Of Chicken bones and simple pleasures

Num num num num nummm...

The past several months have seen a lot of firsts for me. Indeed, I feel like I really started to experience Kenya as a potential Kenyan (as opposed to a full-blooded mzungu) around mmmm, mid- to late- October (won't mention the obvious reason why). This is as opposed to my actual arrival date in Africa back in March 2010!  Thanks to a certain someone I have accumulated gobs of black Kenyan friends recently. These friends have had an enormously positive effect on my knowledge and impression of the so-called Mother Land, especially our dear Kenya (did I saw “our??”). Imagine, these days I catch myself referring to Kenya as "home!" Anyway, amongst these African friends of mine, I have become particularly fond of a certain ethnic Luya lady that I shall refer to in this blog as...mmmm, Ms. Slowwwly (yes, I know this blog is full of inside jokes, but stick with me). Since befriending Ms. Slowwwly, I have learned and grown quite impressed with the Luyas love for chicken. In fact I have been told by a certain ethnic Luo gentleman (a very handsome Luo gentleman, I might add) that the Luyas are so fond of chicken that they prefer not to wash their hands after eating chicken in an attempt to keep the chicken “fragrance” close at hand (pun intended)! What is even more interesting is that you will never see a Luya leaving any trace of chicken meat on the bones. In fact, they love chicken SO much that they will even chew, and in fact EAT a considerable amount of, the bones themselves! I thought this was the strangest quirk until just the other day during a quick visit to Kenyas' favorite chicken joint - Kenchic. I was absolutely and completely famished by the time we finally got to town, so I ordered double my usual portion. I gobbled up the chicken meat faster than I believe I ever have, but was still left unsatisfied. ...And so, I tried it...one munch on that bone, another munch on another, and before I realized it, I had practically eaten all the bones on my plate! BONES! ME! A MZUNGU! I felt like a dog eating bones like that, but God, they were GOOD! It was such a shocking revelation that I could enjoy such a thin. Needless to say I will be returning to Kenchic as soon as I am back in Nairobi. Luyas - Chicken bones! Delicious? Who knew!!!