By Son Mumbi
Before the copper boom went bust, I had made a relatively modest sum of money as a copper dealer. In two successful deals, I made such a high profit margin- a percentage too ridiculous to state, even after I had greased several palms.
While I could not afford a brand new Toyota GX, I bought a reconditioned one from Japan. In this car, I drove myself to Monalisa, Sherbourne, Jazz Lazzy -the popular and expensive hang out places in Kitwe for budding dealers like myself. At these places, I bought beers for my mates and for the women who I respected because they were ‘working’ hard but whom in contexts outside these, I would have derisively called hookers.
For one of these women who frequented Dubai for business I bought new clothes and cologne. I truly looked and felt flashy. In a short while, I was sporting the paunch of success, which came with taking office girls out for chicken and chips and one too many beers.
I did not think to save any money, nor did my friends encourage me to do so, they said, bushe ukai losha, meaning when I’m dead I am going to dream. I blew a sum of money that I could have lived on modestly for a year, in two months.
For the few months after I run out of money, my car was run by the generosity of friends who put fuel and those who wanted to be seen with the flavour of the month. My own earlier free spending meant that I also got free beers from my mates and the hardworking women in the bars.
However,first to cut me off were the office girls when they realised I could not buy them chicken and chips anymore. Later my mates, when I sold my car to try and finance another business deal; I had instead spent the money on an ill advised shopping trip to Johannesburg with the female flavour of the month. No longer ‘ba some of us’, I am now drinking my beer in the dark hidden dens patronised by the odd former Shimaini who at one time was also a ‘somebody’.
What a feast to day from LT. News every 30mins
Thats precisely what happens, when you have money, your so called friends are all over you and when money is gone, even freinds disappear! In life, its better to live without friends because they somehow dont add any value to one’s life!
DONT LAUGH THEM TOO MUCH MAN THATS HOW LIFE IS THERE IS UPS AND DOWNS THINGS DONT REMAIN THE SAME
So this Mumbi has closed a mine and declared his employees redundant? With copper you dont speculate, you need plan B should things go the opposite way.
…..you must be crazy to have leaved like that, because if you have seriously passed poverty like i have at one stage of my life, I vowed never to go back to that nor my kids to go through that.
NipaZedi kuchenjela man.
Were is baby c? Am miss her badly!
Life is too short, so enjoy shi mwana.Hard luck.
#7 she is on retreat with RB and the Hippos (Sorry at Hippos lodge) Any massage for her?
Reminds me of Jack Nicholson in ‘ABOUT SCHMIDT.’ The good thing about him is that he had made a fortune during his lifetime. The movie itself however provokes some serious real life experiences ranging from friends, marriage, parenthood and retirement and raises questions and ideas worth a searching mind. You watch it!
Rubbish!
First of all hahahaha at the girls running away after no chicken and chips, zed girls are the most hungry bunch out here. Second of all on a serious note if you have spend money to impress or keep up friendships then really those people don’t care about you as a person. I thinl you suffered from the ‘new money’ complex where the first time you get a large amount of money you want to do a bazazibwa bwanji. Real wealth is not built on how much you splurge or impress other people it’s how much you keep and save. Stop hanging out with the joneses because keeping up with them will just drill a serious hole in your pocket. You have learnt your lesson next time you come into contact with money be wise and impecunious to useless luxuries which won’t bring back any returns.
Its sad but true,the problem with zambians is that when we have a bit of money, we want the world to know and spend on worthless ventures with women toping the list. we are so fake, if you go around lusaka,people spend beyond their salaries just to keep up with status,women and men alike. even those abroad its the same thing,most cant return home for lack of starter, especially after giving people back home an impression that you have a very good life.we live for the moment ,very poor at planning for our future. thats why some are illegal immigrants olo baikala kubulaya. instead of investing in cloths,cars and cologne, buy a plot and put a structure even if its a rumshackle if thats what you can aford its better than nothing. be true to yourself, hope he learned a lesson
vi chitika so chabe. niba mbili bali mu situ yaso. nzeru niweka. I agree with KADOYO, I really wonder how people mess up aka-dunkula.
LT Nchanga Mine is in Chingola and not Kitwe, please correct the wording in the picture.
walilila chalimo kabili!!! yeaaah but too bad man- pick yourself up, i feel for you.
Iwe chi Mumbi, we need real issues on LT and not this rubbish, fake story. Tell it to youngsters especially your children.
# 2 Fashion Police,
Friends are important but its the type of friends and how you integrate them in your life that matters. My personal principle is to screen people covertly but fast and phase out those found in the gabbage cartegory no matter their ignorance of what i have on them.Just start avoiding them quickly than you know, they are phased out of your mind.Interact with a manageable few that are mutually and sincerely respectiful fellow builders. I have come to appreciate a few young folks with some older people in my life for wisdom and openness while doors blogobogio attention seeking PHD are closed for life.Don’t be an isolationist but a very choosy person for what brings mutual value in the relationship in the short and long term.
LT…..Nonsense…..its not a grade 4 class LT..get real before you loose standards of what kind of information you upload here. we have respect for the site for the great news, updates on Zambia….., you putting your reputation at stake!
Dont worry u aint alone . Iwe balakuma ba shi mumbi . Walibeshiba.
you’ve learnt a lesson, next time watch out for those girls.
fiction!!!!!
Friendship must be based on short and long term perspectives that are mutually respecting and building than one side’s self rational interest- what is in it for me motive.
#19 Why is it nosense. dont make us think u are the victim in the chicken en chips issue. LT.. Thats gud atleast we know these chaps before twabeula
#24 leave Missy Dissy alone. If this happened to him, so what? He can look for something else to do. Tulabulowa indalama but we stll look for plan B.
Thank you sweetheart!
# 25 TWAMISHIBA. Muli ba mutota. Mukalabowa fyee lyonse .
# 27 Honestly this story is childish. It’s as good as this one:
‘ Last week I had alot of money in my pocket. I could take my workmates for very expensive lunch. My money has finished and i only had a Chitumbuwa for lunch today’.
You see, the people i bought lunch for didnt ask me to do so. It was out of either my sympathy or kulibonesha. I should now look for plan B and not sell any of my belongings to afford good lunch tomorrow.
it happens nipa zed!too much kulibonesha……hope sam1 is learning from this and not just laughing
Read and Learn.
#9, lol! Baby c is not an MMD freak, or is she?
#31 we will find out from the HIPPOS soon!!!!
#19 and 27, know what, Shut up your big mouths if you are no interested in this story! Some one out there has learnt one or two things. Go do something more s.t.u.p.i.d since one is male and the other female!!!
#33 lol…..
#33 U missed the point i think it shud be#28 coz iam just telling the same thing to #19 and 28. Or just the english is sum damn difficult thing with me
shimumbi or youngson?
People should learn to go to church and listen to the word of God.Some of these things can be avoided easily.
If this man had eliminated alcohol from his life, it would have been a different story. The lifespan of men is Zambia is frightening. Why? too much alcohol and sleeping around.
who says *shut up your big mouth* in this day and age?………….grade 3(s) and 4(s) perhaps….it all makes sense….Your childishness is pardoned!
#27, sorry! #33 is meant for #19 and 28!!!!! #39, if you know what is good for you, stop barking!!!
The story isn’t fake and am so happy the fool is now languishing. These chaps are real show offs when they are making paper. Go to hell son and go with your “ka Gx” coz the road is rough there too.
This chap can go to hell and he must go with his “Ka” GX coz the road is rough there as well. They show off too much when they are making paper.
Advice, sometimes come in RIDDLES.
You were foolish not to save for a rainy day my friend
Well, well, well, it happens and it is called experience so that you don’t mess up in future. Remember the Israelites are indicated to have spent 40 years in the wilderness just because they had to learn to follow God properly.
On your “I blew a sum of money that I could have lived on modestly for a year, in two months“, I did the same at some point in my life time though under different circumstances to yours when I was working for some company in Zambia. What is impressive is that now I am careful and try to follow God’s commandments to get me full pleasure in this life as I prepare for the next one.
I just wish you all the best Mr Son Mumbi in your future endeavours with this experience that you have.
___
Taking LT blogging to an advanced level.
story for primary schools
Mumbi, try by all means to be alittle deeper in your writting. Your ideas are good but to draw the interest of readers is another thing. Am sure you want people to realise just how the so called ‘ suppliers’ can easily get down but not in that way. I know putting the blame on you isnt the right thing to do becoz products may appear same but where they were produced determines the quality. It’s not your fault. Thank you.
#13 well said
Irrelevant story!!!! too mature for this crap!
Familiar story for a number of people especially Africans. Why blame friends and women when you showed to them that you have money to spend. There are a lot of people with more money than you had but are hadly noticeable. Wisdom from the Almighty God is what we need all the time. I hope you know what to do next time.
Don’t worry shimwana. Even Saddam Hussein spent his last days of freedon in a hole…. Like a rat… Easy come easy go… At least you have an advantage over Saddam in that you can start all over, and hoping you have learned your lesson. If you were married at the time and had/have kids ninshi tawakwata sana amano boyi… intelligent but not wise…
These boys lacked education and investment advice thats all. Thats why they were shining in Kitwe/ Chingola. Who never foresaw there collapse ?
LT we do appreciate that you avail people away from home the opportunity to stay in touch with home news but really not this ill-conceived attempt at rather mediocre entertainment…Real stories please
Its always the have nots outspending the wealthy . When are u gonna learn ? living a
lifestyle or buying stuff you cannot afraid is not your business. And the so called ” friends”
they ‘re the ones always throwing a beauty in your face,knowing strength.