Pearl walked out of Dormans and looked around
She had surprised herself by announcing that she was going to visit an old friend and even more so that it was blind Mr Kariuki that she wanted to see. She presumed he was still in the Cottage Hospital.
She crossed over Kenyatta Avenue, the main road running through Nanyuki, and the two side streets which ran parallel with it and entered a small arcade of shops located on the ground floor of a three-storey concrete building.
She wanted to take Mr Kariuki a present, but what would he like? There was no point buying him a book since he wouldn’t be able to read it. She stopped as she heard music from one of the small stores. Inside the narrow shop was a glass display cabinet containing various electrical devices, including a CD Walkman. Perhaps that was something Mr Kariuki would find useful.
She wandered towards the back of the shop and scanned the display of CD covers. There was one with the Moipei Sisters. Everyone seemed to be talking about the singing sisters from Nairobi, and she had found the music pleasant enough on the journey back from Borana.
She picked up the CD and began to look through a plastic basket containing CDs of books. She found one with an illustrated African scene on the front. Turning it over, she discovered it was a recording of a book written by a vet living near Nakuru and was about his experiences when setting up his practice in Kenya. That was something Mr Kariuki might find interesting.
She left the shop with the personal CD player, headphones, and the two CDs, and flagged down a boda boda on the street outside.
At the Cottage Hospital she asked a nurse, “Where can I find Mr Kariuki?”
“He’s enjoying some fresh air out in the garden.”
Pearl found him at the same bench she had shared with him just over a month before, beside the trickling Nanyuki River. “May I join you?” she asked.
“Why, it’s Aisha Onyango’s daughter. Ruby, isn’t it?”
“It’s Pearl, Mr Kariuki.”
“Of course it is. Sit down next to me and give me your hand.”
She sat on the bench, placed her package beside her, and put her hand in Mr Kariuki’s outstretched one.
“There is strength and resolve here,” he commented. “And also determination and …” He looked at her with his cloudy unseeing eyes. “Are you about to embark on a journey?”
“Yes,” she gasped. “But how do you know?”
“This is not just a physical one, it is a journey of your soul, and you will face many challenges along your way. But I am glad you have made your decision. You shall be a warrior, but don’t forget you also have the ability to be a healer.”
He let go of her hand and turned his face in the direction of Mount Kenya. He sighed and opened his arms. “And never forget to embrace the strength of the mountain.”
Pearl picked up her package and removed the CD player. She reached up for one of Mr Kariuki’s hands and said, “I have something which I hope you will enjoy.”
He clasped hold of the CD player and felt it with his other hand. He pushed down a button, and the front popped open.
“It’s a personal CD player. Let me show you how it works.” She removed the music CD, placed it in his hand and guided it into the player. Then she pressed his hand down to close the compartment.
“Just a minute, you need to listen to it through headphones.” She placed the headphones she had just bought over his ears, connected them to the CD player and pressed play.
Mr Kariuki laughed in delight.
She pressed the stop button.
“This is wondrous,” he exclaimed. “I can hear the mountain sing to me through the girls’ voices.”
Pearl smiled and said, “And if you get fed up with the music, the other CD is a spoken book. It’s written by a vet about his experience of working in Kenya.”
“Bwana Cran?” asked the old man.
Rose looked at the CD cover. “Yes, do you know him?”
“A great man, though small in stature. He has helped many friends with the various troubles they’ve had with their cattle and dogs. I shall enjoy myself.”
Pearl pressed play again, squeezed Mr Kariuki’s hand, and left him on the bench.