I love little boys.
Little boys are curious, adventurous and daring and seem to have an endless source of energy. Their play is loud and rough and rambunctious and like the men they will grow up to be, they love to boast about their exploits and exaggerate every little fact.
Yesterday, I was privy to a series of conversations between three 8 or 9 year olds in my neighbourhood. As the boys fought and laughed and jostled for position in their small trio, I was struck by how little we change over the years. How much we are just little boys and girls trying our best to live in this big, big world.
(Please adopt a Luglish – Luganda/English – accent when reading the following dialogue. If you don’t know what that sounds like … um, sorry move to Uganda for the experience; it’s a beautiful place … sometimes.)
Boy 1: Me, don’t joke with me. I seen Rambo and I know to do ‘corobatica man.
Boy 2&3: Wah!
Boy 1: For real. Even at our school people be fearing me because I do many many sommers. Even karate like Chackie Jan.
Boy 2: Okay you show us.
(Boy 1 fumbles with his best somersault-cartwheel combination landing clumsily on his head.)
Boy 2&3: Hahahahahahaha!
Boy 2: Kiwaani!
A few minutes later, with a badly bruised ego and looking for someone to share his shame, Boy 1 taunts Boy 3
Boy 1: Eee you, you lied us that that your uncle has a Mercedes Benz.
Boy 3: I didn’t lie. Even we went in it to the village.
Boy 2: Bambi he’s not lying. Even me I saw it yesterday yesterday.
(Boy 1, finding that his plan for a long loud taunt has failed, changes tactic)
Boy 1: Even me my daddy is going to buy a Benz for my birthday.
Boy 2: Shiyah, You are lying! Benz? Your daddy doesn’t know to drive Benz.
Boy 1: He knows. Even he drives tirakita at his work in Kajjansi. Even he used to drive taxi.
Boy 3: But Benz is for rich people …
Boy 1: Eh eh? For us we are rich. We have a TV and even we have a DVD and even us they bought for us new shoes.
Boy 2: Kyoka you kaboy you can boast!
Boy 1: I’m not boasting. Nanti, nanti you people you said that …
(Boy 2 and 3 walk off bored)
Boy 2 and 3 return munching on cobs of freshly roasted maize.
Boy 1: Some?
Boy 3: No, you you said you are rich.
Boy 1: Eh mama. I just want little.
Boy 2: Okay I’ll give you on mine, but you must allow me to watch Rambo DVD at your home.
Boy 1: Okay.
(Boy 2 breaks his maize cob in half and shares it with Boy 1. They chew in silence for a while until suddenly, Boy 2 throws his maize into a bush)
Boy 3: What is wrong with you?
(Boy 2 looks at his hands sheepishly)
Boy 1: You see there. (He points in the distance) See Amina is coming. This one likes Amina.
Boy 1&3: Hahahahahahahaha!
Boy 2: Nooo! Me I don’t like Amina. You stop saying like that.
Boy 3: You like Amina. Even the other day you bought for her sweets and kabalagala.
Boy 2: Eeeeeeeeeh. Me I never! Eeeh, you why are you lying on me?
Boy 1: Hahahahahahaha!
Boy 2: Even you (pointing to Boy 3), even you you like Namatta. Even you touched the beads in her hair when we were in Sunday School.
Boy 3: No! Even you how did you know? We were praying. How did you know nti I touched Irene’s hair? You were not praying!
Boy 1: Who is Irene?
Boy 2: Irene Namatta. Only this one calls her Irene. For us we know only Namatta. Even my sister said he loves Namatta.
Boy 3: Eeeeh you boy. I’m going to report on you that you said bad mannered words in Sunday School.
Boy 2: Like what ones? Like what ones?
Boy 3: Mbu condom and sexy.
Boy 1: Hahahahahahahaha. Kyoka you boys! Ahaa!
Boy 3 sulks, Boy 1 returns to his acrobatics and Boy 2 looks on lovelorn as Amina and her friends walk by
Boy 3: Me I am going to Tony’s.
Boy 1: Even me.
Boy 2: To Tony’s for what?
Boy 3 &1: Football!
Boy 2: Okay.
(The boys part, walking in opposite directions)
Boy 3: Why you are not coming?
Boy 2: My daddy refused me to go to Tony’s home.
Boy 3: Why?
(Boy 2 looks away miserably and walks home.)
Boy 3: What is wrong with that one?
Boy 1: Nanti you know.
Boy 3: What?
Boy 1: Tony’s daddy loves that one’s sister. Even she got puliginant and she stays with baTony.
Boy 3: Eh! The sister who is in S.2?
Boy 1: Yes, that one.
Boy 3: Eh!
(They walk home in silence)
