THE RED FEZ:

I saw him sitting in the shade under the old baobab tree. His skin shone ebony, his smile was as beautiful as the African sunshine & he wore a red fez, the type worn by men with responsible jobs.

“Good-morning Sir”, I said to him. He smiled & greeted me in turn. I then asked him, “What are you doing under the tree? I always see you here every day & every night, each time I pass this way you are sitting under this old baobab tree.”

He answered me, “Sir I am working, I am the guardian of this grand old tree & I am here to look after it.”

“Nice job you have sitting in the shade every day, but you are always here, do you never have a day off?” He smiled his wide grin & said, “Yes Sir, tomorrow is my day off.” I bid him farewell & he waved me on my way.

The next day I walked past the old baobab tree & there was the sunny gentleman, sitting under his tree with a big smile on his face. I greeted him once again, “Good-morning Sir, what a surprise, I thought I wouldn’t see you today, as you told me that today was your day off from your job of guarding the tree.”

The man laughed & said, “It is my day off & I am not working today, Can´t you see, I do not wear my red fez? I only wear my red fez when I am on duty, so today I just sit beneath my grand old tree & enjoy my day off.”