Kenyan Man vs Woman

By Franz Owano

What does the cultural and economic liberation of the Kenyan Woman forbode? A belated well deserved  freedom or a vulture of doom hovering over a rapidly evolving society; struggling to retain its African roots? Where does this leave the Kenyan Man, embittered by the dawn of feminism? Is he hindered by his own reluctance to let go of his power or are his fears of fading into the shadows completely unfounded? Can an unlikely pair on differing sides of this divide not only find common ground but unexpected romance amidst the conflict in their ideologies?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Franz Owano
• Release date: Apr 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201515638

Franz Owano

Franz Owano is a medical doctor by profession who lives and works in Nairobi Kenya.He boasts of a body of works.He has penned 6 plays,a journal,2 novellas and a collection of short stories. He enjoys reading,writting and travelling in his free time.

Book preview

Kenyan Man vs Woman

––––––––

By Franz Owano

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

KENYAN MAN VS WOMAN

First edition. April 15, 2021.

Copyright © 2021 Franz Owano.

ISBN: 979-8201515638

Written by Franz Owano.

Also by Franz Owano

ISSUE 08- MARCH 2024

Wanderer's Path

Standalone

A Silent Epiphany

Banda's War

The Chief Must Die & other stories

The Trials of Chepondor

Chasing After Unicorns

Dreams of Better Days

Kenyan Man vs Woman

All the Old Gods

By Their Fruits

Reluctant Surrender and Other Poems

Simbi

Visions of Chrysalis

Watch for more at Franz Owano’s site.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Franz Owano

Kenyan Man vs Woman

ACT ONE. | Scene 1 | Sometime in the year of our lord 2019 | A staircase within a building in Nairobi.

Scene 2 | Within the  studio of  trend FM

ACT TWO | Scene 1 | Jomo Kenyatta  International  Airport.

ACT TWO | Scene 2 | D. J strolls  through a street in the city.

Scene 3

ACT THREE | Scene 1 | Two weeks later | Within Quincy’s massive estate

ACT FOUR | Scene 1 | Two weeks later at the studio of Trend FM.

Scene 2 | (Within the studio from Trend FM.)

ACT FIVE | Scene 1 | At D. J’s, apartment.

Scene 2 | Mwende  apartment  2 weeks  later

Scene  3 | On week  later  at  D.J’s  apartment .

ACT SIX | Scene 1 | Two weeks later at a local bar in Nairobi.

SCENE 2 | At Mwende’s apartment.

ACT SEVEN | Scene 1 | Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Also By Franz Owano

Dedication

To the lonesome yet content.

PS xxxxx- I’m still standing.

ACT ONE.

Scene 1

Sometime in the year of our lord 2019

A staircase within a building in Nairobi.

(Fred would be furious. Actually, furious would be an understatement. His current condition, probably a notch higher.

As regards the appropriate expression in a quantitative scale of anger, what would be more suitable? He thought.

The English language in its ingenuity provided numerous options. Irritated, annoyed, angry, exasperated, vexed, infuriated maybe even aggravated. He rushed up the stairs in apparent alacrity while simultaneously mentally exhausting his vocabulary. He arrived at the studio to find Fred as expected, waiting at the entrance with a murderous look in his eyes. The kind of look that preordained unemployment to the unlucky recipient. Having received the same ominous glance in the past without being axed confirmed his suspicions. Fred seemingly was all bark and no bite. His stern posture was simply a ploy to shake off his employee's lassitude.

I couldn’t fire him even if I wanted to, Fred admitted to himself resignedly.

Despite his faults he was indispensable to the station. Firing him would be bad for business. Fred was thus coerced to endure him momentarily until he outlived his usefulness. After providing a weak guilt-ridden smile for an apology, he waltzed past his immediate supervisor and made himself comfortable in the studio. Despite Fred’s protest he took five minutes to offer his overworked lungs some respite. On catching his breath, he put on his headphones and gave his co- host Wanja a thumbs up, indicating he was ready to go on air. She reciprocated the gesture, and the pair went live.)

Host:    Nimekuchagua wewe, nikupende

Mama sitaki mwingine

Aushi usiniache, usinitende

Mama, usipende mwingine

Cohost:     Moyo wangu ni mwepesi

Umenikalia chapati

Nafanya vituko kama chizi

Kukupenda sitasizi

Host:     Sura yako muzuri mama

Aah, muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama

Co- Host:      Na tabasamu lako maua

Aah, muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama

Host:      Itabidi nikulinde, nikutunze

Mama, usikose lolote

(He continues to sing.)

Co- host:     Pete nayo nikuvishe, nikuoe

Mama, usiende popote

Host:     Juu moyo wangu ushakubali

Umenikalia chapati

Nitakulinda kama polisi, eh

Itabidi nikumarry

(He sings flawlessly without  coming  off pitch  or  croaking  in spite  of his  naturally deep voice.)

Co- Host:    Na sura yako muzuri mamaaaaa

, muzuri mama, muzuri mama, muzuri mama

(He resumes his performance. The  host and  co- host an electric pair smile at each other impishly both fully aware that their spontaneity  would  cost them a reprimand by the show’s producer Fred.)

Host:    I’m sure there is a law against having this much fun at work. 

Co- host:     It’s probably in our contracts.

Host:    Good people of Nairobi welcome to the hottest show rocking your airwaves this south of Sahara on trend FM 89.8. It’s me your show host; brother, mentor and friend. The long awaited prince of radio Derrick James Owino. Better known by the acronyms D. J and to others as the pastor’s son. With me is the lovely, vivacious miss Lady Wanja.

Wanja:       Hi guys it’s your girl Wanja here.  I hope you are having a lovely evening.

D. J:    To start the night off my co- host Wanja  and I are offering two thousand  Kenyan shillings to the  first caller who correctly identifies the name and artist of the song I just sang.

Wanja:    There you go hogging all the glory. 

D. J:   My apologies. The horrible  shrieks  in  the  background of my charming  baritone  were contributed  by none other than Miss Lady Wanja.

Wanja:    You are too kind D. J. As an inspiration to us all you bring out the best  in me.

D. J:   What can I say? I just have an effect on people.

Wanja:   Migraines you mean?

D. J:   Come on Wanja play nice. It’s  the month of January. I already  have enough problems as it is.  (Before Wanja can provide a witty retort  D. J  receives caller number  one’s call.)

Caller

No.1:  Hi D. J and Wanja, I love your show. I am Carol calling from Westlands.

D. J &

Wanja:     Hi Carol welcome to the show.

Carol:    The name and artist  of the   song  you sang with such finesse was  Sura Yako by Sauti Sol.

D. J:  Carol. You have  just  earned yourself two thousand Kenyan shillings. Tax free. (Carol  makes  an imperceptible sound, probably of joy.)

Carol:    Thank you .Thank you D. J and Wanja. That song  was a blast  from  the past.  I can’t  remember  the last time I heard it. 

D. J:    Come to me you children of this wretched earth, and I will nourish you both in body and soul.

Wanja:   Lord. Someone might  think you are offering everlasting  life.

D. J:   It’s all in the moments my dear. What is eternity but a collection of interminable moments? And isn’t that what I offer?

To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wildflower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.

Carol:    That was beautiful  D. J.

D. J:    I’m merely  a herald  ensuring  the eternity  of the  poet. William  Blake  deserves  all  the  acclaim.

Carol:   Do you want to know what I like most  about your show?

D. J &Wanja:  Do tell.

Carol:    I especially enjoy the witty banter between you and Wanja. You  two  would  make a wonderful  couple.  You should date.

Wanja:   Not in this lifetime.

D. J:   And probably not in the next.

Carol:   I think you  are perfectly matched. Give  it some  thought  D. J  she might  just  be  the  Ying to your Yang.

D. J:    You my dear Carol seem to live by faith. In the hope that fire and ice can  co- exist  without  one consuming  the other.

Wanja:   Men like D. J are simply afraid of a strong woman.

D. J:    Thank you  Carol  for sparking today's  discussion  on  your  favorite  show  Man Talk.  One of  the  reasons  our viewers  adore  this  show  is because  we are raw,  real, uncut and  uncensored .  Discussing  issues  , accommodating  differing  views  and  welcoming  opinions  regarding  woman in  a  man’s  world and  man’s  adaptation  to an  ever- changing  woman  . Our  conversations  here on Man Talk are not choreographed and certainly not stage managed.

Wanja:   We do not follow  a script. We here on Man Talk shoot straight from the  heart. We encourage our viewers to express themselves with  unadulterated honesty.

D. J:    I Derrick James Owino, the pastor's son ask this question  out of sincerity and not mere  curiosity on behalf of all heterosexual men on planet earth and all parallel  universes not  excluding the  galaxies yet undiscovered. WHAT DO WOMEN WANT?

Wanja:      Carol what do you think?

Carol:     Well, I can’t  speak for all  women, but  as a generality, women