Abli, Forfar and Makka all arrived the next day for discussions and labour rate bargaining for the job in hand. We were mutually happy to see each other, with lots of handshaking and laughter .. especially when I handed out copies of my photographs of them working during my previous visit. Photographs are one of Africans' most treasured possessions and securely kept for generations.

They were proud and happy that I was pleased with their work and .. in looking forward to relieving me of some more cash for the extra work .. the fairly serious business of price bartering began.

Mild protests about the fact that I had obviously paid them far too much money the last time .. seeing as they had all arrived on bikes with brand new knobbly bush tyres instead of their original bald ones and one or two newer model mobile phones were in evidence .. had no effect whatsoever.
However a reasonable figure was finally agreed on for them to finish everything and they left .. smiling a bit too much !! Darn it .. I should have stuck out for less .. but they are good friends !

We visited the same builder's merchant and after the usual time-consuming process of bringing his special Toubab prices down to normal African levels .. sufficient supplies of sand and cement were bought and delivery arranged to the site. The following Sunday had been arranged as the start date ... but was changed at the last moment due to their village having a naming ceremony, which it was essential they attended. "Why essential," I asked ? "Ah well" said Abli, " In villages, if you do not go to other people's naming ceremonies, they will not come to yours." In other words, the fewer the guests, the fewer will be the monetary donations and gifts of food at your own celebrations.
On reflection, with the numerous children born to each family .. this makes perfect sense !

On Monday they all turned up, accompanied by a new face .. Lamin the Masoner, who was evidently the best wall renderer in their village .. and set to work with the usual gaiety and teasing.

Forfar mixed the cement for Lamin, who expertly threw dollops of it against the walls and achieved a remarkably smooth and level surface with his trowel. Abli and Makka took turns climbing down the well, eventually standing up to their chins in water whilst hauling out another two metres of slimy yellow mud. Babucar, when he could be stopped from chatting with them all and needlessly supporting the very sturdy well posts by leaning against them ... promoted himself to chief attaya maker. Keeping us all regularly supplied with glasses of this traditional strong and sweet beverage and making good use of the tea making kit .. Chinese Green Tea, sugar, a charcoal burner, teapot, tray and glasses .. I had bought him as a "moving in to your new headquarters" present.

During the proceedings, I asked Abli if he was going to make the air ventilation holes a little larger before their edges were rendered ? "They are that size to stop the birds getting in and eating Babucar's lunch," he told me. Oh, OK .. but why were they so high ? "That's obvious," he said, looking over with a grin at Babucar, who visibly shuddered,  "Snakes can't climb that far up !"

Remarkably, both the tasks, which I had roughly estimated would take them two to three days,
were finished and extremely well-finished ( if you will excuse the pun ) within the same day.
Payment of at least 10 times the local going rate, per man per day, was happily handed over without problem .. knowing that both jobs had been done properly in double quick time. Even though they had bigger smiles on their faces than those they had shown after negotiating the deal, we now shared the mutual knowledge that the next job they quote me for will be timed just a tad shorter !

A great bunch of friendly guys, skilled, hard working, willing and helpful .. even eager 'gluttons for punishment' from my own particular sense of humour. I look forward to employing them again and eventually becoming one of their near neighbours. They have assured me that the feeling is mutual.