‘Beautiful People’ ~ A new category on Diary of Ayuma

Today, I finally met an amazing pineapple vendor in Nairobi. His name is Jimmy. I had always spotted him and his wheelbarrow of sweet pineapples at a spot along a regular route I use on my way to work.

I rushed in the scorching sun just to purchase one of Jimmy’s mouth-watering pineapple slices. But I did not find him at his usual spot. When I asked the other vendors selling boiled maize and peanuts at the spot, they said that he usually leaves at 2pm.

Luckily, the vendors directed me to the Green Belt Movement headquarters which was established by Kenya’s late Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Mathaai who fought to protect the environment.

Jimmy’s pineapple slices are quite popular with the staff members at Green Belt but they did not chomp down all of the fruity slices. Phew!

I asked him how much one slice costs and he told me that a slice costs Ksh.20 which is about USD $0.23. He sold one to me but I had to have more. And so I told him to prepare a full pineapple for me and he told me that a full pineapple costs Ksh. 160 which is about USD $2.

Watching him peel the pineapple so carefully with different techniques, knives and in a sanitary environment displayed just how much Jimmy loved his job. He peeled the pineapple as if he were creating a piece of art… as a creative, I would boldly say that he was.

Jimmy wrapped the pineapple in a clear bag that made my mouth water even more. To protect others from some fruity temptation, he hid it in a black paper bag for me to carry home. I was so happy and I gladly paid him without bargaining which is a typical Nairobian behavior.

Later that afternoon, I spotted Jimmy with his wheelbarrow of pineapples at a parking lot of a popular church. He had pushed the wheelbarrow for quite a long distance from where I had left him. Somehow, I was filled with such pride to have met someone so driven, talented and strangely passionate about pineapples like Jimmy.

There are so many more amazing people out there just like Jimmy who never get the mention in the news, on the radio or in the many memes people share on social media. But these great people do exist. And it is such an honour for me to introduce these beautiful people doing great things everyday.

So if you are ever in the city of Nairobi in Kenya at a place called Adams Arcade, please give Jimmy a call through +254728040439 for a tropical splash of sweet pineapple for your enjoyment.

Great personalities like Jimmy are the inspiration behind my new blog category entitled ‘Beautiful People’.
Lookout for my first post as I reintroduce myself to you with the new format for all posts under the new category. Enjoy!

With Love,
Ayuma.