptance of the gift. With those machines, a farm will be up in no time.
Kiguunda: Very well then, I accept.
John: Here are some contracts to
sign. Although the farm is yours, 20% of the profit must go to the hands of my
father, Kioi.
(*John hands over contract)
Kiguunda: I can’t read…
John: There’s no big deal, just sign
here, and here, and here.
(*John points to the few places to
sign)
Kiguunda: But…
Wangenci: Hurry up and sign it! You
are such a slow poke!
(*Kiguunda gives a glance at
Wangenci, and signs the contract)
John: It’s very nice to meet you
sir, I shall leave, with my wife.
Wangenci: Gathoni, are you sure you
want this?
Gathoni: Yes mother, don’t worry, he
treats me very well, he buys me anything I want, and he’s the best husband that
anyone could have. I must go now.
(*John and Gathoni heads back to the
car, with Gathoni holding John’s hands)
Kiguunda: How dare you humiliate me in front of my
daughter’s husband to be?
Wangenci: We used to argue about how bad our situation
was before the Independence and look, now it has changed, our hunger, our
worries, it will be all gone. I’m not going to let you ruin it all.
Kiguunda: I was going to sign the contract! You don’t
need to do that!
Wangenci: I know you were
hesitating! You worry too much, always afraid to fail, that’s why we ended up
like this!
Kiguunda: Know your status woman!
(*Kiguunda slams the table)
(*Clang)
The title deed fell. This time, it fell hard, breaking the glass and its
frame. Kiguunda rushed to the wall and picked the title deed up immediately.
Luckily, it was not damaged from the fall; however, the tension had caused
Kiguunda to bruise his own hand with the glass shards.
Kiguunda: Ouch, that hurts.
Wangenci: Look at how clumsy you
are! Wait for me, I will patch it up.
(*Wangenci bandaged Kiguunda’s hand
up)
(*Kiguunda looks at wife)
Kiguunda: I’m sorry, I love you.
(*Kiguunda hugs his wife)
(Stage out)
A week has passed, Kiguunda and
his wife, still living life as usual, but without Gathoni. Ever since she went
with John, there was no news of her. Her parents were worried, but there was
nothing to be done.
However, on the bright side, the
land was slowly turning into a farm. With the big yellow bulldozer plowing the
ground, digging up the soil, in no time, with the equipment coming, the family
will be ready to plant.
Kiguunda: What day is today?
Wangenci: It’s Friday.
(*Gathoni rushes in, crying)
Wangenci: You’re back! What’s the problem?
Gathoni: He dumped me! John Muhuuni
dumped me!
Kiguunda: Sights, children nowadays.
Where is John now?
Gathoni: He’s outside.
Kiguunda: How dare he dump my
daughter and still be outside of our house!
(*Kiguunda walks outside)
There he was, John Muhuuni,
still with luxury clothing, standing outside of the car as he was expecting
Kiguunda, with a few person wearing suits standing with him.
Kiguunda: Why are you still here?
Aren’t you afraid of being beaten up?
John: Hi sir, I am hereby to claim
this land.
(*Kiguunda gets confused)
Kiguunda: What?
John: With your agreement, your land
is ours now.
Kiguunda: What agreement? I had
never made any agreements!
John: But you signed the contract.
Kiguunda: How dare you! That
contract was to allow the land to be transformed to a farm!
John: Is that so? If yes, please
prove it.
Kiguunda: But…what…what about the
bulldozer?
John: It is creating the
construction site, I’m sorry, but I have to take your title deed.
(*John ignores Kiguunda and walks
towards the title deed on the wall.The title deed falls again and John picked
it up)
John: Thank you.
(*John leaves, leaving behind the
startled Kiguunda and his family)
Kiguunda stared and stared at the empty wall, thinking why he is so
stupid, in order to get the monkey’s baby, you must feed it with peanuts first.
His family was the monkey.
Gathoni: What do we do now?
(*Gathoni asks timidly)
What must he do now? He thought,
the family needs him, thinking back about the monkey, after its baby is taken
away, it will be sad for a while, directionless. However, it will continue its
life, and have a new baby. From that day onwards, it will not accept any food
from humans, and develop a precaution of humans. What if this is not a bad
thing, but another chance for starting over?
Kiguunda: Do you still have the things that John gave
you?
Gathoni: Yes, why?
Kiguunda: That will be enough to buy
us a ticket. Pack your things up, we are leaving.
The family bought a ship ticket,
a ticket to a place far away from this corrupted country, a place so far away
that the ticket is cheap because of the risks. With some friends willing to
start over a new life in another better place, they boarded the ship. After a few months, they arrived in a country
called Malaysia.
The weather was better with more
rain, the land was fertile, and there were two races who called themselves
Chinese and Malays who are living in peace and harmony. Together, after
befriending them, they were given a plot of land, a land up to 50 acres.
Together, they worked hard and developed, together, they helped with that
country in its agricultural business.(*Kiguunda’s family and friends plowed the
land, spread the seeds, watering the plants, building houses and farm
buildings, making friends, living happily) Fear of starting over and failing is
always in the nature of human. It is only where one lost everything he had the
fear is lost or, they give up on live. The bruise on Kiguunda’s hand,
(*Kiguunda looks at hand) the damaged skin had dropped off and new skin
regenerated and recovered. Generations after generations, they were accepted as
a part of the multi-racial country in the name of a race, called Indians.
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