I woke up to the sweetest text message I have ever received since meeting my girlfriend Lizzy in June 2019.
Last night, she made a sumptuous meal at my house singing my favourite song, Mfalme wa Mapenzi by Sanaipei Tande - to my delight, given how much convincing it takes to make my performing arts graduate girlfriend sing for me.
“This month, I’d take my life, put it in you and watch it grow. I love you,” I read the text about five times to savour the feeling in all its glory.
One thing I love about her is that mellow voice, that sings into my heart and pockets or calms me down when she’s in the wrong.
This time around, there was something different about her. How she kept talking about an ornate necklace like she had read an entire novel about it. Who created this chiquitita and placed her in my arms? - how she woos me into giving in to her polite demands is exemplary.
I look at the calendar, it’s February 13. Your guess is as good as mine, right?
Bland texts
It’s that time of the year again when every couple, pseudo-couple, and the singles-in-denial are compelled to profess their innermost feelings with tangible tokens or, as often aspired, grand acts.
But, what most might have experienced, especially with the tough economic times over the years, - and it doesn't help that Valentine’s Day follows a month of brokenness and debt - are text messages that are more than underwhelming, especially, to the female gender that arguably anticipates Valentine’s most.
Worse, is if you receive Valentine’s quote copy-pasted straight from Google. I know my friend Johnnie, will most likely send the very same quote to over four ladies that he is unable to decide on. But let’s leave Johnnie alone, he has a lot of figuring out to do. Some could put a little effort and send a poem, or actually write one. For me, I want something more than just words
Off the Bandwagon
I remember back in the village, when Christmas was Christmas, it was very normal to deny your family the little luxuries of life to save up for the perfect celebration. Our neighbours took it quite religiously - complete with an embargo on certain delicacies and new purchases months to December just to afford a large feast later on.
Which makes me question the insistence on making Valentine’s the only day to truly express affection. While a cliché, we have no choice but to bow down to the manufactured expectations. But even more, I want to live the feeling every day - the gifts, the surprise dinners and getaways through the year.
Matchy-Matchy
We know it, we’ve seen it and we are tired. This time around I am not wearing one of those matching outfits with Lizzy like I did with my ex Annie - she had a thing for ‘couple goals’. We loved the public display of our union so much that we ordered several of those Kitenges online - now they sit idle in my wardrobe.
While walking in town, we’d end up mingling with a crowd of people in the same outfits and someone would think that we were auditioning for a crowd role in a Bollywood film - Particularly the 2-hour singing session.
Miscalculations
It’s a busy world - the locusts are here and coronavirus is threatening our very existence - so we don’t have enough time to spend on queues and squander valuable opportunities.
Last year, I spent almost an hour queuing at an ATM in town as Anne rang me countless times wondering why I was late. On my way back, I was nearly mugged by a syringe-welding kid when I chose to take a dark alley off Tom Mboya Street to save time.
It was a long boring dinner as I found her frustrated. I slept alone that night on the sofa as she tucked into my million-dollar investment of a bed by herself. Oh! Boychild.
The bunch of roses I had also bought while rushing to meet Anne were thrown into a nearby bin on our way home. I, therefore, declared that for my Lizzy, that will also change. I’ll get her that very necklace she described in a thousand words.
After dinner, Lizzy and I will head home for the weekend. Before that, we’ll pass through the supermarket and do some shopping. A bottle of wine can’t miss on the list to cap off a wonderful day.
After the Tom Mboya Street mishap, I know too well why I need to start making my payments with my Co-op Visa Card that so far has made my transactions faster, safer and more convenient. I would not have to incur withdrawal charges at every spot or carry lots of cash which would make me feel insecure.
With Co-op Visa Card, I will also be able to track my spending to ensure I was within the limits of my monthly budget.
I know that Njaanuary exhaustion is just about to end, so get yourself a Co-op Visa Card and enjoy a new world of planned spending.
