Every end of the month in Kampala city was indeed a sight to behold. There was every sign on people's faces, which showed they were full of joy as they walked along the streets and looked at the goods displayed outside and inside the shops.
Hidden in their wallets and purses was the money that was the source of joy as they went down the streets to buy the commodities with the salary earned.
Men and women were elegantly dressed in colourful clothes, but those who could not afford it wore only dull colors as they walked leisurely down streets chatting among themselves.
The rich rode in expensive and luxurious cars as they tried to find parking space for themselves. There were Volvos, Mercedes-Benzs 600 Pull man or the Grosser, Vauxhall, Rolls Royces Fantom VI, Ferrari F40, Porsche 959, Citroëns, Cadillacs, Bentleys and Bugattis.
You can talk of all expensive cars, and these could be seen in the city on the day people came in droves to spend their hard earned money.
Men and women went inside their various banks situated at strategic locations in the metropolis to withdraw money from their accounts. But those who had no business to do in the banks simply went to buy goods in the expensive shops.
On this particular day, banks became the busiest organisations in the city. A glance at the queues inside the banks could tell you that bank managers and cashiers had a lot on their hands.
While everyone in the city seemed to be busy as they minded their own business, two shabbily dressed youths stood idly outside the Barclays Bank along Lumumba street and appeared to be waiting for someone or something.
The two young males appeared relaxed and quite at peace with the world. No one looking at Jacob and Sonny could have guessed what they were up to as they stood leaning against the lamp posts, their hands tucked deep inside their trouser pockets.
Their faces were apparently pleased with the going ons in the city at that particular time. On their faces radiated extreme confidence as they smiled at all those who passed them on their way to the bank or other places to buy goods.
Sonny spoke happily as they stood waiting outside the Barclays Bank, "This is one of the best days to outsmart the fat slobs. Business is going to be nice today; most people have earned their monthly salaries."
Jacob remained silent. His mind was focused on the task ahead of them. A few minutes went by. Then they saw a tall European walking out of the bank as he came walking slowly towards them.
He was an Englishman. A glance at him was enough for Sonny to know the man had a lot of money.
Sonny was too experienced and had such knowledge and a vision others could not possess. It was also common knowledge that the Europeans, especially the Englishmen, who came to Uganda were loaded with good money.
They were wealthy and sophisticated, unlike their countrymen, who worked on a shoe string budget.
"That's our guy!" Sonny alerted his associate, "Come on now, be steady!"
Jacob became instantly alert. They waited for the man. They stood watching him go past them, and then followed him as they had rehearsed this part of their job many other times.
Like King Cobra, they knew when and how to strike. They were ready. They knew they could not afford to mess up this simple operation.
"No loose ends!" Sonny warned as they followed their prey. "We must not fail; I can smell a fat wallet in his coat pocket."
They reached the Englishman and split. Sonny went to the man's left while Jacob remained on the right. The man eyed the two male youths suspiciously as they walked beside him.
He eyed Jacob, who walked ahead of him and saw him suddenly begin to stumble. However, the white man decided to ignore the young man and mind his own business.
Had he tried to assist the stumbling youth who walked ahead of him, he would definitely have come to a lot of grief. At that moment, he saw Sonny's hand reach for his wallet, and he began to shout loudly as he called for help.
"Help! Help! Someone please help!" The man moved as speedy as a falcon and seized the hand that had grabbed his wallet and shouted once more: "I am being robbed; this boy is a thief!"
Jacob heard and saw what had happened and took to his heels.
A crowd of onlookers had seen what was happening and came in to help the European against the pickpockets. Moving as fast as a cheetah, they closed in on Sonny and started beating him up.
Sonny stood helplessly when strong hands like iron grabbed him, and could only look at them in fear as the men slapped him several times.
"Little thief! Who taught you to snatch men's wallets? One man was heard mocking him as others continued slapping him.
Then a police patrol car suddenly stopped at the sidestreet and three policemen attracted by what they saw emerged. Not very far from the scene, Jacob watched as heavily armed policemen headed towards excited mob.
He knew almost immediately his associate's career had come to an end. He only watched sadly as the police dispersed the mob and then seize Sonny whom they handcuffed.
The Englishman who stood near Sonny as he was being handcuffed abruptly turned his head in Jacob's direction and saw him.
"That boy was also with him, he's a thief!" The European pointed his index finger at him.
Jacob panicked. He started running as swift as a gazelle. The mob that had gathered at another place near the policemen amusingly watched Jacob's flight and burst out laughing like a rooster on rooftop.
Jacob continued running until he was out of breath but when he looked behind him realised there was no one following him. Only then did he stop.
But even as he stopped, he heard Sonny shouting from the distance, "Do not run away Jacob! You will only testify."
But his pleas fell on deaf ears as Jacob feared being arrested. He knew if he went to testify, he too would be arrested as an accomplice. Had the white man not pointed at him?
Jacob decided to walk further into the distance to reflect on the jinx that had befallen them. He looked behind. The police officers were whisking Sonny away into the police car, the white man coming in their wake.
Jacob felt very sad. He saw Sonny being pushed violently into the car. And then the car drove off carrying his friend to the police cells.
This is the end of my ally's career, thought Jacob. And mine too, he mused.
Sonny's dreams of owning a shop as he had once told him were now shattered.
It was as if his friend's dreams were going up in flames and smoke; only ashes of regret now remained in his mind. As these thoughts raced in his head, Sonny's arrest was also kind of a warning to him.
It was then he recalled a famous saying among his people, a saying he had learnt from his beloved late mother: thirty nine days are the happy days of a thief, he gets caught on the fortieth day.
This was Jacob's sad day, almost as sad as the day he lost his mother. His best confidant who had introduced him to the life of the underworld in the city was no longer going to be with him.
He was sure he was going to miss his friend. Then he did something he had not done for a long time.
He prayed. It was only a short prayer for himself and Sonny. As he prayed, he interceded for his buddy, confessed his sins, and thanked God for keeping him out of jail.
He also petitioned the Lord to get him out of the city, a city that had turned out to be his Sodom and Gomorrah: the twin cities of sin.