Monday Comes With Questions
Monday mornings have a way of reminding you that the weekend was never yours to keep.
After spending Saturday in Naivasha with Riziki, I was back in Nairobi, back behind my desk and back to pretending that emails were the most interesting things happening in my life.
The drive back on Sunday had been pleasant. Riziki and I talked, laughed and occasionally revisited the previous night’s highlights. But there was still one conversation hanging between us.
What are we?
I hadn’t given her the answer she wanted, and I wasn’t about to manufacture one just because we’d had a good weekend.
I liked Riziki. She was attractive, witty and surprisingly good company outside the office. But I wasn’t ready to put a label on something that had barely started.
Monday morning at the office confirmed that things hadn’t changed much.
She was at reception, looking as composed as ever.
“Good morning, Max.”
“Morning, trouble.”
She smiled.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby.”
“Must be nice.”
I laughed and headed towards my office.
There was definitely something different between us now. A little more familiarity, a few private jokes and the occasional look that reminded me of Naivasha.
But we had work to do, and I intended to keep it that way.
At least until the weekend.
The boys had other plans
Wednesday evening, I met up with one of my closest friends, Kevin.
Kevin was the kind of guy who always had something new to introduce you to. New restaurants, new hangout spots, new gadgets and, occasionally, new ways of getting yourself into trouble.
We were having drinks when he started complaining about how difficult it had become to meet interesting women.
“Bro, you’re still doing everything the traditional way,” he said.
I looked at him.
“What’s wrong with the traditional way?”
“Nothing. But why make life difficult?”
He pulled out his phone and introduced me to something I’d heard about but never really explored.
He explained that it was an online platform where people could browse profiles and connect with others interested in meeting up.
“It’s actually straightforward,” he said. “You browse, find someone you’re interested in, have a conversation and see whether you connect.”
I laughed.
“So you’ve become an online dating expert?”
“Don’t laugh. I’ve had some interesting experiences.”
I wasn’t particularly convinced, but curiosity got the better of me.
That evening, I checked out the platform for myself.
There were different profiles, different personalities and plenty of options. It was interesting seeing how people presented themselves online, each trying to stand out in their own way.
I eventually came across someone who caught my attention.
Let’s call her Michelle.
Her profile was appealing, and her description suggested she wasn’t interested in endless conversations that went nowhere.
I sent her a message.
Surprisingly, we connected almost immediately.
We exchanged a few messages, got comfortable with each other and eventually agreed to meet.
I wasn’t expecting much.
Sometimes the best experiences happen when you don’t walk in with a long list of expectations.
An unexpected highlight
We arranged to meet at a familiar spot in Westlands before deciding where to go next.
Michelle was exactly the kind of woman I enjoyed talking to: confident, playful and comfortable in her own skin.
There was no awkward introduction or interview-style conversation. We exchanged stories, laughed about a few things and discovered we had more in common than either of us expected.
What started as a simple introduction turned into a genuinely enjoyable evening.
And let’s just say the chemistry wasn’t limited to conversation.
We eventually found ourselves enjoying each other’s company in a much more private setting.
It was one of those nights that makes you understand why people say you should never underestimate a good first impression.
I won’t get into all the details, but Kevin wasn’t exaggerating.
The experience was lit.
What surprised me most wasn’t even the encounter itself. It was how effortless the whole process had been. Two people connected, established what they wanted and decided to enjoy the evening.
No complicated introductions, no awkward expectations and no pretending we were building something bigger than what it was.
The following morning, I found myself smiling at the thought of how the evening had unfolded.
I sent Kevin a message.
Me: Bro, I owe you one.
Kevin: 😂😂 I told you!
Me: I see what you’ve been doing.
Kevin: Welcome to the other side.
I laughed and put my phone away.
Back to reality
Of course, life doesn’t stop because you’ve had a good night.
By Friday, I was back to the usual routine.
Riziki had sent me a message asking whether I was free over the weekend.
I hadn’t forgotten about her.
But I also hadn’t promised her anything exclusive.
I replied that I had a few things planned and would let her know.
A little later, Vanessa’s message appeared.
You haven’t forgotten our conversation, have you?
I stared at the screen.
Right.
Vanessa.
There was still that unfinished story, Brian’s strange approach and the promise I’d made to hear her out.
I was beginning to realize that my social calendar was getting busier than my work calendar.
And somehow, I wasn’t complaining.
I’d spent the week discovering a new way to meet people, enjoying an unexpected encounter and trying to make sense of two women who seemed to want different things from me.
Kevin had introduced me to Exotic Kenya, and I had to admit, that was one recommendation I wasn’t going to forget anytime soon.
But Vanessa still had something to tell me.
And Riziki?
Well, she wasn’t exactly the type to let a question go unanswered.
I had a feeling the weekend was going to be interesting.
To be continued…