Flyovers, underpasses, subways, dual carriageways, elevated
roads, footbridges, complex interlocking junctions. Back then
even drainage and markings fell within my purview. There was
nothing more gratifying than peeling stencil from tarmac, my
colleague Oyelayo having done her spraying bit, to step back,
hands on cheeks and mouth gaping in wonder. Our boxy little
LOOK LEFTs and LOOK RIGHTs drew quiet gasps of dumb awe
at pedestrian crossings. In a single shift we laid seventy-eight
variations on SLOW; the thirty-three three-eyed ARAFs were
enough to cement our legend in the field. All done on computers
nowadays, of course. The last I heard from Oyelayo she was
down in the Dangs chipping gum off the footways. I’m currently
engaged in dialogue with el-Sisi’s people concerning my just
restoration. I am Rameses CLVII, by Ra, and I am no pretender!