Exercise decorum in other people’s houses

By Hannington Mumo

There is no problem visiting friends and sleeping over. However, individuals need to conduct themselves with decorum whenever visiting friends’ residences.

Last week  a young man I have known for more than three years as a level-headed chap proved  me wrong. He was travelling from Kenyatta University to his rural home.

We went clubbing and finally decided to spend a night at my house. The following morning we engaged in a light discussion about President Obama’s re-election prospects. The know-it-all dude said Romney was going to win. When I told him that the polls indicated Barack Obama was widening his lead in the three swing states, he opposed my opinion and ended up calling me a four-letter word. The shameless dude did not even respect my wife and daughter as he shouted unprintables. I tried to calm him down but he prattled on, often digressing to other topics such as the two world wars and declaring me a poor student of history.

I was fervently praying for the floor to open and swallow me from the ignominious shame. It is important to carry oneself with due decorum when in other people’s houses.