The Housemates – Episode 2

THE HOUSEMATES – Episode 2

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME?

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Max woke up to the site of a thoughtful Bwalya. He seemed like he had engaged himself in a very serious thought provoking process.

“You need to stop doing that.” Max said as he rubbed his eyes.

“Huh!”

“How long have you been awake?” Max asked as he pulled the blanket to cover his head.

“Am not sure, since 03hrs I think. Anyway, I have a serious question I need an answer to…” Bwalya said as he uncovered Max’s head.

“What is it this time?” Max nagged.

Even though Bwalya’s questions were always interesting and something worth considering, They always made Max panic. At the end of the discussion he would be left feeling like his not doing much. “Damn entrepreneurs!” He would exclaim to himself.

“How long do you have to date someone before you can get married?” Bwalya asked.

‘Huh! This guy just asked about marriage. What’s going on?’ Max questioned himself.

“Since when did such things bother you? Trust me, when the time is right you will know it.” Max giggled.

“I was wondering, Take you for instance, you have never been in a serious-serious relationship. It’s usually 6 months and you drop the gun.” Bwalya noted.

“O-kay, why are we talking about me right now?” Max frowned.

“I’ve stopped.” Bwalya laughed.

“Oh! I see what you trying to do. Listen, marriage isn’t for everybody. It’s just the same concept with Vinkubala. They are tasty to some of us and bad for you.” “Now let me sleep.” Max demanded.

After covering his head in the blankets, Bwalya was left with a puzzled look on his face. The thought of how weird Max’s metaphors were and yet still made a lot of sense was just draining.

“For a school motivator you can really be boring at times.” Said Bwalya as he got out of bed.

It was his day for cleaning the room and everything since the maid never reported for work on weekends. One by one he moved his dirty clothes and shoes out of the room through the hallway to the corridor.

Bad habits don’t die easily, he was used doing that every time he was cleaning.

“Seriously! How can someone scatter clothes on the corridor like this?” Maluba exclaimed.

She was a perfectionist who made sure things were always in order. Seeing clothes in the corridor just sent a wrong message.

Without even asking, she got the clothes and threw them in a corner, Maluba was a beauty with a grim facial expression every now and then. Mostly when things weren’t going her way.

“What are you doing?” Rose asked as she stood at the door way.

“Am trying to put these clothes properly. I hope there will be no more days like this.” Said Maluba.

“But you don’t even know the owner of those clothes.” Rose began laughing.

“Shush!” Maluba giggled. “Whats with the makeup? are you going somewhere?” She asked Rose.

“Am going to meet Mengo. His waiting for me at the road.” She smiled.

“Huh, isn’t it too early for that? I mean it’s like 8hrs. Doesn’t he have work to do?” Maluba asked as she expressed her disappointment and sad face.

‘A man has to work, what kind of a relationship is this where you have to meet as early as 8hrs instead of thinking of making money. mxxxm.’ She thought to herself as she watched her tiny friend jump around all excited about seeing the boyfriend.

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“How am I suppose to sleep with you nagging?” Max asked as he threw the blanket and sat up.

“Its not like am doing it on purpose you know. Am just freaking out right now.” Bwalya responded.

“What the… Why you freaking out? Listen man, when it comes to the right time of getting married am sure you already passed that level. You are now legendary or something because you have been dating for what – 3 years now?” Max said in a snap.

“Are you saying 3 years is a lot?” Bwalya asked. He was now blue on the face and freaking out.

“I’ve never seen you this out of place, especially when it comes to marriage. What’s happening?” Max asked sounding a bit concerned this time around.

“How come you never think about marriage?” Bwalya asked out of the blues.

“Why should I think about marriage when am single? Unlike you whose freaking out now – I freaked out a long time ago. Marriage isn’t for me. Know your stuff Mr Steal-Your-Girl.” Max laughed.

Max really had a point, Bwalya wasn’t the type of guy to freak out about such issues. He was always chilled and reckless when it came to how he lived his life and now suddenly his face was all blue and he seemed like he was about to pass out by the thought of marriage.

“If you want a solid answer, I bet you ask Chongolo. She can surely say something worth it.” Max said with the hope of calming down his friend.

“How come you not be moved by marriage?” Bwalya asked once again with one of his eyebrow raised.

“Its just that – People are eager about marriage these days. Its like everyone is getting married. I see it as a way of securing ones future, An escape from poverty you know.” Max said thoughtfully.

“I wish I knew but nope.” Bwalya responded.

“Marriage is in fashion now and I don’t move with trends. I just think marrying for the wrong reasons is just wrong.” Max said as he put on his slippers.

“Where are you going?” Bwalya asked.

“I left the Jam in the car. Want to get it, on the other side of the coin am running away from you.” Max laughed as he walked out.

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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Max was smart and lazy at the same time. He walked the hallway to the kitchen dragging his slippers. That’s when Maluba rushed in and bumped into him.

“Yo! What’s the emergency!” Max said loudly.

Instead of apologizing Maluba gave max a strong gaze, she immediately recognized him. He was the guy that gave them directions the previous day.

“You better watch your tone. Why did your throw your clothes on the corridor?” She snapped.

“Clothes! what are you talking about?” Max asked.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You know what am talking about.” And just like that she left leaving him star struck.

‘How can a girl be so beautiful and have such a big bad attitude like that? gash, Satan you real.’ Max thought to himself as he continued on his way to the car.

“Morning neighbors!” Peter, the caretaker called out.

“Morning sir!” Max responded with a smile.

The two were buddies, for some strange reason Max found Peter to be an inspiring person.

He was only 26Years and yet he was a Sales Manager at one of the biggest stores in the Copperbelt and had just built a huge house in Konkola area. That was just an apex of the iceberg, there was more to Peter. However – Alcohol always made him do stupid things.

A month ago he came with a hooker at home simply because the wife refused to sleep with him as long as he refused to use a condom.

“How are you young Professor?” Peter called out happily.

“Am good, making progress.” He responded.

“Hows your work with the Debate Club going?” Peter asked eagerly.

“Good Good! looking forward to this Terms competition.” Max responded.

According to him (Peter), debate was one of his greatest strengths the time he was in high school. The two could bask in the sun as they spoke about debate for hours, Max was always getting ideas from him.

“Is Bwalya around?” Peter asked.

“His inside, busy freaking out about marriage.” Max replied.

“Marriage! Since when did Bwalya start thinking about getting married?” Peter laughed.

“That was my exact expression. Anyway, for the sake of conversation – How long should one date before getting married?” Max asked. For some reason he was now interested in the topic, for him and Peter, this was just another motion to debate about.

“Am not sure there is a specific time, I mean others marry because the biological clock is catching up with them and not based on the amount of time they have dated.” “I think one has to feel ready to get married. It might be a month or a year. 2 years ain’t bad as well. I think when someone feels ready just mweh.” Peter said sharply.

“I don’t agree with that.” Max jumped in.

“What don’t you agree with?” Peter asked curiously.

“Do you know I really felt like getting married after I dated my ex-girlfriend for a week?” Max smiled mischievously as he spoke.

This chat had just turned into a debatable issue for the two of them.

°°°°°TO BE CONTINUED°°°°°