The PhraseTHANK YOU needs revision.

I watch with amazement what; within a very short time snow does to the majority of the population. People who would not be bothered to do anything active, who in most cases are always warmly wrapped up watching DVDs and loads of hot drinks, upon its fall, they want to go out to play in it and with it. Quite amazing how it jump-starts some! Two, three days down the line the list of complaints starts to grow. Sorry we cannot make it to church today too slippy to drive; must you buy an extra piece of bread? Those far from major supplies would ask.The list goes on and on until the nation is brought to its knees.

Am now starting to understand why soon a lovely nation becomes a moaning nation. Obviously disruption of travels because of snow is an act of God but companies issuing travel tickets should be fair enough. For me they do not seem to have a human face. At the point of booking it is all merry and many thanks for booking with us.

It is at the claim desk am proposing the revision of the word thank you. The woman behind the desk feels sympathetic with me that am unable to travel on the said date. As a matter of policy she offers me a later date to which I reply, sorry mum am only here for a while and later dates do not work for me. What I was proposing was at least something paid back as a sign of gratitude in agreeing to travel with them! On a second look on my ticket she then turns to me and with a broad smile utter the following words, “Sorry your ticket is not refundable THANK YOU.” What is there to thank me for loosing £50- my student living allowance for a whole month surely!

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On a different front, you know you are in another country when the following things happen all in succession. The lovely lady at the coffee shop tells you, “Sorry we do not take such monies.” Thirsty and disappointed, you walk to the train and everyone on your cabin is glued almost an inch to their books or newspapers and each seem to care-less of what is happening around them.

On the final leg of you journey where you have to take a bus, obviously because you are disoriented you walk to the bus stop and decide to ask a gentleman, are these buses East or Westbound?  And because he does not know he takes time to think and before long his bus comes and stretching his hand to alert the driver of  his intention to board, he looks at me and says, “Sorry I’ve got to go.”  Eventually I get a bus with separate entry and exit door which means I have no chance to tell the driver THANK YOU for getting me home. On a second thought it is probably meant to tell Gerald, get over!!Deal with it for that is how we roll!!

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After all, it is not all doom and gloom. As I strolled this afternoon,around this big city to refresh and later pick some milk for tea, two boys run toward me. Reaching where I was, they stopped, one reached his hand into a bag.  From where I come from any stranger reaching their hands into their bags as they talk to you are treated with suspicion. There could be a possibility that what is coming out of it is not meant for your well-being. So, I take a step back to assess the situation. 

The boy got a book and a pen and then started talking with the lovely London accent. “We looked at you from a far and thought you might be David Rudisha and looking at your wrist it confirms you are Kenyan.” “Well if you do not mind can you sign my book please?” I looked at those two boys and I knew  that only an answer to the affirmative would lighten them up, so I kept quiet for few seconds. Before I could answer, the boy took his pen and book back into the bag saying, “well, I guess that means you are not?” Certainly yes, I said as they walked away.

On reaching to the local shop I got my packet of milk and started chatting with the shopkeeper and for the first time saw one person who was excited to hear am a Bible college student. As I walked away the young lady said…”Fare thee well” to which I responded...THANK YOU!!