My grandmother has always been a drama queen. If in search of a divergent opinion, she is the best candidate.

So, when three of her grand kids sought her opinion on ICT, all answers were expected. Of course we did not tell her about ICT, we broke it down. Like a mobile phone. My brother suggested he would buy her a phone so that they can communicate easily.

The answer was "No!"

“Ndikwenda gacheneneki,  translated to: "I am not interested in the loud mouthed." “Gacheneneki  would ordinarily refer to a person who is jumpy and loud, all with negative connotations.

For the old lady, all the people in the village suddenly become loud mouthed once they own the cell phone. She declares that they all want to demonstrate they have embraced the information age, that they are at ease with modernity. She continues to give examples of how people share their information in public because they talk so loudly.

We know, but do not point out, that the only reason she goes to the local mini market is not to sell any wares but to pursue her hobby of finding out how everyone is doing and what are the new developments in their lives.

Amid the drama and idle talk, my grandma explains to my brother that the only reason he would buy her the offensive gacheneneki would be to make sure that he defaults on his monthly visits. “The phone does not mean much, I need to see you and talk to you,  the 80 year old iron lady says.

As she eloquently speaks about politics and social affairs, we seek to know why she gladly accepted a new transistor radio but rejectes a mobile phone. She argues that with the radio, she can listen to the news and other topical issues. After all, the kikuyu plays tickle her and take away the boredom.

As we go through the motions of the uses of a computer and how it improves our abilities and so on, she makes it clear that we can save the stories for another day, arguing that all the talk was just a euphemism for departing from our customs and obligations.