The owner of the house I currently live in employed the services of this Gateman to tend the Gate. His job would be to open and close the gate as people move in and out of the building.

Often times, he assists the occupants of the building, I included, to wash their cars, take care of their generators and run little errands. We give him little cash afterward.

I have lived in this particular apartment for about a year and 8 months. And I have seen about four Gatemen sacked and each time, replaced immediately.

I was in support of the sack of the first one. He was rude. He knocked at people’s doors like he was the one paying rent for them, and boy! Mohammed stank! He had this constant ‘soakaway’ smell.

I didn’t personally walk up to the owner of the building to complain about him, nevertheless, I was glad he was asked to go. To the other occupants of the building, their major concern was his rude behavior, but mine was the stench. urgh

I digress…

So this is the 4th Gateman that has so far been employed since I have lived here. He is cool headed and hardworking, most importantly, he does not smell.

“What is your name?” I asked after the Facility Manager introduced him to me.
“My name is Jephthah.”

For reasons, I do not know, about two people in the compound call him “Japheth”.

Many times, I would be in my apartment, hear them scream “Japheth, do this..and that”, and I ask myself, “could it be that I heard his name wrong when he was introduced to me?”

So the thing is, a group of people in the compound call him “Jephthah” and another group call him “Japheth”. Obviously, both names can’t be his at the same time.

I sit here and wonder why he answers both names and would not put the group who call him by a name that isn’t his right.

Just like other days, I have once again told myself that I would ask him which of the names is the right one when next I go downstairs.

And I can almost bet my next salary on the fact that I would walk down in the morning with my mind occupied with the things I have to do once I get to the office, enter the car, wait for him to open the gate, and drive off.