“When Would the Knife Fall?”

After though planning and counter planning, we decided to walk the talk and not just talk the walk! By five sharp (17:00 hrs) we were set and ready to go for the “fearsome” but necessary exercise and nothing was gona stop us now (then)! Dr Aberi had given us 17h30 as the appointment for the first “demolition” , the second and the third all depended upon the success of the first. I have been beating about the bushes too much, actually, the operation was what the likes of the Gikuyus, Bagisu or the Banande of DRC would call, “turning boys into men”! Imagine, we were men but not yet men! Is that confusing to you? Now, nearly a decade down the road, the government is emphasising that, all males (boys and men) should endeavour to have their “nyakatsi” removed, a.k.a. circumcision, so that “boys” become “men”! I’m told that, in some tribes, if you still have the “nyakatsi” on you, you can never marry; the whole tribe would shun you, of course not us! As I was saying, by 17h30 on the dot, Dr Aberi had the operating table ready. We had to vote as to who goes first, Karazayi, Diaspoman orMfashumwana; we decided to allow Diaspoman come first, not because he had worn an election, probably because he looked more of a coward than anybody else. Next on the queue was Karazayi and lastly Njyewe kanwa kavuga (myself). Diaspoman took nearly an hour in the ops room, maybe he had chickened out, maybe not. Whatever happened in that room is a matter between Diaspoman and Dr Aberi, I have no right talking about it! Likewise, Karazayi took nearly the same time span. As in the caseof Diaspoman, I am not authorised to talk on behalf of Karazayi as well; if I go beyond what I have already spilled, I may stand the risk of being sued by the duo! A few minutes to 20:00hrs (08:00pm), Dr Aberi shouted out, “Neeeext”, I walked in with my legs shaking a bit. I was wondering out quietly, whenwould the knife fall?, what if this guy “kills” my ka gadget? He looked up and smiled at me, “Amaso si aya” (eyes are not these) he said questioned. “Yes, I am the great Mfashumwana of the New Times”, I boasted! “Aaaah, nibyo, nibazaga aho nkuzi” (was wondering where I know you), he replied. He gave me some green khakish wrapper and told me to go to undress and wrap myself in that before I can go to the Sale de operation (Ops room). As I was stripping, a nurse rushed in and I had to cover my gadgets quickly lest she sees them. “Dr, there is a lady who requires an urgent caesarean section, please come and assist”, she begged. I was told to dress up and wait a bit but the waiting to close to an hour. During the waiting, I was re-united with Diaspoman and Karazayi, they looked fine and never told me of their ordeal at the hands or is it the scissors of Dr Aberi! At around 21:00hrs or so, I was once again ushered in and this time, I did not wait for any instructions, within a second, I had shed my attire and was in the wrapper. In a matter of minutes, I was on the Ops table (or is it bed) and Dr Aberi was looking at me as if I was yet another specimen of his! Whether the look of my ka gadget pleased or displeased him, he did not give away anything! With an expressionless face, he called in a female nurse to bring the operating devices. These included a number of hypodermic syringes, needles, pairs of scissors, tongs,forceps, biceps, pliers but no hammers or knives. I silently prayed that he would send the nurse away but my prayers were all in vain! Damn her, she looked me over and smiled, I don’t know whether it was in approval or disapproval! How I wished that we had met under totally different circumstances!