THE EXILES
- 29/5/2006 <--Prev : Next-->
THE EXILES
WHAT JOY IT GAVE US TO ATTEND THE 21ST BIRTHDAY OF A YOUNG ZIMBABWEAN
IN LONDON !!
A TRADITIONAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN ZIMBABWE, OF THE 18 TO 21 YEAR
OLDS IS MOST OFTEN HELD AT HOME AMDIST THE MANY ANCIENT FRIENDS OF
THE PARENTS WITH NAUGHT BUT A HANDFUL OF YOUNG PEOPLE - THE FRIENDS
OF THE CELEBRANT.
THESE DAYS SADLY FOR THE PARENTS LEFT BEHIND, MOST OF OUR YOUNG
SCHOOL LEAVERS HAVE FLED THE COOP AND ARE HAPPILY SETTLED IN FAR OFF
CLIMES.
AND SO WITH MORE CONTEMPORARIES OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY THAN AT HOME, A
LONDON BIRTHDAY BASH IS A JOYOUS OCCASION.
LONDON'S YOUNG ZIMBABWEANS ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED IN A VARIETY OF
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL POSITIONS. LABOURERS, BRICKIES, CARPENTERS,
NANNIES, CLERKS, WAITRESSES, BARMEN, LAWYERS, ACCOUNTANTS, VETS AND
DOCTORS.
THEY CAME FROM FAR AND WIDE TO BE TOGETHER, FROM SURREY, ESSEX,
WIMBLEDON AND PADDINGTON. FROM CROYDON, ST JOHNS WOOD, TWICKENHAM AND
TOTTENHAM. ALL GATHERING AT A WELL KNOWN ZIMBABWEAN LOCAL CALLED
'GJS' IN COLLIERS-WOOD.
DOZENS OF YOUNGSTERS ARRIVED AFTER A HARD WEEKS WORK, ON THE TUBE, ON
THE TRAIN, VIA THE WONDERFUL OLD LONDON BLACK TAXIS. FULL OF HOPE AND
HAPPINESS ABOUT THE FUTURE, LOOKING FORWARD TO RENEWING OLD
ACQUAINTANCES AND TO SEEING FRIENDLY FACES FROM HOME.
AMONG THE GUESTS WERE SOME MOMS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE 'CARING'
CONUNDRUM, A SAD NECESSITY OF ZIMBABWEAN LIFE WHERE HOMES ARE SPLIT,
FAMILIES DIVIDED, AS MORE AND MORE ZIMBABWEANS FIND IT NECESSARY TO
WORK IN THE UK FOR SIX MONTHS IN THE YEAR TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
TOASTS WERE MADE. SPEECHES DELIVERED AMIDST TEARS FROM THE OLDIES
(ESPECIALLY THE MOMS !!)
AN ASSORTMENT OF STRANGE NEW DRINKS WERE TRIED, 'SPRINGBOKS' "SNAKE
SPIT" SHOOTERS AND CIDERS, CONVIVIALITY FLOWED AS DID THE DRAUGHT
BEER AND THE TASTY SNACKS.
WE WATCHED THESE YOUNGSTERS, OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF ZIMBABWE, AS
THEY BATTLE BRAVELY FAR AWAY FROM HOME.
THEY LIVE, SOME OF THEM, ON THE SMELL OF AN OIL RAG, BUT THEIR LOVE
FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY GLOWS STRONG.
NOBODY IN THE LATEST GEAR, NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT, MUCH MORE
IMPORTANT TO SAVE FOR TRIPS BACK HOME TO SEE THE FOLKS.
ASK ANY ONE OF THEM WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE AND THEY SAY, OF
COURSE, THEY LOVE LONDON, BUT WHEN THINGS CHANGE IN THEIR BELOVED
ZIMBABWE, AND PEACE AND STABILITY AND SOME SORT OF NORMALCY REIGNS
AGAIN, AND IT IS TIME TO SETTLE DOWN AND RAISE A FAMILY , THEY WILL
BE COMING HOME !!
