Bingo's Run Read Online Free PDF Page A

was the oldest by far. He gave me sixteen hundred shillings. I gave him the four bags of white and two dagga, and then I gave him a hundred shillings like Wolf told me. Manager Edward then gave me a twenty-shilling coin. This was the Livingstone style of doing business—class.
    After, I walked down Kenyatta and thought about Deborah. I did not want to be around Slo-George, and I did not want to runany more that afternoon. There were several runners at Wolf’s and I had the Boss Jonni run the next night. It was time to rest. One of my commandments (No. 7) is rest whenever you can; it means you will be ready when chance comes. There was an afternoon to kill.
    I walked down Moi Avenue and into a mobile-phone shop. “Jambo,” I said to a light-skinned stick-shaped salesman. “I try that one,” I said, pointing to a Sanyo. The man looked me up and down. He was about to kick me out until I showed him the money from the Livingstone. “Reception on the Sanyo good,” the stick said.
    ----
    * Marijuana block.

Chapter 6
.
Waiting for Deborah
    Deborah was at school when I called her on the Sanyo. “Meet you’z at four,” I said.
    â€œHuh?” she said.
    â€œIt’s Bingo. Be at tha bus station at four.”
    â€œHuh,” she said.
    Conversation over. I gave the Sanyo back to the stick-shaped salesman. He wiped it on his trouser leg and put the phone back on its stand. I left the shop. Two hours to wait.
    It was around the time when city workers begin to leave their offices. I thought about lipping a few before Deborah came but I was tired, so I went to Uhuru Park. I stole some sugared nuts from a street vendor, ate them, felt sick, lay down under a tree, and slept.
    I slept hard, and dreamed of a darkness that sprinkled over me like ash. As I slept deeper, the ash got thicker. At first it was light, but it got heavy. It became tarmac. It lay on me like a brick blanket and flattened me. First I was afraid, but the tarmac blanket whispered, “Shh, Bingo, lay still. I’z keep you safe.” The road’s voice was Deborah’s. I welcomed the blanket over me anddreamed that I disappeared under the shadow of my road. A thousand trucks later, I was nothingness driven on by everything.
    I woke suddenly, sweat-wet and hard. Deborah’s emptiness scared me, but I wanted her. Emptiness is one way people get by, and I wanted to enter it—at least for a while. I ran fast to the bus station. The station clock read 3:45. I ate fried chicken from the throw-out bin at Chicken Heaven and waited for Deborah.
    At four-fifteen, Deborah was not there. Four-thirty, no Deborah! I had told her to be there at four.
    I went over to a line of workers getting on buses and tried to lip a mobile. I got spotted, ran, and went back to the mobile shop. The stick salesman was having none of it. I went back to the bus station. Four-forty-five—still no Deborah. Tak! An office worker undid his tie and hung it loosely round his neck—orange-and-black. I waited for him to get two steps up on the bus, then I ran at him and pulled the tie off. I was gone by the time his hand got to his neck. I gave the tie to the stick mobile salesman and called Deborah on the Sanyo.
    â€œWheres are you?” I said.
    Crackling (it was rubbish reception), Deborah said, “My fatha got me from school.” Rubbish father.
    â€œCome layta,” I said.
    Crackle. “Can’t,” she said.
    â€œTomorra,” I said.
    Just crackle.
    I said, “You such a mama’s girl.”
    â€œNine tomorrow night,” she said.
    â€œBus station,” I said.
    â€œHuh,” she said.
    Conversation over. Nine tomorrow night—perfect. Boss Jonni run at 8:00 P.M. , Deborah at 9:00 P.M .

    I jogged down Mbagathi to Kibera and gave the Livingstone Hotel money to Wolf. He pushed the money into his green bag and said, “Meejit, I tol’ ya get a new fookin’ shirt.” As runners,