Breaking the legacy

 A drop of ink can make a million think, but for me, a cooking challenge was worth my thought. Garet is the name my mother gave me, which if turned way round meant Great. Am the only boy among my five other siblings. Born from a family of soldiers, it was imminent when I would graduate; I had to join the defense forces; I with no objection to it until a certain Friday.

That day was rather odd to me than other days. I walked down to the grocery to pick up lettuce leaves to prepare a hamburger, which was a challenge I took from the tv. After getting all the other ingredients, I got to the kitchen back at home and started preparing it. In a large bowl, I mixed the ground beef, onion, cheese, soy, Worcestershire sauce, egg, onion soup mix, garlic powder, parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper and formed them into two patties. I grilled the patties for five minutes per side on the hot grill until it was well done. I served on the bus with my romaine lettuce leaves. I kept one for my aftertaste and boxed the other and sent it to the Food Inn footsteps away from my parents’ apartment in Nairobi. What’s the odd thing with the day? Nothing.

I was never a chef, but I perceived that it was going to be a venture once done with my university studies. A week later I was still waiting for the hamburger challenge results. I admitted the challenge because all the proceeds collected went to support the hunger-stricken kids in the streets. Later that evening while sat with the family, they announced the results; I concealed my tension while they read the top ten, but on getting to number one, I jubilantly exploded with joy into the atmosphere of surprised faces as they pronounced my name. Little did I discern it was the start of deviation from the family long and well-built legacy.

Cooking landed on my thoughts, and with each day I was becoming better at it. I grasped later on, it would build my objection to joining the military, which my grandfather strongly wanted me to be part of. I had told no one my differing opinion to his plans. It led to a heated debate with them on that Sunday afternoon, but this one was different because I ended up running away from the house and vanished into the darkness weeping my heart out. I came to a halt after walking for about an hour. The filthy stink of rotten eggs, puddles of urine, clutter of baby diapers and lonely hilly place is where my strength carried me to. Hardly could I tell where it was and how far it had to be from home. I was twenty years old; I did not feel defenseless but made it my home for the night. I spot checked the place and immediately saw a bush which I went straight in and sat wondering how it can feel to be homeless. Staring at the stars and bearing the horrible smell, I got carried away with drowsiness despite my rumbling stomach.

I got interrupted from my sleep when a person rushed through the push, missing by an inch on stepping my face. Immediately from short range, I heard people enchanting “thief! Thief! Thief!” It never disturbed me until I heard “the thief is in the bushes.” I rose quickly and began pushing my way out of the bush. I was almost out when I felt a whiplash at my back, I took off my jacket which the thorns held captive and ran as fast as my legs could. I ran from a frying pan to the furnace when the police told me to remain still. Before I could say a word, I found myself thrown into a cell.

Inside the cell, there were about five other men who rummaged through my pocket to check if I had a single penny. They found nothing, and that alone made me a punching bag I received lots of blows before an officer came to my rescue. The officer who I later found out was an inspector recognized me from the hamburger challenge and inquired what I was doing in the cell. After the narration he worked within his rank powers, he had me released but under one condition that is if I wanted to be a chef in his newly started hotel. With no hesitation, I agreed.

I spent the night at the inspector’s place and that is where I met his wife, Jane, who was to only bring me trouble later on. It felt awesome to recall my first tv interview was about the challenge; I felt proud that finally that fame that had come with it had saved the day, as I fell asleep. The following morning, I reported to the hotel manager and got assigned the regular chef post. After an introduction to the other staff, I received my first order, and it was a hamburger served with the lettuce leaves. I felt Deja vu, but I got over it and cooked within thirty minutes before the order was ready. I was not sure what to expect, but then I kept my calm and kept doing other dishes. One chef forwarded me a paper which was written “Too delicious to consume.” Having not taken any classes on hospitality or cooking, I did not believe I was already getting compliments.

A month later I was winning affection from all corners of the hotel, which earned me a promotion to a chief chef from which I was specializing in hamburgers. I was deeply rooted in trouble when the Jane requested me to cook for her later that evening. The inspector was on a night shift and having no kids meant she was all alone that day; I did not object and went to her place. All this while after my employment I rented an apartment since going back home was never an option. I arrived at her place and got to the kitchen; I started preparing the hamburger, which too many seemed I had magic to it. I called her to come eat, having finished preparing it, but how wrong I was to think she only wanted me to cook. She came down dressed in a lingerie, exposing her curves with which every step she attempted to make my emotions go crazy. Weighing what I could do, I felt her hand go behind my back and the other pulling me towards her warm body. I quivered as her hand caressed and moved below my abdomen. She then held me by the other hand and kissed me, she threatened to have me fired If I dared resist. I tried to get away, but it all tuned futile against her determination. She unbuttoned my shirt and pulled my trousers down before she could do anything further. My eyes caught the inspector watching us. I was terrified and raised my hands high in the air, I could not tell how long he had been there but he seemed composed. He placed his gun back to the carriage and stared straight at me.

“so, this is what you have always been doing on my back,” The inspector shouted

“Sir, it is not what you…” I tried to plead but got interrupted

“What? You’re fired”. I felt like it was that whip being lashed at my back once again. Jane came to my rescue and made a retaliation in a vernacular language and by her words, I stood a resurrected man once again being offered a chance as the inspector forgave me.

The following day felt awkward as Jane kept staring at me in the kitchen, I wish I had an option to quit but unluckily there was none. I felt I owed her something after her retaliation, but luckily; I broke the eye contact as an order came in and it was another hamburger. I prepared it a little longer than the others because it felt necessary to do so. Five minutes later the waiter said the consumer I had served the hamburger wanted to meet me in person, to my surprise it was my grandfather. He stood up and hugged me, I could feel his tears on my back. He informed me of how long he had waited for such a tasty burger and how its sweetness got elevated realizing it was from his blood. He however told me something that finally gave me an option to find greener pastures as I was not willing to stick with Jane who was demanding for one more night.

“Son, don’t think we hate you. We love you. If cooking makes you great as your name then just know family traditions are always there waiting for brave souls like you to defy them. Hope you can come back home today to at least return the sobriety of mind to the family. I promise that you will stand supported to achieve what you so wish henceforth.” I hugged him, exploding with joy.