It's just about 9:30am and the train slows down and comes to a shuddering halt.
The passengers look at each other, eyes wide open, questioning...slightly alarmed.
They twist their necks to look out of the window...to the sight of filthy children playing in the mud, to the piles of garbage and idlers puffing clouds of smoke into the air,
To a tall dark man in a dark green short sleeved kaunda suit, walking slowly along the railway track.
The passengers look at each other, eyes wide open, questioning...slightly alarmed.
They twist their necks to look out of the window...to the sight of filthy children playing in the mud, to the piles of garbage and idlers puffing clouds of smoke into the air,
To a tall dark man in a dark green short sleeved kaunda suit, walking slowly along the railway track.
Drat!
Damn!
Damn!
How can we kwama in the middle of the slum!
What if they start throwing stones and come into the train and thug us!?
...the bright skinned lady with big hair, red lipstick and the scent of expensive perfume thought with eyes wide open and alarm in her eyes as she looked out the window and back, and around at the other train riders.
...the bright skinned lady with big hair, red lipstick and the scent of expensive perfume thought with eyes wide open and alarm in her eyes as she looked out the window and back, and around at the other train riders.
And I watched,
from inside the train,
and across the aisle,
the well dressed gentlemen and gentle ladies in the train,
forgetting that it could be them living in this slum...
from inside the train,
and across the aisle,
the well dressed gentlemen and gentle ladies in the train,
forgetting that it could be them living in this slum...
And I watched the gentlemen and children of the slum, through the shatterproof windows of the train, going about their business, with just a passing glance at the stalled train.
Hmph! Who said we are interested in your reality i imagine I heard them think...
Y'all all always think we want what u have...
Y'all all always think we want what u have...
And off we were, through the slum and out in less than a minute.
