...is our gardener, we had problems with the first one, he made me feel uncomfortable...another woman on the estate called me to say he'd been stealing from her, so after that it was easy to let him go...anyway Solomon was recommended to us by a neighbour who had employed Solomon for the last 9 years.
Solomon speaks English, but it's a slow process. Solomon also didn't attend school and this is evident, not by what he says but how he says things...He calls me 'Mamie'..I've only ever heard that in the old black and white films and it makes me smile...
I helped Solomon in the garden today, he told me what to do and how to do it...he also ordered me to fetch him tea and toast, mid morning and told me at 12.10pm I was 10 minutes late with his lunch...he's company for me, so I don't really mind, it's a language thing, he's not being rude...
I pay Solomon R150 per day (approx £14) I feel bad, he works hard, takes few breaks and arrives at 7.30am and leaves at 3pm...his wife works on the estate also as a housekeeper and he's finally realised why I do my own house work...he says 'Mamie, you must not work, you must rest, do what the other Mamie's do' ... I keep explaining to him that I have nothing else to do and it keeps me sane, hence why today I was working alongside him in the garden...'Mamie, come, work, garden, I show you what to do'... I love gardening and I played dumb, cringing as he told me to water the plants in the middle of the day, when the sun is shining brightly,I refained from saying 'but you'll scorch the leaves'...
Solomon asks me for a lift to the back gate, I tell him where the children's school is and ask if he'd like a lift to the station...I've given Solomon some Roses tea bags, a couple of packets of instant pasta and a packet of biscuits, he insists I write a letter to say I've given him these things, so the security guards don't accuse him of stealing...I tell him he's in my car, we will just drive out...he says 'No, Mamie, you must write it'...
I drop Solomon at the train station, he is very grateful...'I will get home early tonight Mamie, my wife will be very happy and when I give her the gifts she will smile'...
It takes Solomon 5 hours to get home, 2 trains, a bus and a 5 mile walk at the end of a 8 hour day and his travel costs????? half of what I pay him...
