I’m an early riser and normally commute to work an hour
before everybody else. I pass a big intersection every morning and almost every
morning I see the same three people reading the newspaper there. Now, three
people standing and reading the newspaper is not that outstanding in Africa;
however, these people stand out.
They have a few things in common. They are all waiting for
traffic to build up to begin their work day, they are all there early, and the
following two morning hours is quite significant for all of their work.
Guy number one is maybe not surprisingly a newspaper
salesman. He is carrying about 30 newspapers and is waiting for the traffic to
build up (read: slow down) so people have a moment to buy the daily news from
him through their car window as they commute to work.
Guy number two is a traffic policeman in a cool white
uniform waiting for the traffic to build up so he can direct it and ideally
ensure order on the road together with about 10 other policemen on that main
stretch going into town.
Guy number three is a young smartly dressed man on crunches.
He is missing one leg and is waiting for traffic to build up to walk down the
long lanes of traffic to ask drivers for a little money for his daily bread.
Sure enough, almost every morning these three guys are
standing reading the news and sometimes cracking a few jokes.
KW
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