Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Pointie

Long, long ago, there was this phenomenon. The phenomenon of the pointie. Sought after like <insert simile of choice here>. I didn't understand it. Mostly because I wasn't anywhere near puberty I think. Because it was all about attraction. Guys who were half-cast were apparently really hot. I think it was the light brown skin. Or the hair, that wasn't like steelwool. Like it was for the rest of us.

There were one or two in my neighbourhood. And when I say sought after, that isn't even a figure of speech. Walikuwa wanatafutwa. Everyone wanted to impress. We got recruited, kids who knew no better, in some really odd schemes to make these people accessible. Things people do for love. Some didn't even have mzungu blood. Taitas mostly I think. The light-skinned effect was the same.

Since I started liking women, I've always preferred them darker. Not any kind of subliminal reaction as a result of my childhood. I don't think. A guy just likes what he does. No rational explanation of why. I always figured I was in the minority. All the talk of yellow-yellows and how they were every man's fancy. Or fantasy, since most wouldn't get a chance.

Cue one random night out. There's this coasto/mwarabu guy who every chic in the place is ogling. Can't blame them. It's the age old spell they are under. One of the few times I've seen women literally throwing themselves at a guy. Trying to get a kiss in. Or something. The guy didn't seem too bothered. Well, in truth he did look bothered. Probably has been in this kind of situation a million times before. Probably gotten tired of it. I got to talking to some chic at some point. She was livid at the guy. Who did he think he was. Feeling good and whatnot. He wasn't even that hot. Apparently he declined to give her the time of day or something. Tried to tell her that she was blowing things out of proportion. That the guy probably didn't have a watch is all. But no. She had to go on and recruit her friend. Do you think that guy is fly. Which guy. That one huko. Some frantic finger pointing and neck craning later, the friend returned her verdict. It was unanimous. The guy wasn't that attractive. I figured that there was some coercion involved so I tried to point out those magical qualities. The fair skin and non-steelwool hair. Surely, there was no denying it. The guy was a hunk. I was surprised that they didn't agree. This was either borne out of scorn, or that effect isn't as potent anymore. I pondered the latter possibility for a while. Perhaps that look isn't as exotic anymore. Perhaps more of it is visible and they walk everywhere among us, so the effect has worn off. Perhaps the laws of probability convinced some to give up their fantasies. Perhaps guys like us, who looked like everyone else, who haven't seen their navels for years, perhaps we stand a chance in the glare of the reflective types. Perhaps. Perhaps the phenomenon is no more.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have always liked them chocolate to dark chocolate so I don't get the fascination with the yellow ones (the guys).

I'm thinking it's instinctive? Light babies are percieved cuter so the mamas want to net light baby daddies for that purpose?

Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:04:00 AM  
Blogger Samborera said...

I've never understood that I'll-mate-with-you-because-we'll-have-cute-babies thing.

Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:59:00 PM  

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