The movers would arrive on Monday to pack up. They’d load the truck on Tuesday and depart on Wednesday.
The curtains had been taken down and the windows stared at me like the milky eyes of the blind. The ornaments were wrapped up and the furniture was ready to go. Rina had worked so hard to make our house a home. Now it felt as if someone had defaced her beautiful artwork with wide strokes of black paint. Her artwork had been destroyed in a single morning, and it would never be restored.
I cried. I didn’t sob, but my eyes brimmed with tears that spilled and rolled down my cheeks. I took my kierie and walked out the front door, for the last time.
The neighbours
The only other Afrikaans-speaking people in Hythe Street, Ramsgate, were our neighbours. We didn’t have much to do with them except to wave when we passed each other in the street. But when the man noticed the moving truck in front of my gate, he came over to say goodbye.
When we moved here in 2003, a Belgian man lived in the next house along. Rina and I usually went for a late-afternoon walk to the corner of our street and back. We met the Belgian on one such walk – Rina, who was always friendly, introduced us and made small talk.
The Belgian man passed away suddenly and new people moved into that house: a big man, a big woman, a BMW and four dogs that barked incessantly when we walked past. Maybe the man and his wife worked in radiology because they could both look right through you and not say hello.
This story is from the December 2020/January 2021 edition of go! - South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2020/January 2021 edition of go! - South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Rolling out the big guns
If you're still scanning the horizon for a Chinese automotive invasion you're looking the wrong way. It's already happening, and the new GWM Tank is the off-road spearhead into the highly lucrative and hotly contested lifestyle market.
TAKE A HIKE
The beautiful agony of Tienuurkop
Time out in Dullies
A long weekend in Dullstroom is just long enough to make you realise you need to spend several more weekends here! There's food, drink, art and action in abundance. Here's your guide.
Gallivanting in the Galápagos!
The Galápagos Islands are on many a traveller's wish list. They were on Hanlie and Vivian Gericke's too, even though the price of visiting made their eyes water. Was it worth it? Read on...
BURCHELL AND THE COUNTRY OF THE BUSHMEN
How many times have you driven through a landscape and wished you could have seen it centuries ago? In 1811, the English artist and explorer, William John Burchell, travelled through South Africa. Join us as we follow in his footsteps.
Long live the Hibiscus Coast
The KZN South Coast is a national treasure. It's still the place to go if you want a classic seaside holiday complete with warm waves, cold beer, soft serve and good vibes. Here's your guide.
The island at the end of the earth
Imagine adlace-with the cleanest air arid:the clearest seawater, where_no human.oranimabwants to:harm you: A placewhere the climates balmy. year-round:-with a sekrhistory ahd wwild scenery. A place like this:exist8” and it’s called St Helena.
A day on the road
You never know what the road will bring. Toast Coetzer heads south on the N1 and discovers South Africa.
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
