Making a simple sprinkler

One Thursday morning I stopped at the Total Filling Station opposite the National College of Information Technology (Nacit) along the Masauko Chipembere Highway in Blantyre for some transaction and this week’s idea came to the fore.

A man fixed a horse pipe to the tap on the lawn on the front of the filling station, then he fixed an empty 500 millilitre packet of milk to the horse pipe.

Then while holding the empty packet of milk, the man gently opened the tap and let the water to inflate the empty packet then he closed it again.

Then he produced an elastic rubber band from a tyre tube and carefully but firmly tied it round the spot where he wrapped the packet connected the horse pipe. He opened the tap once again to observe if there is no leakage on the connection.

Satisfied that there is no leakage, he closed the tap. Then out of his breast pocket a produced a sharp object. I must admit that I did not see what it was because from the distance it was not easy to see clearly. I, however, assume that it was a one inch nail. Hit the inflated pipe a couple of times.

He went back to the tap, gently opened it and observed. He closed the tap and punched a few more holes. He returned to the tap and, this time, he looked satisfied. The empty plastic packet of sugar had been transformed into a sprinkler. The water was moving out of the tiny holes in strong jets giving the lawn the required sprinkle that maintain the lovely green.

I loved the joy on his face and the confidence of his step when he walked away to wait for the time to move the sprinkler to another spot. I loved the sight because it fitted in my DIY calling.

I wished I could talk to him and shake his skilled hand, unfortunately, my time was up and I was supposed to proceed to my destination. This piece is a tribute to that gardener whose name I do not know, neither does he know mine who gave me a practical DIY lesson in less than five minutes.

It is my sincere hope that you will remember that if you want it perfectly done, you will do it yourself. n