I was given this pair of clippers while working at number 12 Forbes Avenue, at the Amatos’ place. There were two different Amatos. One was in Robson Manyika Avenue, back when it was still called Forbes Avenue. There was another Amato over in Kingsway Avenue, which is now Julius Nyerere. And both of them were Jewish.
My European boss eventually retired, saying he had grown old to work. At that point, we closed down the company. And that is when I was given these tools. He gave me these clippers and this hammer, because I never left my job.
He used to see me buying tools, and he asked me why. I just said, “I need these tools for work at home, in my village.” So when we closed, he said, “Take these tools.”
I used these clippers at work, removing nails from the crates that arrived with goods in them. I used the clippers to cut the boxes’ straps. They are sharp! And when removing the nails we didn’t have to go and look for pliers. No, we just used the clippers to remove them.
This hammer is a prospecting hammer. We also used it on the crates, because it is strong. If you are trying to see whether there are minerals in rock, it can even break apart a stone.
I still remember a photo taken of me holding this hammer, back when it still had its handle.
