My morning starts by leaving the house through the gate at the end of the driveway, which is opened by our askari (guard). He is on duty from 6pm – 7am. He has a round face and a brilliant smile, and wishes me a good day. I then drive out of our street compound, by passing through another gate, opened by another askari. The askaris change shifts often, but most mornings, the askari who lets me out is tall, thin and in uniform, like all the others. This askari has a laughing smile, he is missing a few teeth and he waves enthusiastically. Bending down to make sure I see him through the window, you have no choice but to laugh and wave back passionately.
Guard, Zimbabwe
To get into our office complex at work, I go through another set of guards. In the evening, when leaving work, I pass my favorite askari. No matter how bad my day, this older gentlemen, with a sweet little face and caring eyes simply makes my day. “Good evening madam,” he always says. “How was your day?” He always says that he is fine and “see you tomorrow.” Our conversations our short, but you just want to roll him up and put in your pocket, so that when things are going bad, you pull him out and smile. Little does he know the joy he brings me with his simple greeting. Its the little things in life, right?
