the shirt off his back

so... daniel's a good lookin guy.

true story... and i was amazed that he has such good style when he lives - and shops - in africa for all his clothes. he does it for maybe an eighth of what we'd pay in the states for such a fabulous sense of style, and is so very proud of how good he is at bartering for everything he eventually owns.

i was intrigued when i heard of the clothes markets in kitale and what they were like, so i decided to check out some of these markets and see if i could find anymore cool items for his wardrobe.

sometimes it's good to have a girl's sense of style and what looks hott or not on a guy, and i thought he'd appreciate the thought. he totally did.

lauren took me all over town to markets and second hand clothing stands where i picked out some fricking cool stuff for daniel. i got a banana republic dress shirt for him that looks brand new, and is DEEP DEEP red for 150 shillings... like $1.50... no lie. and mind you, every single thing i bought, i haggled over the price for.

i skoffed... i coughed... i hissed... i shook my fist at a couple guys... even tossed shirts back at one guy who was particularly obnoxious and pushy, and all cuz i knew i could be pushier...

and all to hear the words i was waiting for: "eh...eh. price is not fixed. make offer."

oh man... it was my favorite day of shopping EVER. seriously, lauren and i felt so cool that whole afternoon.

then... then there was this one shirt.

THE shirt.

daniel needed to own that shirt... he just didnt know it yet.

i just had to get it for him.

i'm talking UBER cool shirt. patches on the arms that listed the cali beaches, and a faded yellow color to it with what looks like a stone washed rainbow across the front. it had layered brown on the undersize of the short sleeves, neck, and hem of the shirt, and i was obsessed with it. there was just one problem.

it was on a kenyan.

i told lauren "i want that shirt for dan" and in the next breath i said to the guy "my husband would look good in your shirt. will you sell it to me?"

it took everything i had to not lose my cool right there. i was seriously bartering with a man for the SHIRT OFF HIS BACK. what the crap was i doing? i wanted to laugh, but at the same time it was such a challenge! i just had to see if i could get him to sell it to me.

it was so exciting.

the guy looked at me... and then at the shop owner... and then when he smiled i knew he would be putty in my hands. i asked what size it was, and he had no idea... i was pretty sure it was dan's size, but i wanted to be sure.

so lauren checked.

when she stood on her tiptoes to read the tag on the back of the 5`11 kenyan's shirt, three other guys walked over to the stand we were at. it was dan's perfect size, and out little stand at the market was becoming a bit crowded with men who all wanted THEIR shirt tags read by the little blond texan... at least that's what i think.

he gave me a RIDICULOUS price, but i'd expected that much. after i haggled him for about 400 shillings less than what he originally told me, he walked to the back of the stand, and took the shirt off his back for me to give to my "husband".

the guy even agreed to take a picture with me. i'll post it soon.

anyways.. lauren and i walked away and mumbled in awe at what i'd just done for a half a block before it hit me and i stopped walking just to say "i just bought the shirt off a kenyan man's back. holy crap! how cool am i?!"

in the states, this would never happen... it'd actually be quite rude... but in kenya i made a young man's YEAR by giving him bragging rights that a mzungu bought his shirt off his back, and i had the funnest, boldest experience of interacting with kenya's male population that i've had YET.

i'm impressive, oh yes i am.