1/ #Realife - having dinner last night I had flashbacks of a past experience. 1993, 3rd yr student, got a holiday research assistantship at vet faculty but had no place to stay in Harare - didn’t want to bother relatives, so a senior student, Anzo took me in, shared a 3/4 bed

2/ Anzo rented a room in Bluffhill had a ¾ bed, 1 pillow, no other furniture, even a stool, no fridge, not important since municipal services had been disconnected. Showered using a 2L bottle of water from nearby service station where we went when No.2 called. Kunzima

3/ 6 days passed on 1 meal a day, dinner - shared 1/2 loaf & 1/2 of 500mL lacto. Remainder of milk was stored at foot of bed, open end closed using a clothes peg (if you know you know). On 1st Thurs we decided to eat everything since we were getting 1st cheque on Friday, mistake

4/ On Friday I was excited about getting first weekly pay cheque & of course having decent meals. Eagerly joined queue to collect cheques, our turn came we gave our student iDs, no cheques - Jizas! Check again, we pleaded - response, Next. We walked to Bluffhill & “slept with it”

5/ #Realife - Saturday mid morning Anzo suggested we walk to Groombrige, likely there was a wedding reception in the hall, he said. God’s plan, there was, heard bride was from Rusape. Got to the door, lied we had just arrived from Rusape - they gave us a table, iwe! Fulo & drink

6/ #Realife - we ate & ate. I love dessertbut when it was served we just stared. APA Anzo loved his drinkbut he had no space even for a sip - we had just had a meal enough to feed a village. Lesson: don’t judge anyone with a heaped plate - it may be a 3day meal for them - END