country boy in the big city; a tale of woe

Dear friends, family, and other randoms who may happen upon this,

Should you have been walking in the northern low density suburb of Mt.Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, you would likely have happened upon a curious sight; in front of imposing green walls and the large black electric gate in this sprawling neighbourhood, inhabited by wealthy Zimbabweans and foreign diplomats, a young white woman in a pretty green dress stands there loudly and emphatically shouting at a young black man in the dark green uniform of the local security company Minetech, while a well dressed older black man looks on in bemusement - as do the many passer-bys, primarily staff of the owners of the surrounding houses.

While the sight is perhaps enough to garner a chuckle - or at least, likely enough to rouse one's curiosity - the subject was far from amusing. Specifically, I was absolutely infuriated to the point of screaming fury by the guard's comment that the gardener's suicide attempt on the property this Friday was due to the fact that he has been doing the dishes instead of the wife. Clearly, that's enough to drive any man to suicide. Why, even worse, they've been sleeping in separate beds! Imagine that. The gardener having a "small house" aka, girlfriend on the side he maintains in full comfort, has led the wife to refuse to even sleep with her husband.

Personally, I'm delighted that's the case - maybe the HIV/AIDs that the gardener has likely contracted has not been transmitted back to the wife. Maybe. What's really unfortunate is the fact that his big new job - gardening for an embassy employee - is undoubtedly what led to him having enough cash to lure that girlfriend. Ouch. Country boy in the big city....it's a tale that's been repeated around the world over the ages, but I've never been so directly implicated. It's actually the reason I allowed the wife to move onto the property when he started the job as often staff live seperate from their spouses when they're living on the properties of their employers, which increases the risk they`ll pick up a girlfriend on the side. But really, there`s nothing that can be done about the fact that as adults we`re completely free to make incredibly bad decisions for our lives and those of our loved ones. Love it or hate it, that's the reality of being a grown-up....

Anyways. Aside from bringing the gardener to the hospital to have his stomach pumped I've sent him and his wife and young daughter (who was present, by the way, during the wailing and screaming after the bathroom door was kicked in to discover her father in the bathroom trying to down a bottle of pills in one go) to their original home of Marondera for the week and a bit. I've also made it clear (in writing, which he's signed) that if they're NOT in Marondera with family this week it constitutes unauthorized leave from work he will not have a job to come back to at the end of it.

That well dressed gentleman in the first scene...is the Catholic priest from the house next door and who knows both the gardener and his wife and was offering to mediate when they come back. Great. Seriously. Honestly, an answer to prayer because my biggest concern is their need for actual counselling so there is no "next time" to the "attempting to kill himself."

In other news this weekend....I sang in Handle's "Messiah" which was lovely, as was the after-party with the rest of the choir and mini-orchestra afterwards. I also went to a lovely housewarming party....which was something you normally only see in movies. Oh, Zimbabwe....sprawling house, live music (fiddles and guitars once, another time guitars and singing and African drumming...just a thriving party) and people skinny-and-not-so-skinny dipping in the pool....I, by the way, have a wet dress to prove it!...lots of laughter and cool peeps and conversation and dancing. Truly an amazing evening.

Plus...afternoon braai (Canadian "bbq") with my home group bible study this afternoon.

All in all....like generally the case in Zim...the extremes in life. Which is kinda what I like, and also what kinda drives me crazy at times. Oh well, I've always been an extremest, so I suppose it caters to my personality.

By the way - I WILL have pictures and revamp this thing one of these days soon! Probably this week. Someone harass me if it doesn't happen ;o)

Finally, I decided this past week to join my friend Rachel in her overland trip to Rwanda over Christmas. We're leaving on Dec 16th and will be going via public transit through Zambia/Tanzania/Burundi to Rwanda, spending a few days over Christmas with my old roommate Anna, then I'll be flying back via Ethiopia and staying a night at my friend Ben's place before back to Harare for work the week of the 30th. Cool eh? There will DEFINITELY be picts up from that one!

Much love,

-knickers

ps - for all of those who pray, please add some for the country-turned-city-boy Peter Rati and family