A few years ago, I encountered the true cost of love. 

It was on one lovely weekend when I decided to board a bus heading to Kampala to chase a deal. So here I was seated, comfortably, in a bus ready to take off. 

Then there was this strikingly beautiful lady who boarded late as we were just about to leave. Unfortunately for her, all the seats had been taken and this implied that she had to travel all the way in a standing posture! But as my mind was racing at a breakneck speed, I found myself offering her my seat number 8!

This meant that I was going to stand in the bus for the whole trip. Since I had sacrificed my seat for her, I felt it wise to keep up close and personal with this nice looking lady.

That is why I tried to offer her some boiled eggs and potatoes to munch away along the winding long route to Uganda’s capital. However, she declined my offer of boiled eggs citing hygienic reasons. Anyways, I engaged in some small conversation and that is how I got to learn that she was a Diaspochick, travelling back to her home in the USA. She was going to spend a few nights in Kampala before heading to New York.

I felt that this was my chance to hook myself a Diaspo lady. In order to win her heart, I tried to portray myself as a big Kigali shot that was travelling for a serious business meeting in Kampala. But how could a whole boss travel in a bus, instead of flying? Ah, you see I happen to have this phobia of airplanes. And besides, would I have gotten this chance of meeting someone as nice as you? Yea yea, I was scoring points very fast. I could sense that the chick was going to be my companion in the busy Kampala city.

When we arrived at the Kampala bus park, I started to curse out loud! "I had told my Kampala office to send me the Benz! Where are they?” Then I dialed several fake numbers on my phone. "Nobody is picking up! Anyway let’s just use a taxi. Can I offer you a drink?” The lady agreed. So I asked the taxi driver to take us to a place called Ntinda, where we would enjoy some drinks and some pork. But to my surprise, the lady pleaded with me that she had always dreamt of visiting the posh Serena Hotel in Kampala. I was cooked! Where was I going to raise the cash from! That place is damn expensive!

But without hesitation, I found myself confessing the same: "You know what! I have always wanted to visit the Serena too!” Before long, the taxi was swerving inside through the Serena gates. I realised what trouble I had landed myself in when the menu was brought over to our table. 

I could feel my heartthrob vibrating out from my throat as my new catch was busy ordering for a very expensive wine. "Please give me a glass of Cabernet sauvignon and then mix some doses of Pinot Noir and Syrah” Phew! I just settled for a bottle of Tusker beer. As I was preparing to settle the bill, I heard her squeaky voice requesting me - "Please let’s go to Silk Royal!”

And like a sheep being led to the slaughter house, I found myself heading to Silk Royal Discotheque. The good news is that it was ladies night so I just had to raise entrance fees for myself. My objective, at this stage, was to keep her at the dancing floor! If not, then I would run the risk of buying more rounds of Champagnes and wines. 

But the chick was always a step ahead of me. Every time I turned around, she would be perched up on a stool at the counter guzzling like there was no tomorrow. After drinking to her fill, she whispered in my ear; "Go to the car and I will join you in three minutes.”

Indeed, I rushed out and sat in the taxi patiently waiting for my lady to join me. After about five minutes, I spotted her coming out of the discotheque. However she was not alone! Beside her was this rich looking guy who had a round pot beer belly for a stomach!

He pressed his remote control key holder and at a distance I could see his grayish S-class Mercedes Benz. Before I could dash out, the couple was entering the sleek Benz and heading away through the cold night. I was just left flabbergasted and disgusted! That, to me was the true cost of love…