The Wise Security Guard

A few times now, I’ve parked right in front of a Black female shopping centre guard. First I thought she was suspicious because I didn’t ‘look’ disabled, but my disabled badge halted any potential talk.

Today was probably the fourth time I’ve seen her, so this introverted ME who can’t speak isiXhosa fluently, asked her if she never takes leave; why she’s always there when I go. She laughed and told me she has six days on and one day off.

Then as I always do, I started worrying about her based on my condition. As in, I imagine that everybody suffers the way I do. When I came back out the shop, she clearly felt like talking so she immediately said something which then allowed me to ask if her feet, lower back and mid back don’t get sore from standing for so long. Six days in a row, to boot. She said no, her back has never gotten sore and her feet start complaining only on day five. She stamps around and shakes her feet in her shoes and is fine.

I told her I was relieved (because I truly pictured guards’ feet in agony. My feet started crying when I was 23 years old and working on a huge warehouse as a picker so I think because it’s my norm, my stupid brain feels bad for everyone else because it forgets it’s only MY norm.

She added that she loves her job. She said that with her salary she can buy a car, buy a house and be well fed. And then she said something too many of our African folk don’t want to understand. Class or status should not be what drives our decisions. Not when it comes to employment and getting out of the poverty cycle poor. She said cashiers might look ‘smart’ sitting there, feel like they’re ‘better’ at the tills, but she’s happy with the sun beating down on her when it’s hot, and rain when it’s bad because the salary is worth it.

I wish a relative of mine had had the same understanding. They felt certain jobs were beneath them, and that office/seated work is the best. That person became extremely poor as a teacher’s assistant in a township while the job I suggested pays more than double what this person gets.

Get rid of pride and just do what will help you (and your children) to THRIVE! (Illegal) immigrants do it often-taking a job ‘lower’ than the job they had in their home countries. ANYTHING to be able to send money home.

We need that same self forgetfulness and humility.