Getting Bossy

My boss and I have a lot in common. I realized all this while seated in the back left on my way from work in the evening traffic jam yesterday. Guess who else seats on the back left? Granted my back left is in a public service vehicle but the similarity continues- we’re both stuck in the same traffic for hours on end staring out the window. He has a snack in his wait and so do I – I have some roast ground nuts bought from the hawkers just outside the vehicle while he has some nuts as well in his chocolate candy bar.

Like my boss I also like new clothes. In fact all of us at work have new clothes thanks to him and the annual stock taking held at the end of last year. All employees got a pair of trousers while the ladies got a skirt . Everyone would like to think of it as our Christmas or new gift but we know it’s not. Our boss was just getting rid of dead stock and what better way than to invest it in his workers. He used some of the none moving cloth material to make us new uniforms. The color does not do us much justice but we are not complaining at least not in his earshot. The color grey is unofficially for school uniforms here in Kenya right? So why do we look like we’re going to school every morning? School of work?

Other complains are on the quality of the material- it shrinks. The picture you see early in the morning as we queue to get in at the gate before the security search is both gruesome and lovely. Gruesome because all the men seem to have a one size fits all pair of trousers. All the trousers are at ankle length, what we call “can’t reach down.”The lovely part is on the other side of the line- the women’s line. Our trousers shrunk right? What do you think happened to their skirts?

When it comes to readership my boss and I are also in the same league. A slight difference though is that he is more interested in the present whereas I’m inclined to the past . We read the same magazines and newspapers, I , just an year later when he’s dumping them in his end of year office clearance. Those magazines do have a good read whatever the year and the newspapers come in handy at least once or twice a day when I visit the small private room outside my room. Tip- a little water makes them user friendly.

It therefore comes as no surprise to you then that recently when a female colleague sent me a short message informing me that she would be coming to my room in the evening I got my best china out. I filled the wine bottles I had gotten from my boss with boiled water to serve my guest. This was no ordinary guest- she is the boss’s receptionist. Thanks to her the word “receptionist” has had many new meanings added to it at work. It is not every day that she gives “house calls” to “workers” hence my anticipation for her arrival and behest to be a good “receptionist” in the spirit of receiving. I also asked Jose to lend me his two-battery operated radio to play some cool music that would set the mood. I was tempted to also ask for Jose’s low wattage bulb that he had for those special occasions but thought better of it for I wanted to see exactly how I would be received.

I was all set by the time I had the knock on the door, the ambience in my room very welcoming. I had spent a good two hours sprucing up the room. My pounding on Jose’s radio batteries had stabilized them. They were struggling to power the radio inefficiently but somewhat effectively. I prayed they would not go dead on me in my hour of need. I opened the door and was met by her warm receptive smile. I smiled back invitingly and asked her to get in.

“Karibu”

“Thanks” she replied, her face still in a smile as she got in. It was definitely something else the boss and I had in common- an appreciation for beauty.

“Have a bed…. I mean a seat on the bed” I mumbled awkwardly, “something to drink?” I continued.

“No, thanks.” She answered as her eyes toured my room. She was finished in ten seconds.

I moved to close the door.

“Don’t close it” she said.

“Okay” I said and walked to the bed and sat by her side. I wished I had gotten Jose’s low wattage bulb the lighting was too bright. I stretched my arm going for her phone to “break the ice”. She stood up.

“I’d like your help on something” She said.

“Yes?” I prodded as I controlled the urge to add “I’m at your service.”

“I was wondering if you could house my brother for the night”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah, he’s outside finishing a cigarette. He came over unannounced from my parents to visit and I have some plans for the night. I hope you don’t mind”

“I….my mind…. I thought …no, I don’t mind. It’s ok. I don’t mind. Anything for you.” I answered in calm realization of her intentions.

“Let me get him. Thanks a million. I owe you one. I’ll pay you back someday for sure” she exclaimed her smile now back on full swing as she went to out.
She owes me and I intend to collect and yes that’s another thing I have in common with my boss-I also got her to bed too you know.