I use Boda Bodas regularly. What can I say; they are a convenient way of getting around. So anyway, about two weeks ago I was heading to Nakawa and I was accosted by one of them Boda-Riders. As is the tradition, I had a figure etched in my mind, a price ceiling if you will. The Boda chap clearly had his own ceiling so I switched gears to ‘defensive’. Then he surprised me.
Boda Guy:                   Ssebo, where are you going?
Me:                                  Nakawa. How much?
(I don’t like to use too many words when so few could do)
Boda Guy:                 Nakawa? Don’t worry, I will take you. And I will take you for a good price. How much do you have?
Me:                                You’re the one with a good price, how much were you looking at charging me?
Boda Guy:                 I will take you for 5k only.
I feel the need to point out at this point that my ceiling was 3k. And in these harsh Economic times I think it is a tad disrespectful to attach the word ‘only’ at the end of monetary sums. So anyway…
Me:                                How is THAT a good deal?
I honestly can’t remember raising my voice at this point, which is why I can’t understand why he would say…
Boda Guy:                Boss, let’s not quarrel. Let us negotiate then I take you, because, me I (sic) want to take you.
Me:                               Okay, I have 3k
Boda Guy:               Eeee, can’t you give me Four thousand shillings
We have started using the word thousand instead of ‘k’. We are making progress!
Me:                              I have only three thousand. If I give you four thousand I won’t be able to go home.
Boda Guy:              You can’t raise five hundred?
Me:                              Er, no. Sorry.
Boda Guy:              Okay, let’s go.
So we headed to Nakawa and then when I got to my destination I handed over the three thousand shillings.
As I tried to cross the road…
Boda Guy:              You haven’t reached? (sic)
Me:                              It’s just across the road.
Boda Guy:              You sit, let me take you.
So that was that…and I still can’t  shake off the feeling that I was taken for a ride.
In other news:
The kid accusing Pastor Kayanja of sexually molesting him was arrested yesterday and interrogated by the police.
Pastor Kayanja was hoping that he too would have a chance to probe the boy, but Martin Ssempa and Co. had this to say, “You already did!”