Author: MacKinlay Mutsembi

(Gospel Choir Ringback Tone as phone dials) Hallo, Ma! Yes, it is me. I know it is late.  Its 2am.  Can you hear me clearly? I am still awake Ma. Hahaha… No, I am a city dweller now, and the city never sleeps. Even the cows and flies here do not sleep. They are all awake, chasing their dreams. What? Of course Ma, even city cows have dreams of making better milk, and surviving longer at the expense of donkeys. We are all chasing dreams Ma! Hahaha, No, we dream when we are awake. When I get home at 2am,…

The band holds the penultimate long note, the drummer breaks, a 4 bar cadenza and the rhythm section does the last hit. We are done for the night. Trumpet, mutes and mics quickly stuffed into the case. Time to go. Then she comes over. “Nice playing,” she says. “I like how you play that thing.” I look around; she must be speaking to me since everyone else is busy packing their gear. She is our normal gig client; natural afro, nice teeth, great skin and horn rimmed glasses. And really polite. They can be feisty and meticulous, especially when they…