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On Thursday final week, I watched a dialog between two girls who’re based mostly in Australia, on an IG reel.
In accordance with their dialog, individuals in Africa love their neighbours and selflessly exit of their means to assist them. Ahem! I’m not one to clean soiled linen in public, so I’ll allow you to decide.
Right here is an excerpt from the dialog: “In Africa, in case your neighbours don’t see you for a few hours or a day, they are going to begin asking the place you went… as a result of they should know.”
I paused and replayed that bit. This line acquired me fascinated about my life decisions.
I have no idea the truth of the African place the place they grew up, the place they may even inform if a neighbour had not been out of the home for a few hours (who was counting?).
Fact is, I don’t even have that a lot visibility of day-to-day actions of my shut buddies.
However earlier than you guys label me a snob, have you learnt your neighbours? When was the final time you spoke to your neighbour? Would you recognise your neighbours for those who met them on the town?
On Saturday, somebody stopped me once I was opening my home. He had been sitting outdoors the home that’s throughout from mine (which appeared locked).
I might inform from how briskly he walked that he needed to get to me earlier than I opened my home and acquired in.
My coronary heart was beating sufficiently quick. When he acquired to me, he stated: “Unaeza niekea hii bag kwako kidogo? (Might you please maintain my bag in your own home a bit?).”
He was carrying a black backpack that appeared fairly moveable. That, coupled with the truth that I had by no means seen his face earlier than in my life, made me wish to run.
The person didn’t even care to say hi there earlier than making his request. My guardian angel should have been working additional time in the meanwhile, in any other case I’d have screamed!
I instructed him straight up that I couldn’t maintain his bag for him after which shortly opened my door, locked it from the within with a padlock and drew my curtains.
It was 2pm on a Saturday afternoon. I contemplated calling the caretaker to alert him {that a} bizarre man had acquired into the compound.
I do know you might be in all probability pondering that I used to be overreacting. However this coming through the week when Starlet Wahu had simply been murdered and the courtroom of public opinion appeared to say “girls ought to keep away from males they have no idea in any other case they deserve the loss of life that involves them,” I used to be not about to take possibilities.
About an hour later, the woman who cleans my home (her identify is Jessica) knocked at my door and understandably, she was puzzled that I used to be inside the home at the moment of the day and my curtains have been drawn.
If she didn’t perceive the reason I gave, it didn’t present on her face. However as she was leaving, I noticed the identical man outdoors the identical home subsequent to which I had seen him earlier, however this time, he was coming into the home.
I made discreet gestures in the direction of the person and instructed Jessica, “That’s the man I used to be telling you about.”
Jessica got here again into the home laughing. Lengthy story quick, the person is my neighbour. He lives in that home.
His household was out and that’s in all probability why I noticed him sitting outdoors the home once I returned from the salon. Which then explains that in all probability as a result of the person has been seeing me on the property, he simply assumed I knew who he was – why he didn’t even hassle to introduce himself.
I do know it doesn’t look good on me, that I hardly know the one who lives in the home throughout from mine, however…as my pal Lul stated after I instructed her the story, “That’s creepy, why didn’t he simply keep together with his issues?” Like for actual!
Fascinated about this incident is the explanation I’m hesitant to say an element within the superb narrative about Africans understanding one another, or the truth that in Africa your neighbours will discover when you don’t step out of the home for 3 days and are available to search for you. Besides these neighbours are your folks.
I imply give it some thought, in Nairobi, would you belief a random individual knocking at your door and providing you a plate of rice and beans on the suspicion that you simply could be hungry?
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