“Please Mind the old man!”

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I saw him trudging slowly, 

Burdened with weights, 

Suffering from obvious fatigues of a long journey, 

Her daughter also lifted whatever the luggage remained, 

Innocent and simple, 

I concluded that it was her first time in Nairobi. 

But she was safe, a caring father endured all odds greatest of which is age, 

To see her get to the very best of the Country, 

By domestic standards, she was stepping into the gates of an ivy league school. 

I got tempted to lend the old man a hand, but I ended up minding my own business, which was equally demanding. 

It was two weeks after the University admissions, 

There must have been a problem somewhere, 

I suspect tuition money, 

But now things seem okay,

Not complete immunity over poverty, 

But at least there seemed to be some reasonable steps,

She could afford to effect her admission, 

And begin digging the foundation. 

As I followed slowly, 

Keen not to harass them to accelerate, 

Knowing how heavy their luggage was, 

A thought crossed my mind, 

I had been in this great institution for while, 

I have observations on how students abuse the freedom which University affords them, 

This was especially done by those who are forcing issues, 

Trying to forget the realities of their meager means to fund their needs, 

They sacrifice everything to display and try to fit in. 

You will see the poorest students bibbing the most expensive wine, 

They call home creating imaginary budgets to help them fix their self-appointed problems and dissipation. 

What about the airs of sanctity about them? 

Most will fit into the sanctimonious temperaments of impiety, 

Four years down the line, 

They come out educated sinners, 

Educated crooks who cannot be trusted with duties, 

They may graduate magna cum laude, 

But some ingredients are lacking in their growth. 

What kind of student are you going to be?

If you can’t remain fealty and committed to your assignment of being a student, please just do it for the sake of your ‘old man.’ 

“Please Mind the old man!”