FLASHBACK:

[At the ghetto slums in Kibra, Nairobi. Cardinal Jameson’s mom is seen grinding corn. Cardinal is back from job hunting, sweating profusely. His shoes were torn and his shirt were drenched with sweat. His mom broke into tears.]

Mom (sobbing): God, why do you have to punish us like this?

Cardinal: Mama, don’t cry, God will see us through this. Someday, I promise you, all our suffering will come to an end.

Mom: How was your day, my son.

Cardinal (sitting down on a stool): Terrible, mama. I couldn’t get a single job out of all those multiple big companies out there. What’s the use of this degree if I can’t find a job!

Mom: Don’t give up my son. Keep on fighting, keep on looking, God will surely help you.
Cardinal (angrily): I’m tired of all of this. (Looking at the sky.) God, if you truly exist as they say you are, then remove this suffering from my family! Why do you want to punish us like this?
Mom (likewise): What are you doing? If you keep on blaming God for all of your misfortunes then I’m sorry. There’s nothing God can do to help such a cunning person like you.

Karado: I hate this life! I hate it!

(Karado throws the stool away breaking it in the process. He then runs to the backyard. His mother contemplated and sensed danger and followed him only to find him wanting to commit suicide on a mango tree nearby.

His mom removed the rope and rescues her son from possible suicide.]

Mom: What’s wrong with you?! Do you want to die and leave me here all alone?

Cardinal (crying hysterically): Mama! (Amid sobs.) Why didn’t you let me die! I’m tired of all this suffering, mom. I want to go, to a place where I won’t suffer forever.

Mom: No don’t say that my son! How would that make me feel as a mother? That my own son wants to kill himself? (Crying.)

Cardinal: Don’t cry mom, I’m so sorry for trying to take my own life. I’m really sorry, it won’t happen again.

(Later that evening, as Cardinal walks by the road from his daily job hunting, he meets up with a close childhood friend. A certain hunk with a bushy beard and moustache. When they saw each other, the man quickly hangs up his phone and reversed his car.)

Man: Sorry Jake, I’ve found another one. I’ll call you later. (Hangs up the phone and alights from the car.) You guy my guy! Cardinal Rotunda! (Coming out of the car.) It’s Herald McDonald, your best friend back in highschool!

Cardinal (thinking out loud): Herald… Herald… (His face brightens up.) Herald McDonald, the “Superfly”? Is that you?

Herald: Yes! It’s me, Herald the “Superfly”. The wannabe legend, Jimmy Snuka!

Cardinal: Wow! (They greet and hug in excitement.) You’ve changed so much since we last saw each other! You’re now big and strong.

Herald: Well, it’s my wife’s fault. She always makes sure I’m well fed.

Cardinal: In addition to acting like the WWE legend, you were also feared and respected in high school.

Herald: No one would mess with me, the Superfly. You were not bad either.

Cardinal: Me? Na! Between the two of us, you were the most popular. So, what brings you here in Kenya? How’s the UK?

Herald: How did you know I was in the UK?

Cardinal: News travel fast, man. Especially here in Kibra.

Herald: England is great.

Cardinal: I heard of racial discrimination against blacks living in the UK. Is that true?

Herald: Racial discrimination does exist, but the place where I was staying, in Stratford-upon-Avon; the whites there are nice to us, blacks.

Cardinal: Wow, you were living in Stratford, the birth place of…

Herald: William Shakespeare.

Cardinal: Wow! I heard on the radio that they have cottages for houses over there.

Herald: Not only in Stratford, most of the English folks living in different places in England all live in cottages. It has been their tradition ever since.

Cardinal: I would like to go to the UK, soon. But, with my current condition, I don’t think so.

Herald: Why?

Cardinal: Can’t you see, bro? I’m dead broke right now, like super broke. I can’t even afford a nice pair of shoes. Look at these, (Pointing at his torn shoes.) they are all torn due to the constant trekking to and fro town.

Herald: What were you doing in town?

Cardinal: Job hunting, but to no avail. The office secretaries all gave me false hopes of getting a job. Up until now, no job. No nothing!

Herald: Easy, easy bro. Relax.

Cardinal: Bro, I can’t relax. Infact it has never been easy for me for the past two years after graduation from the university. I got a degree in business management. Ever since, I’ve been in one office to another looking for job.

Herald: Sorry about that, bro.

Cardinal: There was a time my mama got so sick. I couldn’t afford medicine, let alone, hospital bills. I felt horrible, like some miserable failure in life.

Herald: C’mon, bro. You are not a failure. You were made to be successful, if only you become one of us.

Cardinal: One of us? I don’t understand?

Herald: C’mon Cardinal, hop in. Let’s talk on the way home.

Cardinal: Where are we going?

Herald: To your house of course.

Cardinal: You still remember the way to my house?

Herald: I still remember the place where I used to visit and play when I was a kid.

Cardinal: Wow, you do have a sharp memory.

Herald (laughing): You’re funny, bro. But on a serious note, dude, you have to change your life. You need to change your destiny. I want you to be like me, rich and famous. Are you ready to be rich?

Cardinal: Bro, it’s as if you don’t know me very well. I am ready to do anything so as to be rich. Even if it means running around the market place naked, I’ll do it.

Herald (laughing): No, dude, you don’t have to do that. What I meant to say was, are you ready to kick out poverty? Do you have what it takes?

Cardinal: I was born ready! Just tell me what to do.

Herald: Relax, bro. It’s one step at a time. No rush, we’ll cross that bridge once we get there. That is, if you have the guts.

Cardinal: You know what, all these “are you ready” stuff is now beginning to sound like a broken record. What should I do, just tell me instead of beating around the bush.

Herald: To quench your thirst for curiosity, here is my business card. (Handing Cardinal the business card.) Here, take it.

Cardinal: (Taking the business card.) What’s this for?

Herald: It’s my business card, dude. It contains both my home and office addresses, you can visit me at any of the addresses. That is if you are interested.

Cardinal: Of course, I’ll be there, Herald, the Superfly! Wow! The gods are smiling upon you. You now have a business card, dude! The chairman himself! (They both laugh.)

Herald: C’mon dude, stop being cheesy! It’s just a business card.

Cardinal: One would have mistaken your business card for an ATM card.

Herald: Do you know the difference between an ATM card and a debit card? It’s pop quiz time, I want to know if you really deserved that degree in business management.

Cardinal: Challenge accepted. Well, an ATM card is a pin-based card which is used to withdraw money from ATMs only, while a debit card is a multifunctional card accepted in stores, restaurants and even online.

Herald: Good! I can see you didn’t sleep during your semester.

(They both laugh loudly.)