Our girlfriends stuck with us for better or worse

I recently heard a guest on a local talk show advising young men not to bother about dating until they are loaded.

It was shocking to say the least. The problem with our young men today is that they have no idea how to date within their means. During our time, one knew just who to date while keeping to our lanes. For instance, whenever schools closed, we knew which schools provided the best hunting grounds and which girl schools to avoid.

It was unheard of to even say ‘hello’ to chicks from ‘high-end’ schools like Loreto Msongari, Kianda School, Loreto Limuru, State House Girls and Moi Nairobi Girls.

At home in Buru, no devil would push me to woo upmarket girls, as they were too sophisticated for our rough Sheng, which automatically dented our chances of success.

These chicks spoke fine English and we could not comprehend what they were ‘gassing’ about.

We took our chicks to Munyiri’s Fish & Chips along Moi Avenue as sausages were reserved for Christmas. We knew where and when to draw the line.

Talking of drawing the line, a friend of mine from Buru once broke the norm by inviting a chick friend from Lavington and who on reaching Jogoo Road, saw the houses in Makadara and innocently asked which rich man had seen it wise to house all those workers!

This is why we had to keep to our lanes and so should the new generation.

It’s okay to have fun today, but let it not escape you that what will matter more in the future is how  much money you would have made. What mattered to us back in the day was landing that dream job. Thereafter, you were expected to work your way up the corporate ladder. Our parents jointly owned properties as they managed to build their friendship from scratch, with nothing.

I am not against young men having girlfriends today, but you must be careful, lest your heart  is torn into pieces. Ask God to show you a genuine woman and pray for patience, tolerance and a forgiving heart.

If the chick you call your girlfriend is nowhere near being decent, then pray for courage to walk away and search for another. There are 40 million Kenyans with more women than men anyway! I know it’s easier said than done because you have invested in time, emotion and honesty. But like a bad business, just cut your losses and move on.  

In fact, invest in your self first - complete your studies and work hard or smart to get the basic things in life. Save for the future since the moneyed are always more handsome and women will follow the scent of your pricey cologne and cents in your head and pocket!

As a young man, forget those ‘yellow-yellow’ chicks. Beauty fades with time. Investing in a chain of rangi ya thao girlfriends is like throwing your money and time in an a hole.  How I miss the good old days when women were loyal and would stick with a man who was down on his luck until they made it in life together. These women knew how to spot potential in men. Today, women - even the saved ones - see the wallet before they see the pocket.

Very sad.

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@Ainea Ojiambo