I went to my barber yesterday evening and found a group of men there. Eventually, it was my turn, and I sat on the chair.
I simply said, “Ninyoe tu ile low taper nimezoea.”
The barber nodded, and I knew that today I'd be saying phrases like, “Mfiche wanawake wenu.”
As I was busy getting my shave, a dude walked in and said, “Bibi yangu ananiambia ati ninyoe hii nywele juu ni kubwa.” It was a gauge 3 hair and it actually looked good.
The men immediately burst into laughter.
Some said his hair wasn't even that long. Others claimed that some women deliberately try to make their men less attractive to other women. One guy even gave an example of a woman overfeeding her man until he gains weight and develops a huge stomach.
Then another guy said something that caught my attention.
He claimed that as long as you're living with a woman, don't even try to argue with her verbally because you'll lose. He went on to suggest that perhaps the man's wife thought another woman was telling him not to shave his hair because she wanted him to remain attractive.
At this point, I was just there listening. I'd gone for a haircut, but the men were giving me a whole new perspective on relationships.
And the stories didn't end there.
Another guy complained that having certain women in your life is like taking out a loan that you have to keep repaying.
He said, “Mara anakwambia, ‘Babe, ninunulie hii.’ Mara nyingine, ‘Nifanyie favour.’ Halafu tena, ‘Nitume pesa.’”
The men continued sharing their experiences in marriage and relationships, and honestly, I was shocked.
One guy even said that a woman could go an entire week without talking to you simply because she's angry. Imagine coming home every day, greeting someone who doesn't respond, eating in silence and going to bed without resolving whatever caused the disagreement.
The stories kept coming, and eventually, I just zoned out. I was simply trying to process everything these men were saying.
When the barber finally finished, I looked in the mirror and saw a handsome man staring back at me.
I smiled, paid my barber KES 100, and got up to leave.
He simply said, “Poa, next time.”
And just like that, I walked away with a fresh low taper.
But here's the thing: those conversations genuinely left me a little scared of marriage.