Jolly Joseph ahahah!
Oh, jolly Joseph!…
Ah, jolly Joseph
Ah, jolly Joseph
The people’s…..
Transportation
Jacob Miller drummed in the stereo as the bus waded through the Waiyaki Way evening traffic. What a game it had been! I marveled as I accepted a bottle of water from the steward walking the aisle.
I hadn’t planned to leave the city right after the game, but then again, nothing this weekend had gone to plan. It had been a rather gay one.
From a neck-breaking night-time bike dash to and from Machakos to an adrenaline-packed fifteens finals between Oilers and Nondies, listening to the radiating throb of the crowd, moist in the cool evening air.
Earlier that evening, Black Blad fans chanted, Wan Yudhe! Wan Yudhe! to drumbeats, walking around the Impala Grounds when I walked up the bleachers, just before the finals.
“They just won third place,” said my partner as he handed me a mug of beer, as I took a seat.
A thrilling bronze final under the floodlights. Impala led 19-10 at one point with tries from Derrick Kinyari and Moses Matonda, plus penalties from Quinto Ongo. Blak Blad fought back with a try from Obat Kuke, penalties from Enock Oduor, and capitalized on Impala errors to secure third place. The game ended at 21-19.
Here come number 22
They go look for his sister Lou
Trying to catch number 77
To reach around the world
On went Jolly Joseph. And I really did feel jolly. Having just held my newborn nephew in my arms the previous evening, and now on my way to the country, to run barefoot after the goats down the ravine and break the news to the old men, why wouldn’t I be jolly?
Oh! Also, the Oilers retained their title with a dominant performance, beating Nondescripts 32-20, in a drama-filled, organized violence, beneath the Impala floodlights.
Tries from Ibrahim Ayoo (captain, early maul), Chrispine Shitundo, Aturo (maul off lineout), and Beldad Ogeta (solo 40m run) saw them ease to the title defense, despite Ryan Odua scoring twice for Nondies in a resilient effort.
In the women’s category, Mwamba RFC Ladies beat Impala Roans 44-11 to claim the glory in a commanding win with a strong attacking play.
“I can’t wait for next weekend,” said Brianna, one of the Oilers fans on the stands, who’d shouted herself hoarse all through the game.
“Why so?” My friend asked.
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
“The tournament across the fence at RFUEA, next weekend?”
“Oooh! Africa Women’s 7s Tournament. I got my ticket already!”
Ah, packy pon bus
Ah, jolly Joseph
The people’s….
Transportation shun shun shun shun….
uhhhh uhhh uhhh….
As the city lights dimmed behind me and Jacob Miller’s voice faded, I smiled. Next weekend would bring its own kind of madness, but for now, I was jolly enough.
