roadside streams

African peculiarities: Ma-Uncle We all have those strange uncles, the kind that laugh with the ‘khkhkhkh’ sound after every unfunny sentence. We have the ones who we cannot tell a joke at close range, for they have a habit of reinforcing their laughter with a tough smack on your back. Some ask you to repeat your joke, their mouth hanging open, waiting for the sting to land, and they laugh again, rewarding your humour with an undeserved slap. We have those rake uncles, the kind that slash half the tray of ugali in one flow, and the younger ones are left weeping, the one with greyish vests, eat githeri like they chewing sugarcane, the kind that know busaa dens that you never knew, and they are just new to the community. We also have those uncles that will take you out, buy you ginger nuts and ball gum. You look at them, your eyes in tears and you’re like, uncle, I’m 24. We also have that uncle who would want to say hey to everyone, and once they do, they try to find out how they ar...