There's a post I came across when I was on Facebook, it said " Feeling good about yourself? Ask a child to draw a picture of you". As in kids are so astute and open minded they will draw your big nose if you do indeed have a big nose. To them its not about hurting your feelings its just about drawing what they see.
Now there is another group of people who are just as expressive but they are not children. Anyone who has taken a walk on River Road has met these women. The ones who stand by the road and narrow in on whatever insecurity or flaw or blemish u might have and offer you a quick solution for it.
Are you conscious about a pimple that just sprung up that morning? AVOID that street, u will think your whole face has become the Andes ranges.
Feeling low about your skin tone, take a different route, the sympathetic looks they give you when they point it out is enough to make you feel like a walking mosaic.
It is the ultimate Walk of Insecurity.
I have been having a very cranky couple of days, can't figure out why but I have been tenser than cords. Yesterday, I got out of work and crossing Waiyaki Way to the bus stop was a test of patience, cars were bypassing nonstop, eventually after a few minutes I managed to get across and not without a few extra panicked heartbeats. When I had been across the road, matatus were practically packed on top of each other in a passenger picking frenzy, as I got across to the stop....nope, you guessed wrong, there was NONE. Finally, when one came, the makanga demanded for a whole FIFTY bob, now its not that I am stingy but being conned is an option. I waited. Seven 50bob matatus later, one for 30bob came hah! There is a God.
There was certainly a price to pay for that. The makanga loudly and proudly announced "Mwisho!"about three stops away from where I wanted. So there was leg work to do, before I realised it, I found myself on the street. There they were, posing on either end of the street calling out loudly to any poor soul with bad skin and low self esteem. Ye though I walk through the valley of the shadow ....
What was my plan?
Do not make eye contact.
I walked stiffly in a straight line which wasn't too hard to do because the streets were so packed. I hoped my expression showed a mixture of I-don't-want-nonsense and I-can't-buy-I'm-broke. I went by the first shop, no comment. I approached the second one which had two ladies holding a plastic face cream container...no comment...and so it went on till the end of the street, I was so surprised that at first it didn't even register in my mind to be pleased.Aiii, how?
Well, I can tell you there was no reflective surface that escaped my image. I had to look at myself over and over again to behold the face that had literally passed through the lion's den and not only survived but convinced them to form a Simba Knitting Club. Yes, such was the feat.
Well, Maybe I'm just vain. :-)
