Blissful Trip

I live in Kiwatule. For the learned, this means that when coming from town, I'll inevitably have a stop-over in Ntinda before I can proceed. And that has been the trend for a while. Usually, there's nothing extraordinary about my journey, until yesterday.

It is rumoured that some guys are of such exceptional skill that they can chat up a total stranger of a lady and have her give them her phone number within three minutes. I once managed in around 20 minutes, so I'm a long shot from these 'legends.'

So, I get into the taxi, all loaded with Ipod and poker-face, when a belle gets in and seats herself next to me. Now I know the limitations of space in the back seat of a taxi, but this lady sat a little too close for initial comfort. I was gobsmacked. I hardly heard myself mutter a 'hi' and I'm not sure if she responded. Anti I was wearing earphones. But i saw her smile at me in response.

She seemed to prefer to sit with her body facing me, rather than the dude at the other end of the seat. I thought it had something to do with the eyeful of a profile that my face possesses. Her arm was on my arm, her knee on my knee, my eyes fixated on...the buildings that we kept speeding past. I couldn't help laughing at myself for being in thi position, yet being unable to act. I was truly and completely confined.

Some moments are just to be enjoyed while they last, however short they may be. Anyone who knows better is certain that the trip from Ntinda to Kiwatule barely lasts 10 minutes. Had it not been for the song I was listening to being so captivating, I would have certainly made a move...away from that seat. no offence really, but I'm just not good at talking to pretty ladies in a taxi.

Some guy who didn't know better once did that, moreover from town to Bweyogerere. Kati, the madam was really laughing at his jokes, complete with the fabled shoulder tap. The guy thought he'd struck gold. She, of course got out before him, in Kireka, smiled at the conductor and waved at him. He, obliviously, waved back. On reaching Bweyos, the guy gives conductor his 1k, to which the conductor retorted,"Eh, ate ezooli omukyala?" The guy wonders. Conductor reminds him of the lady he waved to.
It strikes him like a Muhammed Ali punch, straight to the temple. He's down for the count. He's been had! Sad thing is that his travels were on tight budget, so that meant no supper, no breakfast, and footing most of the way to town the next day.

I'm not saying I wouldn't part with a mere 300/= for such a belle, it's just not my style. We got out at the same stage. All hope was restored, but i thought better (or is it now worse) not to say anything apart from:

Me: Hi.
She: Hi.
Me: Welcome back. It was quite a trip.
She: Yes it was. What are you listening to?
Me: The sweet voice that sounds like a heavenly symphony.
She: (Chuckles) Why, thank you.
Me: You're welcome. Well, have a good night.
(We had reached a crossroads. We had to part, no matter what)
She: I wonder if...
Me: If it's meant to be, it will be.
(Curtains fall. Applause from crowd.)