My roving eye at office party gets me into trouble with Shiro

My leave has finally been approved and I am getting ready to travel upcountry next week. Just yesterday, I had to send my PA to the market to get some khangas (wrap-around cloth) for my mother. She has been calling me every day to remind me not to forget.

Last Friday, we had the office Christmas party and it was quite an interesting experience. Initially, there had been big debate about whether or not spouses and partners should attend. I have come to believe that my colleagues enjoy arguing about anything and everything.

I could not help later blurting out to Shiro: “I do not understand what the big deal is about spouses anyway! ”

This got her attention: “Ati what date is that party again? I plan to attend.”

I made some excuse about how it was not convenient for her to come down all the way just for a party. But she was not taking no for an answer. “Si the party is on Friday. I will come on Thursday, so that we can return to the city together.”

I realised I could not change her mind but made a last feeble attempt: “ Are you sure it is safe for the baby for you to fly.” She laughed and said: “Sweetie, I am pregnant not sick and you only stop flying at six months, I am only two months pregnant.”

So on that Friday at 7 pm on the dot, Shiro and I walked into the party. I must say she looked gorgeous and I noticed that the men were staring at her, especially since her pregnancy is still not showing.

It took a while before the venue started filling up. They began streaming in from 9 pm and the women looked stunning. I also noticed that quite a number of them already seemed tipsy.

The CEO had sent a long speech that he thought we should share with staff for the holiday season. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks of himself as a CEO or as politician.

Based on the volume of the conversations, I figured that my audience would not be too receptive of a long speech. I quickly picked some highlights and shared them as the “vision of the company for 2012.” I went further and told them that I would circulate the CEO’s newsletter so that they could get a fuller picture of where we were going.

What followed were long service awards. I could not believe there are people who have worked for that long here, “how do they do it.”

Finally, it was time for dancing and the MC announced a raffle for the women. He said: “Now one of the women gets a chance to dance with the Boss.”

There was raucous cheering when the lucky winner was named—although I did not seem to know her. She was introduced as Betty. Even a blind man would have agreed that Betty had a great figure and that she was dressed to kill. Since I had drank a few glasses of wine, I was more than glad to dance with her and go chini kwa chini to prove that I still had it in me.

We were soon joined on the dance floor by other equally-tipsy colleagues. It was like a merry-go round; one minute I was with this woman and the next I was flung into the arms of another.

I must have gone back to my seat after about an hour. But when I got there Shiro had disappeared. My table was deserted for everyone was on the dance floor. There was no one to ask about her whereabouts.

I stepped outside to call her. She answered after the eighth ring and my first question was whether she was okay
But she was breathing fire: “Me okay, after you left me, your pregnant wife . It did not even bother you that you are a married man. What is wrong with you? she fired back before she hang up. I tried to call her again . When there was no answer I decided it was better off staying at the party all night than go home and face her wrath.