AT the entrance of the QBE Building in Suva, where the morning rush funnels into polished corridors and offices, Vetaia Taladai remembers a man who never walked past him.
For Vetaia, a seasoned shoe shiner of 20 years, his encounters with the former President, the late Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, were never just transactions.
They were moments of connection, brief but deeply human.
“Ratu Epeli wouldn’t pass me without getting his shoes shined,” Vetaia said.
“He would always make sure to stop.”
Originally from Moala in Lau, with maternal links to Sawaieke Village in Gau, Vetaia has met countless people in his line of work, yet it is his relationship with the former Head of State that stands apart.
“I’ve come across a lot of people while shining shoes, but Ratu Epeli was one of those who took the time to know me personally.
“He would share a joke with me…laughter was always part of our conversation before he went on about his day. ”
That fairly simple and unassuming routine came to an abrupt end with news that still sits heavily on his heart.
“I received the news from a client, a close friend of Ratu Epeli, that he had passed away,” Vetaia said.
“When I was told, I realised he had just gotten his shoes shined from me the day before.”
The weight of that final encounter still lingers on his mind.
“It’s quite sad to know that was the last time we spoke,” he said.
“I truly feel privileged to have crossed paths with him, especially a man of his calibre.”
What stood out most to Vetaia was not the title Ratu Epeli carried, but the humility he displayed.
“He came down to my level and spoke to me like an ordinary person,” he said.
“He went on his own, didn’t have bodyguards, didn’t elevate himself.”
In a space where shoe shiners often endure passing judgment, those moments of recognition carried meaning beyond words for Vetaia.
“Sitting here, we get a lot of criticism from people who walk by. They think shoe shining is not a proper job,” Vetaia said.
“But Ratu Epeli didn’t care about that. He treated us with great respect, and we value those moments with him.”
For Vetaia, respect is not measured in status, but in how one treats others, especially those often overlooked.
“He always liked the way we hustle and made ends meet,” he said.
Each morning, Vetaia begins work early, preparing for the steady flow of civil servants.
“We make sure workers get their shoes polished before they head into the office,” he said.
“We feel they need to look neat, so we try to make that happen.”
A former president of the Fiji Shoeshine Association, Vetaia has remained rooted at his spot, watching people come and go but rarely leaving a lasting impression like the former President did.
Now, in the quiet spaces between customers, Vetaia finds himself reflecting.
“I’m going to sit here and remember those special moments with him,” he said.
His hope extends towards the future.
“I pray that we get future leaders who will come down to our level, get their shoes polished, and share some laughter with us, just like Ratu Epeli did.”
As the family of Ratu Epeli prepares to lay him to rest, Vetaia has extended his heartfelt condolences to the family, reflecting on the quiet kindness that defined their special encounters.
