otieno...my new found hero

it has a been a hot minute since i got to put these words down on paper...life has a been a little too good, another story for another time.

right now i just wanted to say thank you to otieno. andrew otieno. i just can't get him out of my head. there i was stuck in traffic on a hot saturday afternoon along uhuru highway. it was that uganda match day thingie-majig. soccer (oops i used the 's' word) madness in nairobi with vuvuzelas all over. felt like the kenyans trying to compensate their absence in the world cup.

while i was literally parked on the road since traffic was not moving, a tall sun-kissed boy walked up to the car window selling some peanuts. no older than thirteen he was. the usual reaction was me saying 'pole si leo' as i opened the little change-box signalling the emptiness.

he smiled.

he reached into his plastic basin and pulled the cone-shaped paper that tighly held the nuts within and passed it through window opening.

"thank you". he said, "this is for you today and next time you will hopefully have some change to promote my work." otieno gave me the paper-wrapped nuts, smiled and walked away leaving me frozen with an inspirational warmth that i can not put into words...

with that feeling and at that very instant, i felt like i had just met an angel.