When
hunger strikes, each one of us heads to the nearest place where we can find
something to eat or we go to our favorite restaurant. I was recently
introduced to a restaurant in Ntinda which has good local food and I decided to
go back myself the following week.
It was a regular but draining day which
ended with me passing by the restaurant to get a meal on my way home. I made my
order for food and waited quietly as I checked out the day’s news online as I
sat down in a corner and waited patiently.
As
I waited for my meal, 2 of the waiters from the restaurant moved away from the
main seating area next to me since I was in the least occupied corner. I
ignored them as they sat down and a very engaging conversation of their campus
escapades ensued.
Waiter 1: ‘Eh man naye when will this sem
end, am fed up of this course work.’ (To mean when is the university semester
coming to an end.)
Waiter 2: ‘I know mwana, ahh this is when I
miss my ex that Shorty was a’ight.’ (To mean his girl friend was alright/ cool.)
My
food was finally delivered by another waiter but even this did not cause them
to let up their conversation, they only paused but for a moment.
Waiter 1: ‘Which one?’
Waiter 2: ‘The small, dark slender one – she
is not really hot but ehh... it was regular.’
Waiter 1: ‘What do you mean?’
Waiter 2: ‘The lay and it was cost
effective.’
At
the sound of that I nearly raised my head with a stern look on my face - but
then I remembered that I was not a part of this conversation so I let this go as
I quietly ate my meal.
Waiter 2: ‘..... I would not spend much on
her, actually it was just my fare to her hostel and I would gerrit. She was
easy.’
Waiter 1: ‘Really, are you still hanging out
with that Shorty.’
Waiter 2: ‘Nooo, but this is the time when I
wish I was.’
Waiter 1: ‘Braa you need to pass me dem
digits, I need to get me some.’(To mean friend you need to give me her digits.’
It
was at this point that a party of 3 walked in and were ushered into the main
sitting area so the lead waiter who served me earlier, motioned the other
waiters to seat the guests. This and only this got these lads to stand up and go
about their work which they were supposed to be doing in the first place. That
is beside the point though in this case, the moral of today’s tale is what exactly
are students going to the university for these days.
Leaving
the massacre of the English language aside for this moment, I thought to myself
– does this girl (so called Shorty) value herself? By the time she is in hostel
she must be a private student who receives allowance from her parents who
assume she is away at university busy focusing on her studies. What they would
do if they knew what she was doing and who she was surrounding herself with. It
is never too early to teach your children how to value and surround themselves
with people of substance.
When
the waiters moved away and I had finished my meal, I called the lead waiter and
paid for my meal but had a side bar with him on the unbecoming conduct of his
staff. He apologized for their misconduct and promised to have a discussion
with the young lads; however it is safe to say that I have never been served by
any of them.
I
guess voicing your concerns does get you a kick in the behind well; I am
comfortable with that too.
