This couple isn’t aware, or doesn’t care this’s Africa!

Why do we drink, even as numerous medical reports assert that alcohol has the potential to mess up your health? 

Concerns for our health as per the doctor’s warnings aside, there are cases of adverse social outcomes that many a serious drinker has experienced after taking alcohol beyond his capacity.

Who among us who patronise drinking joints can swear they’ve never witnessed a bar brawl or even a serious fight that was a consequence of good timers who have taken one too many and lost their good senses?

I personally know persons who’ve lost limbs or suffered serious damage to their erstwhile handsome faces following some senseless bar fight involving otherwise old friends. Regret comes thereafter. Majuto ni mjukuu, we say in Kiswahili.

But drinking isn’t that bad when it’s taken responsibly. That is, you drink modestly, which is, if we go by what experts tell us, a daily intake not exceeding two drinks for a man, while a woman should limit herself to one drink. Bah! I can hear this dismissive reaction coming from the mouth of a serious drinker.

“It’s a joke… yaani, a whole man goes to a bar, takes a mere two beers and goes back home… what nonsense!” Our good old Uncle Kich would surely say this if anyone dared to suggest that to him, something we should all understand, for his usual amount is four Safari Lagers. His nephew, Esaya demolishes five Sere Laiti easily before winding up things with a small bottle of his favourite brand of gin, ostensibly, kutoa gesi!

Limits aside, I’ll attest that having a drink has its benefits, more so when taken in good company. It makes conversation more interesting and worthwhile. Gives you the guts to do whatever you enjoy doing, however stupid.

Like this time around when an old buddy and I chat over a drink while waiting for nyama choma, when we stealthily take note of a middle-aged and an under-20 lass who’s dressed loosely and seated carelessly. I personally would love to see them leave this place and go somewhere they can behave the way they’re behaving. There’s too much touching and pecking, almost caressing, between them, like they are all alone here.

Now when you hear the lady suggesting they should be going, you sigh with relief. The irritatingly ridiculous pair is soon leaving. “Okay,” says the guy, “but let’s have one-one first, and since our bottles are takeaways, we’ll leave with our drinks.”

Their beers come. I assume they’re picking them up, then leave, but they don’t. Another round for them comes and they polish it off slowly while not ceasing their public display of affection. It’s like they aren’t aware this is Africa! That’s even after the guy had declared to her, “Let’s have just one-one that we’ll drink in the car.”

We soon finish our nyama-choma, which we wash down with a truly last beer, leaving the lovey-dovey pair stuck. You suspect they’ll only leave for real when the guy’s wallet dries up.