TWO PEDDLERS AND A KNIFE

Brian sat on the grass, his legs in the waters of river Kimbi. It was a hot afternoon; the sun was up and its rays reflected beautifully against the water giving it a shimmery appearance. The river was surrounded by bushes and trees whose leaves shook against a breeze thereby cooling down the air. He put his hand in his pocket and removed a blunt plus a lighter. He put the blunt in his mouth, lifted the lighter to one end of the blunt, flickered it till there was a fire and he set it ablaze. He inhaled in deeply till his lungs were full of smoke then he breathed out. He repeated that five more times till he felt he was high. He gazed upon the cotton-like clouds, the blue skies and felt the wind against his skin. Life doesn’t get much better than this, Brian thought. He continued smoking his blunt as he enjoyed the rest of his afternoon. He often came to this spot; it was where most of his customers came to buy from him. He was a shasha peddler so he had had to find isolated spots where he could sell from because shasha was illegal in his country. This spot had become a favorite for him as it was well secluded and most of his customers could also smoke from there before they went about their business.

On this particular day, he had finished rolling blunts and was just waiting for customers to come. Three of his clients had already called him and told him that they were on their way there. Brian reflected on how he had ended up becoming a peddler and how the business had become so lucrative for him. He used to work in construction sites but the work had been too tough on his back. He used to only smoke back then but he had seen how his peddler had become rich over time. He then asked his peddler, Johnte, to connect him to his suppliers and to teach him the ways of his business. Johnte, who was a humble man, had taught Brrian the tricks of the trade and Brian caught up quickly and started earning some real cash in no time. Brian had a friend known as Abdi who was also interested in learning the business of being a peddler. Brian, who wanted to see his friend win in life too, had then connected him to his suppliers and Abdi learned the trade. However, Abdi was not able to find and connect with customers as good as Brian. You see, Brian was a man of the people and he was able to make friends very fast. He was charming and had a tantalizing tongue that ensnared people to buy from him. Brian’s business grew quickly and he had managed to buy a motorcycle that even eased his work as he was able to deliver to his clients wherever they were.

Brian turned around to look at his motorcycle that he had purchased a week ago and he beamed with pride. He would soon be able to support his parents educate his younger siblings. As he put the blunt to his mouth to smoke once again, he felt a sense of accomplishment and he thought life was getting better for him. He heard heavy footsteps fast approaching from the other side of the river and he began doubting that it was his customers as they often talked as they walked to the spot. His feet were still in the water when two policemen appeared from the other side of the river. “Wewe Kijana unavuta bangi hapo!” Brian did not wait for them to say anything else, he quickly rose from the ground, hopped on his motorcycle without putting his shoes on. “Stop! Stop! We know you are the one selling shasha from here. stop before we shoot!” The policemen shouted as they quickly crossed the river. However, they were too slow for him as Brian rode off in his motorcycle as he heard gunshots directed at him but luckily none hit him. His heart was pounding against his chest as he rode off into the bushes until he reached the main road.

He continued riding off with no specific place in mind. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there as fast as he could. He finally arrived at a building that was familiar to him and he came to a stop. His heart was still racing and so many thoughts ran through his mind. How did the police know to find me there? What if they are still following me? He looked around frantically but there was no sign of police anywhere. He took several deep breaths so that he could calm down and think straight. Where should I go now? He felt around his pockets. He had his phone with him but he had left the stash of shasha blunts by the river. He didn’t have any products to sell to his clients now. What am I to do now? He asked himself. He couldn’t go home yet because he didn’t know if the police had found out where he lived. He was still thinking of his next move when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was Johnte who was calling him. He picked it up, “ Hey, man what’s up?” he tried to sound as calm as possible.

“Where are you man? I have some information I have to give you.” Johnte replied.

“Now, is not a good time. The police also caught me some minutes ago.”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about Brian.”

“Oh, where are you?”

 “I am at my spot, come over right now. There is something important I want us to discuss.”

“Okay, I am on my way there.” Brian replied.

Brian turned his motorcycle around and headed to Johnte’s spot. He arrived there fifteen minutes later. He got off his motorcycle and went into the building. Johnte had rented out a single room which was where he rolled his blunts from and some of his customers would meet him there to smoke and buy from him. It didn’t have any furniture or appliances because no one really lived there; it was just a room for business. Brian knocked on the door and Johnte let him in. “Brian where are your shoes?” Johnte asked him as he entered his house. “Man, the police came after me so suddenly I didn’t have time to put my shoes on. I just hopped on my motorbike and rode off. It was a close call.” There were two more guys in the room smoking blunts and Brian greeted them before sitting on a stone that was in the middle of the house. Johnte gave Brian a blunt and a lighter and he immediately started smoking it. “Tell us what happened now slowly and in detail.” Johnte told Brian. Brian recounted the events of the afternoon to them and they sat in silence for a few minutes before Johnte finally said, “Man, these things happen in this business. I have had my run in with the police a few times. I have actually been caught and slept in a cell a couple of times. It takes like a thirty thousand bribe for them to release me without pressing charges. It’s just that you are still new to the business. In time you will learn how to handle it.”

“I regretted the day I started selling shasha when I heard those gunshots. I saw my life flash before my very eyes. So, what did you mean that you have information concerning my ordeal today?” Brian asked Johnte. Johnte and the other two men exchanged glances before he finally said, “You Know I have contacts at the police, right? They are the ones who let me know ahead of time when they are about to do a raid or when they are about to catch shasha peddlers. They also help me get released from jail when I get caught.”

“Yes, I do know. I just haven’t gotten good contacts with the police just yet.”

“Well, one of my contacts told me something today that has to do with you. They said that Abdi talked to the police concerning you. He told the police about your business and where they could find you. I guess that’s how the police came looking for you today.”

“You cant be serious. Abdi? Would Abdi betray me like that? He has been my friend for quite a few years.”

“Abdi probably got jealous from seeing you succeed at the business and he hasn’t been able to be as successful as you. You know he is such a trouble maker.”

“Abdi is like my brother. Why would he do this to me?”

“He must have gotten green with envy when you bought that motorcycle. I am just telling you what I have been told. Watch your back when it comes to Abdi. He is a real snake.”

Brian rose from his seat seething with anger, “You mean I tried to teach Abdi the business and he would go ahead and betray me like that! I am going to find him and teach him a lesson he won’t forget.” He started to leave but Johnte stood to stop him. “ Wait man, what are you going to do?”

“I am going to beat the shit out of him! I will make him realize who he is messing with.”

“Let us accompany you. We can help make the message clear to Abdi. Him betraying one of us is like betraying all of us.”

“No, I will handle him on my own” Brian replied, clenching his fists.

“Then wear these sandals when you go out. We don’t need you bleeding from your feet.” Johnte said as he handed Brian a pair of Maasai sandals.

Brian wore the sandals and quickly left the single room heading to a place where Abdi often hang out which was five minutes away. He didn’t even leave on his motorcycle, he was too angry for that. His rage increased with every step he made and he walked muttering to himself. He got close to that spot and he saw Abdi leaning on a tree a few steps away from him. “Abdi!” He yelled. Abdi turned around to see Brian and he smiled at him. “ Hey man, what’s up? He greeted Brian. “You tell me what’s up. Is it true you reported me to the police?” Abdi’s face turned white and he went silent. “Man, I asked you a question. Did you give the police my whereabouts and tell them about my business?” “I….I…I don’t know what you are talking about Brian,” Abdi stammered while looking scared. “The police came looking for me at my spot today and I was told you are the one who informed them about me.” “Man, it…it…it… wasn’t me Brian. I…” he didn’t even get to finish the statement when Brian punched him in the face sending him reeling backwards to the ground. “I know it was you! Stop lying to me, you jealous bastard!” Brian shouted as he stomped to where Abdi was trying to rise from the ground. He punched him again in the stomach. “You piece of shit! I tried to teach you the business and this is how you repay me? Huh?” Brian was about to punch him again but Abdi’s hand reached out to block him and now Abdi was enraged too. Abdi hit Brian in the jaw and Brian stepped a few paces back. He then charged at Abdi but was met by a kick in the stomach from Abdi. He fell to the ground but quickly got back up and charged at Abdi with much more force and strength that he wrestled Abdi to the ground. “You coward! You report me to the police yet we do the same business,” Brian said as he punched Abdi repeatedly in the face and neck. Abdi saw he was losing the fight so he pushed Brian off him momentarily and he reached out into his coat and flashed out a long sharp dagger. Without hesitation, he stabbed Brian in the area between his neck and collarbone and then pulled it out. Brian tried to punch Abdi again as he said, “You’ve stabbed me, Abdi you’ve stabbed me.” Brian fell to the ground and he was bleeding profusely. Johnte and the two other guys showed up at that moment. It began to dawn on Abdi what he had done and he knelt beside Brian. “ Oh, my God, oh my God! What have I done?” Johnte shouted, “Abdi you’ve stabbed Brian who is like your brother.” “Man, help me get him to hospital please,” Abdi pleaded with Johnte. Johnte had his motorcycle there and they all lifted Brian on to the motorcycle while he was covered in blood from the neck to his feet. Johnte and one of the other guys got on the motorcycle and sped off to a nearby hospital. Brian was still bleeding and he couldn’t even talk. They got to the hospital and he was taken to the emergency room where Brian was declared dead on arrival. Johnte and the other guys began wailing in the hospital and crying for Brian to come back to them but their cries went unheard.

The police were called to the hospital and Johnte and the other guy gave their statements then Brian’s body was taken to the morgue. Johnte and the other guy then went back to the scene of the crime where they found a crowd of  people and motorcycle riders who were gathered where Brian had been stabbed. They had been told of what had happened and that Abdi had ran away after that. Johnte told the crowd that Brian had unfortunately passed away and they broke into tears and wails. They got angry and decided to look for Abdi so that they could avenge Brian’s death. They went to his house but he was not there. They then headed to his parents home but they were told he wasn’t there either. The crowd threatened to torch down his parents’ house if they didn’t tell them of Abdi’s whereabouts. Abdi’s parents pleaded with them and swore that they didn’t know where Abdi was. The crowd then left those premises and they began a man hunt for Abdi. The following day, the police joined them to look for Abdi but they too could not find him. He had disappeared into thin air. Two weeks later, Brian’s funeral was held and so many people attended it because he was a beloved member of the community. Abdi was never found and Brian’s family was denied justice for their fallen kin.