A few days ago, my wife picked-up a battered Nokia mobile phone in the street. I put it on charge and later managed to unlock it.
I dialled a few numbers and eventually found the owner's number and dialled it, speaking to an African lady.
She gave a correct description of the phone and I invited them to collect the phone the following morning, which they did.
The phone's owner mentioned he heard a noise under his bakkie, got out to look at the problem and that was when his phone must have fallen from his pocket.
Anyway today, the phone's owner came to my house, carrying a large parcel wrapped and taped-up in newspaper and said his parcel was for me, "from the heart"...
I told him not to be silly, that his gift was totally unneccessary etc and as I didn't want to offend him, I invited him inside and unwrapped the parcel.
Inside was a dressed and carved, cross section of a small tree trunk 40x25x15cm in the shape of a heart.
Screwed to the topside were two large brass "3"'s - our house number is 33.
I really didn't know what to say except to thank him for his kindness.
I now have a huge dilemma. My house already has brass numbers which I made myself 36 years ago when I was too poor to afford bought brass numbers in the typeface I wanted.
The gentleman turned out to be a Zimbabwean wood carver, resident in Wynberg with a 'studio' along Newlands Avenue. From what he told me, he has many clients, including corporates and evidently also the City council.
All of this shows there are still many decent and generous people in ZA, despite all the bribery, corruption, vandalism and thievery around us.
skollie
I dialled a few numbers and eventually found the owner's number and dialled it, speaking to an African lady.
She gave a correct description of the phone and I invited them to collect the phone the following morning, which they did.
The phone's owner mentioned he heard a noise under his bakkie, got out to look at the problem and that was when his phone must have fallen from his pocket.
Anyway today, the phone's owner came to my house, carrying a large parcel wrapped and taped-up in newspaper and said his parcel was for me, "from the heart"...
I told him not to be silly, that his gift was totally unneccessary etc and as I didn't want to offend him, I invited him inside and unwrapped the parcel.
Inside was a dressed and carved, cross section of a small tree trunk 40x25x15cm in the shape of a heart.
Screwed to the topside were two large brass "3"'s - our house number is 33.
I really didn't know what to say except to thank him for his kindness.
I now have a huge dilemma. My house already has brass numbers which I made myself 36 years ago when I was too poor to afford bought brass numbers in the typeface I wanted.
The gentleman turned out to be a Zimbabwean wood carver, resident in Wynberg with a 'studio' along Newlands Avenue. From what he told me, he has many clients, including corporates and evidently also the City council.
All of this shows there are still many decent and generous people in ZA, despite all the bribery, corruption, vandalism and thievery around us.
skollie
