this crazy culture

One Sunday afternoon Caro received a call, around 5pm, from one of the local boys in town, Dennis. Dennis, who is Caro’s “age-mate,” works at the local hospital and wanted Caro to come visit him at his home because he was feeling sick. They had known each other for years and had been friends so she went to see him. He greeted her and welcomed her into his living room where he left her, locking her in behind him. Odd behavior, don’t you think? Well, in Luhya culture, this means that they are married. Yes, that’s right, Caro is now married to Dennis solely based on this occasion. When Dennis returned three hours later with some tomatoes and onions, they spent the ne couple of weeks on their honeymoon. Now, when I say honeymoon I mean Caro stays in Dennis’s house (her new home) all day and all night, cooking the meals and keeping the place clean and when Dennis comes home from work they… well, they enjoy each others company. Caro is not supposed to go into the Shop where Milcent works, she is not supposed to visit friends or shop for the necessities. She is supposed to stay in that house all day resting for when Dennis returns. Infact, Caro one day being who she is, decided to do what she wanted and left to hang out with Milcent. Caro’s mother found out (because word spreads fast in small towns) and called Caro yelling at her to, “get back in that house and wait for her husband!”