My life wouldn't have been more interesting in these times of Covid-19 had the government not announced the mandatory quarantine of all new arrivals. First it was for those from China then Italy, and the Europe and USA. The government having closed all schools, as a teacher, I made the decision to go to my rural village. While there I tried to give back to my community by spreading the messages to wash hands with soap, social distancing and keeping an eye for the new arrivals from China and Italy. Our village has many youths working abroad, especially the acrobatics, followed by those in Qatar or Saudi Arabia working in garages hotels as drivers or simply doing some domestic chores for pay.

I think by now you will understand why everyone was apprehensive when a romour started spreading that these young men and women working abroad were now jetting back from abroad in secresy. Husbands' and wives' to those working abroad in the village started to be avoided some even openly telling them to self quarantine. I was amused at the extra caution that my village folks placed on their health against those purported to have arrived back to the village, though I did approve of their actions at time.

A day was to come, that I would find myself at the middle of prevention campaign with a suspected Covid-19 case. I was seated outside my house taking sips after sips of my hot mzumai 'tea' that my sweet Gladys had prepared for me, when a young boy greeted me from my left. I saw that he is our nyumba Kumi elders' youngest sons, he wouldbprobably be in high school with his age. I asked if his father, Mr Nzuga, was home in English, to which he replied in Swahili, "Yes he is home, he infact sent me for you"

"Can't it wait, am taking tea now young man" I asked in English prompting him to follow suit this time

"Mwalimu, father said now now. We come together." he replied without even batting an eyelid

Well he had addressed me as mwalimu meaning teacher which signfies the weight my professional has in my village. I had no reason to search for disobedience in this young man anymore as we teacher do in th we e situations. Once a teacher everywhere a teacher and all times a teacher, my nursery School teacher Madam Joan once told me. I gulped the remaining sweet contents of my herbal lemon grass 'tea' and led the way to my village elder, the young man as usual observing social distancing behind. When we were about to enter the elders compound, I kept my promise of correcting the young man's English as is my habbit with students at all times. I wouldn't let this young man get away tarnishing the beautiful Queens lingo.

The old man came out of his hut when he heard me greeting Auntie Joan, his wife, who was my former nursery teacher.

He spoke immediately we were seated on the shade of the humongous mango tree, overlooking his hut.

"Son, I have heard your efforts, to educate the village trade centre of the importance of hand washing. When I heared this good news I said to myself, 'good at least we have you Gideon, son of my late friend Caesar Ngumbao to assist us spread the message.' Your father would be proud of you."

I smiled and nodded in response.

"Well, I hear you brought home with you a visitor, a girl, are you two a couple?"

I shook my head.

"Well , I let it be" he remarked

He was referring to Sweet Gladys, my girlfriend whom I brought home to assist me with the semi lockdown in my home County, Kilifi. She had obliged knowing it would be one of the meet-my-people tour, an essential part in any serious relationship in this part of the World

"Gideon my son, we have a problem of some of you who have gone to those Wazungu Nations coming back here without observing the mandatory 14 days quarantine. Now with the authority invested in me, I want you to investigation several cases and bring your Intel to me. Find out if these homesteads have people who travelled back form abroad."

"You mean China and Italy?" I asked him

"Yes, Yes my son."

"It is the duty of you and me to quard our village, you neighbors safety, is my safety" he said

He handed me a list of names of homestead written on a piece of paper, almost swearing me to secresy at the last part of his speech. Having finshed my undertaking with the old man I stood up and bade Auntie Joan, who resisted my leaving so Early but relented when I revealed I was on a critical assignment, on matters of national security.

Sweet Gladys found me in bed; having quietly returned home, without her noticing. She had called from outside to which I had responded, afraid of what others would think we were doing in the middle of the day, she had begged me to come out. I refused, she came in, but immediately reminded me of her promise she made to a Saint X to remain chaste until our vows. Well, that's why I haven't proposed to her, until now. I laughed out aloud, trying to laugh the pain away at such restrictions on my manhood.

"Giddy, Giddy are you ok," she asked hysterically
"I am sweet thing, am ok, Is lunch ready?"

"Almost, but mum told me to tell you we slaughter you chicken"

I smiled the loss away, it was my only hen, though. The pain in my chest! I would have bought her two from my neighbors. The poor thing was laying eggs. I would have had many Chicks after it hatching them. She cut it's throat away!

"Go assist mum with lunch, am ok." I asked of her, to get rid so she won't see am bothered. The list of homes was akin to having the OCampo six. If you know you know

She kissed me on the cheek and left.

****

That evening, I had time to go through my list. Gladys slept in the guest room in my house with my two young sisters, both in highschool so I was all alone. Except for her occasional texts, I had all the time for myself.

There were six homes of which I knew who was outside the country by name, the other six I didn't. The six homes consisited of men in my subcounty that belonged to HomeBoiz Akrobats. I called one Steve to enquire of his neighbor who is in the Acrobatics in my area.

"You mean Miziji, Yes Mister Miziji came home a week ago from China. I myself have avoided him and he apparently is roaming at night drinking" he informed me.

Have you seen him? I asked

"No, not myself but call his best friend Rajab he will corroborate my story"

I proceed to call Rajab, cynical to think he might give up his friend, but I was wrong. Rajab confirmed to me that his friend was around and spreading "Kolowa" as he called it Well I knew I had a strong case, as Mr Kinoti the DCI would have said if in my shoes.

I met Rajab the following day at his home, myself donning a mask before meeting him in his hut which was dangerous thing to do. I provided one for him before he started talking. Rajab was afraid he was infected by Miziji, even before Miziji was tested. I asked Rajab to call Miziji using my phone. I recorded the conversation so as to have a water tight case.

"My friend why don't you self quarantine yourself you have exposed many people already!" Rajab lamented after some lengthy greetings had eaten a chunk of my airtime.

"Muziji laughed, relax my friend. Corona fears Africans. We are immune. Black skin is immune to Korona"

"That's a lie!", I intervened

"Rajab who are you with" Miziji asked

"Am with the village elder's eyes"

"No no no, am not sick, Rajab am not"

"Please don't run away, if you do we will harm you, infact remain where you are" I threatened like a fiery Cooper.

I decided to go back, to my village elder with the details of my first Intel, but at home I found sweet Gladys was crying in bed, having been stung by a red ant. The tiny thing is painful, but not enough to make a teacher intern cry like a baby. Any way she delayed me for quit some time, trying all manner of relief after first finding the insect on the cemented floor trying to run away from her room.

I applied some Kaluma balm and said prayers led by mum, and cast away the evil spirits that was the Ant. I caught Gladys, mumbling things in her native Kisii, which gave me a hint of how serious she took this insect incident. She infact requested to retain the Bible in her room, which she tucked away under her pillow hiden from site. Who knows, perhaps the insect could be interpreted as a bad omen in her native Kisii on our suitability

As I stepped outside, I found a tall dark slender man with rasta hair in a rasta cap standing at my door step. He was wearing a sleaveless shirt, conspicously to flaunt his workman type biceps.
"Hello brother" he spoke in Swahili

"Hello"

"Can we go inside" he asked

"No, over that shade there" I replied as firmly as Covid-19 would need it. We walked to the shade.

We were barely seated when he started coughing. A dry cough.

My name is Teddy Kalume aka Miziji, Aka Rasta aka (again cough, cough, cough) aka Maraga

Lawd, here I was seated with a Covid-19 suspect without any protection. I ran back to my room looked for my N95 mask protector, as opposed to the surgical mask I wore before meeting Rajab. I donned the mask then came out slowly carry a surgical mask for him. Sweat trickling in my back, my hands sweaty too I looked at him as he wore the mask. I could feel some throbbing headache with my nostrils itching too by as I stood there thinking if I should continue with the conversation or not. 'Well for the good of my people' a voice reminded me.

Sweet Gladys texted: Hey what's up
Me: Nothing, stay inside the rum plz don't come out, stay inside pliiiiiz

"Ok ,you mean you are coughing like this, all this time and haven't quarantined yourself, wtf are you thinking? Even after coming from China?" I spoke as calmly as I could control myself self- not wanting to alert Sweet Gladys.

"Am not coming from China, man look I have been at Malindi and Mombasa. Am a cook nowadays."

*You no longer do Acrobatics"

"No, no no, here is my work ID"

The guy was a cook according to the ID he gat me, working for one prominent hotel(name withheld) at Malindi. I attended a seminar on Sexual Gender Based Violence on these hotel conference rooms. To be how sure, I asked why he lied.

"I lied to my wife, and so I had to lie to my family too. Don't you also lie to you wife man? You are a man you should understand these things brother"

I looked at my house, and saw Sweet Gladys standing at the door way, I looked back at him. I told him I would retain his national ID and work ID until I complete my investigations that day. I also asked him to call his wife to bring his passport before he leaves my place.

******************

This story is a result of imagination meant for entertainment only, any semblance to real persons is unintended and regretted.