Thread by @mwabilimwagodi

A few years ago when I was still working in Diani, my job description included running the banquets/events since there was no one fully designated to do that job and since it fell under my department I had no choice but to do it.

One thing about banquets, its always back breaking work. In a resort, its worse because most of the conference groups tend to spend at least 3 days for a conference. Some can go upto a week. This is a lot of hard work since menu planning has to be very precise.

There is always an organizer for the conference group and it is important to have an amicable working relationship with them since they can make your life into one big painful affair.
That's how I met *Violet.
She was a senior employee at a Kenyan airline at that time.

I was on my afternoon break (you work from 7am to midnight in a resort hotel with a break around 4pm to 7pm) where you catch a nap or you go to the beach for a walk. My radio call crackled.
Fox Bravo Mike you are needed at the reception.
Fox Oscar Four is it an emergency?

Fox Bravo Mike yes it is. Guest needs you here now.
After a minute stomping my feet on the bed I woke up and got dressed. The power nap I had taken made me groggy.
I felt like shit.
I did not even bother to wash my face. If they need me now they will see me like this.

A tall elegant lady was standing by the reception counter. I took a mental note that she was gorgeous.
Mr. H mgeni wako huyu, the receptionist gesturing at her.
Oh, Hi, I'm Hanningtone, how may I help you? In my "acting" authoritative voice.
Nice to meet you. I'm with the...

Airline, I am in-charge of the group. We just checked in and before I do anything I would like to see the conference room. She says matter of factly.
This way please, I gesture. How was your flight?
It was alright. We finally got in after a few delays. Priority is given to...

...customers to maximize revenue and since we do not pay they always bump us into the next flight. The ferry is a mess too. We were stuck in traffic for an hour.
Pole sana. Forget about all that, you are at the right place now...enjoy your break from Nairobi...

...Am I now? She quips. AI hope you will take care of us well?
Ms. Violet, you're in safe hands I said matter of factly as I opened the door to the conference room.
Wow! Nice set up. Is the projector working?
Yes ma'am, the latest equipment these sides of the Coast.

We went through their programme together. Tea breaks, lunch, and dinner. They were to spend the weekend with us.
Would you like anything to drink?
If you could get me a bottle of wine Mr. H!
(I noted she called me Mr. H. This is good, I told myself.)

A bottle of wine? Ms. Violet, not a glass? Do I even have a budget for that? I gamed.
Come on Mr. H, get it for me.
Let me see what I can do.
I walked her back to the reception and assisted her to her room with her luggage.
She had been upgraded to a superior room with seaview

I showed her the basics and left. I went straight to the room service office and ordered for a bottle of Graham Beck Chardonnay. (This was against hotel policy, complimentary bottles of wine to rooms were some cheap wines and done through the rooms bar section)...
What the hell!

I left instructions with the room service waiter to deliver the bottle during dinner time. I will tell you when to do it.
I signed my comp bill and went for a shower.
Dinner went well. They came as a group and I got a glimpse of her. She had changed into something elegant.

Our eyes locked at one point. She was with colleagues so I knew she had to behave.
This is good. I told myself.
She was maybe 38 is what i guessed. Very nice long natural hair tightly tied back.
She had a perfect body. An ample behind but not gross. I could tell she works out

I never saw her for breakfast since I had the morning meeting to attend. I kept tabs on the conference though. I sat on Chef Bonifacho and told him to make sure nothing goes wrong with the tea break snacks. Of they are late I am giving you a warning old man...

...Just for FYI, Chef Bonifacho was a 6ft 4 60 something year old man who had worked there for nearly 40 years. He had toured the world. He loved Italian cuisine and was great at it. I still miss his crazy Italian creations.
I cared less though. If he messed up my group...

...warning atakula tu.
Haha.
Day 1 went perfectly well. I stalked the conference center grounds as lunch time approached. I wanted to say hello to Violet.
They finally break for lunch.
I was busy replying to an email on my BlackBerry under the baobab tree when she poked me...

I got the bottle of wine. Thank you very much. You are such a smooth operator.
Its nothing. I just wanted to surprise you. You slept well though?
Oh yes I did. And the organization of the conference is perfect. People from the Coast are not that bad!
We try.

Let me have your number just in case I need to contact you Mr. H as we passed through the reception lounge.
She joined her group in the restaurant.

We chatted throughout the afternoon via BBM. She had a BlackBerry too.
So we agreed to go for a walk on the beach after they were done with the conference.
We met at the Leisure Lodge beach front. We walked and talked. What she did. What I did. We talked about life.

I have three daughters. She says. They're all in Uni in Nairobi.
What? How old are you?
How old do you think I am?
Late thirties.
She laughed till she cried.
Oh my God Mr. H you make me feel so young, as she moved in for a kiss.
The sun was setting behind us on the ocean.

My heart was racing. I closed my eyes.
Her lips lightly touched mine. She lingered for a bit and pulled back. Her lips were soft. Damn.
Lets go back to the hotel its getting late. And you need to go back to work.
We walked back in silence.

I signed a bottle of Ken Forrester FMC to her room on my way back from the beach.
Haha.
The second day went fast. We had an early breakfast together. I went for my morning meeting and she went to the conference.
We chatted throughout.
Haha.

We went out for dinner at Leornado's that night. They were checking out on day 3 very early in the morning.
I had to beg the resident manager to miss out of work that evening. We had some seafood pasta with a cheap bottle of wine (I was paying of course).
We talked some more.

Spend the night in my room please.
I can't. I might be fired if the security guys see me and snitch.
Let me spend at your place then?
I live inside the hotel. Same story. If you were not a guest...
She was low key pissed.
Ok then. I will come back next weekend.
Okay?
Okay.

To be continued...

Part 2 of #TheBriefAffairr begins earlier than expected due to a change in schedule for me today. I have to take an official trip across the city so I have a minute in the passenger seat to write.

Friday arrived quicker than expected. Violet was to arrive via a Diani direct flight from Wilson. She forfeited her KQ priviledges to avoid the delays from being bumped onto the next flight and the Likoni ferry. That ferry thing is a disaster. They should build a bridge. Anyway.

I had booked a 1 bedroomed apartment one row from the beach near 40 Thieves. She arrived nearly 6pm so I dropped her off and went back to work as she settled down and unpacked. I disappeared from work earlier than the expected midnight. By 10pm we were sitting on the 40 Thieves

...counter staring into to the ocean.
How old are you Mr. H?
26.
You're 6 years older than my first born twins.
I am 42. Aren't you worried about my age?
I have not yet thought about it.
Do you have a girlfriend?
Yes. I do. And I love her very much.
Where is she?

She's in Carlifornia. Studying.
Do you still think she is yours? Does she still say she loves you?
Can we not talk about her? Plus I have to call her soon. We always talk at 11pm.
Its fine. You can call her. I will be here.
I excused myself later on and called Linda for 1 hr

The apartment had a swimming pool. We opened a bottle of wine she had gotten from Nakumatt after she arrived. She had shopped for groceries and such.
We were frolicking in the warm swimming pool in no time.
We had an amazing night. She took everything slow and was in control.

We were up at around 6 the next morning. She went for a jog on the beach as I snoozed in bed. I am not sure if Bruno Mars had dropped the Lazy Song at this time but I felt it at that moment. I did not feel like going to work at all.
Wake up you lazy bum!

She was sitting on top of me with sweat dropping onto my chubby bare chest.
Do you even work out?
Nope. I rarely do.
You're out of shape. You're too young to look the way you do. I thought you're 36.
Haha. Is that a diss? I spanked her and pushed her away from me.

I need to get ready for work. We took a quick shower together. She went to the kitchen with her towel to fix breakfast.
I dressed up and went to the kitchenette.
Some eggs for you?
Yes please.
Ok. Let me show you a trick. She put four eggs in a sufuria.
...

Eggs take ten minutes to become hard. Lets see how long it takes you...(as she drops her towel)

I have never forgotten this statement in my life.

She came over to the pizzeria late afternoon for lunch. We sat there watching the waves crash onto the concrete barrier by the beach. Tide was coming in.
She had a glass of white wine as I sipped my sparkling water. (I know, right?)
We talked about her family.

I was married young. My first born daughters are twins. The third born was born a year later. They're all in uni right now. (They were 20 and 19 at thay time, they sure must be old right now).
Are you still together with your husband?
No. He filed for divorce.

It was an amicable settlement. He gets to see the kids. He takes care of them. He has a new family now...I decided to focus on my girls, I went back to school, I started a small business. Kept myself busy.
You look amazing.
Am I allowed to kiss you here?
Nope. I am at work

I introduced her to my colleague Sheena on the way out after lunch. Sheena has been my friend since we started working together in 2010. She was the FOM and the second youngest in the senior management team. I was the youngest. We bonded due to our rebellious nature.

I mean, most of the senior managers had more than 20 years of working experience, at that Resort ONLY. What they knew, they knew from what they did in the eighties and nighties when Tourism was booming in Kenya. Apart from Chef Bonifacho who got to travel and work abroad.

But he was also part of the furniture with his nearly 40 years there.
So, what are you guys doing? Drinks tonight? Because I didn't see PPG last night...(we call each other PPG with Sheena. DO NOT ASK ME WHAT IT MEANS)
Drinks will be perfect! Violet jumps in.

(No. Drinks with Sheena will not be perfect. That means several bottles of whisky and walking out of Shakatak at 5am in the morning for a shower, rehydration and back to work. Its called a "coast to coast") I stood there...boxed into a corner.
Ok cool.

Actually Violet, why don't we start drinks early? I am not working late today, Sheena goes again.
Oh yea? I had nothing to do in the evening anyway. Nice plan!
They exchanged numbers and I dropped her off back to the apartment.
Time moved very slowly that evening.

I was done with it by 8pm. I texted the resident manager that I was stepping out for a minute and will be back later.
I never went back. I went straight to the apartment where I found Sheena and Violet halfway through a bottle of 21 year old Famous Grouse. Sheena brought out...

...what we used to call Chairman's Stock. (The owner of the property, as we fondly referred to him as Chairman had a special cellar for himself with exquisite and rare spirits and wines. When we had special occasions we would invest in an expensive bottle and call it Chairman's)

They were having a good time.
You nevet told me about her PPG. She is amazing!
We drowned the bottle and went out to that pub at the Diani mall.
We had a rough night.
By the time we got back to the apartment it was maybe 3am. Or 4am. Who cared?

She left with the last flight from the Diani airstrip that Sunday.
I felt lonely when the I saw the plane take off.