Nairobi, 1979
In true African Capital City style Nairobi had the full quota of tramps and homeless people - mostly attracted by the tales of streets paved with gold. Unfortunately nobody told them the gold paved streets were only at the Presidential Mansion and that was surrounded by members of the Police GSU ...

In Westlands near the nice new Uchmi supermarket and the Jacaranda Hotel was a large roundabout - it has since been flattened as they built the Sarit Centre on it.

Living in the middle of this roundabout was a large black gentleman - he appeared to spend every minute of his time tending a bonfire surrounded by bouganvillia plants and piles of rubbish he had collected. As we drove past him my sister and I would chant "Look! look! It's 'Burning Fingers'". And our Mother would counter - and that's why you should never play with fire! You'll end up having to live with 'Burning Fingers' for the rest of your lives.

Wise council; you may say - well she was wrong! It is worse. I played with fire and now I live in Norfolk :-(
(Biff..., Wed 8 Jul 2009, 13:33, 4 replies)

You would be interested to know
he moved to the roundabout just outside of sarit centre, and I remember seeing him until about 1990.
(zero.coke, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 14:30, closed)

Ndio!
It is still there on GE - I guess they didn't put the Sarit Centre on top - the Parklands/Lower Kabete Road.
(Biff..., Wed 8 Jul 2009, 15:38, closed)

Yep
that's the one. He would have a roaring, smoky fire going early in the morning, complete with lucid flames. I often wonder what happened to him. He's probably deceased by now :(
(zero.coke, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 16:08, closed)

A spelling nazi writes:
It's wise counsel (not council).
( MisterPunch did it that way on, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 17:11, closed)