My Unfinished Fence - Creative Response to Vilsoni Hereniko's The Unfinished Fence

My Unfinished Fence - Creative Response to Vilsoni Hereniko's The Unfinished Fence

I wrote this in response to the unfinished fence. The story follows Mrs Anderson and her search for Jimi. I wanted the story to further her understanding of Jimi and what he was going through and change how she felt towards him and his culture.

“I wonder what ever happened to Jimi?”

Mrs Anderson wondered to herself while looking over her fence. He had always been such a kind person she was finding it difficult to understand why he had not returned to his job.

“Had I been too hard on him?”

She felt a wave of guilt suddenly fall over her. She knew she was underpaying him and had always taken advantage of the fact that he may be an over stayer. Why am I feeling this way?  She asked herself. He had no right to be working in the first place or even be in the country for that matter. He had always been so kind to her though.

“Knock knock knock”

The knock at the door startled her

“Maybe that’s him” she thought to herself half hoping and half wishing 

It was the mailman she had asked him to keep an eye out for him after his disappearance.

“Anyword of Jimi?” she asked him
“Sorry maam nothing at all. He hasn’t been around at all not even to pick up his mail. Give them to him if you see him around will ya”

She sat down at a lost for what to do. She looked at the unopened letters in her hand. Something must have happened she thought to herself. Jimi loved his letters she would often watch him as he would read his letters when taking a break from his work. She looked closely at the letter.

Maybe there’s a clue to where he’s gone in here? She thought to herself

She knew it was wrong to do but she couldn’t help herself she ripped open the letter. She knew it would be in English as he was trying to improve his English through his letters.

Dear Jimi

We miss you. Things are not the same around here without you. Kids miss their father very much and ask where you are every day. I tell them you have gone to land of the white cloud to make a better future for us all. Be careful not to get hurt and come back to us soon.

We all love you.

She wiped away the tears from her eyes. She had no idea what Jimi was going through. He was always so kind and listened to her go on and on about her life. He had always looked so lonely and she thought they could understand each other.

“I could never imagine what it must have been like for him” she told herself

He was going through a struggle far greater than her own and never had he complained not even once. She thought about her time with Jimi how he was always smiling and looked so happy. They would often sit around and talk for hours while she watched him work. She had been living by herself for so long and it was nice to have someone around. It must have been hard for him being away from his family for so long. Sending over what little money he made from working on her house. She then felt something that surprised her. She felt envy for Jimi. Even though he was here on his own he still had a family back home who loved and missed him very much. She thought about her own family who would ring her on special occasions. Even though they sent her money so she could live comfortably she still felt very much cut off from them. Jimi had told her that in the islands grandparents, parents and children when often live in the same home. That they all stayed close and helped each other. Although she would never admit it she often felt that she was superior to Jimi. He was reliant on her for payment and without her support he would be forced to work some factory job to get by. Now she felt differently.

“Who I am to judge another?” She asked herself

Just because their way of life is different doesn’t give her any right to judge.

“knock knock knock”

Another knock at the door it was firmer this time. She raced to the door hoping to find her friend while promising herself to treat him far better than before. She was shocked to find two policeman standing at her door.

“Oh officers is something the matter?” she cried out her voice higher than intended.
“We would like to talk about your gardener. Jimi I believe you call him” the officer replied in a stern voice.
“Of course please come in”

They made their way in and sat at her table.

“What is this about is Jimmy okay?” she asked fearing the worse
“Jimmy is facing deportation he is suspected of illegally working while on a holiday visa”
“We have reason to believe that he has been working here for you”

She was trapped. If she admitted that he was working for her he would be deported for sure.

“No, im sorry I believe you are mistaken Jimi and I are only friends there is no working relationship at all”

Their expression on the polices faces turned cold

“You know providing false information to the police is a crime miss” The policeman stated
“One that can get you in a lot of trouble”
“I um” she stuttered

What could she do? She asked herself. She couldn’t afford to get in trouble. He had broken the law she wasn’t doing anything wrong by lying.

“Im sorry officer ive come to my senses. Yes he was working for me he was painting my fence for me” she confessed.

A cold smile spread across both the policeman faces

“Thank you maam that will be all”.

They made their way out the door. She felt sick with guilt after what she had done. He was only trying to do what was best for his family.

She sat down in her chair and looked out at the unfinished fence. Nothing had changed she was still the same person.

“Im sorry Jimi”

And with that she wept.