Free

I wonder if its a peculiarly Kenyan thing. The obsession with free things, and the consequent bending over backwards of providers of goods and services to accommodate this mind set. I've just been reminded that our politicians are currently falling over themselves in proclaiming how things will be better, and free, should they come to power. But I don't talk about [Kenyan] politics. So called politics anyhow.

So I get this sms the other day. I gleefully take a look at my [aging] phone. It's not a good sign, I don't think, of one's social state when there's such anticipation at an incoming text. What can I say. Haven't gotten a number in ages. Haven't purged either. Apathy. As it turned out, lots of people must have got the sms I did. It was from SAFARICOM. In caps no less. My heart sunk. SAFARICOM isn't female, and I never win anything if there is a promotion going on. My spirits were somewhat raised as I read through the message. Something about Bonga [reward] points. What made an impression though was the number of times the term "free" appeared in the message. I've since deleted the message [I do that after reading or responding to a text. Once bitten, forever shy] but there were like 3 or 4 references. It's free to call this number. Sms this other free number to get some thing or other. Free. I got the feeling the emphasis was on purpose. Made me chuckle.