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Mary1 was born in the late 1960s in South Africa. She could not have been unaware of apartheid and race and racists and racialism if she had tried. After all her Mum was regularly bundling the staff into the walk-in pantry and broom cupboard when the doorbell went and a blue cop van was sighted outside. Mum knew the ropes, she also had "how to apply for a 'pass'" down pat. Mum drove countless (South African-born, of course) folk to the 'pass' offices and shuttled them up and down as they were sent from pillar to post by the authorities who tried to make it impossible to get the said 'pass'. We were considered quite a subversive lot in our neck of the vineyards in Cape Town.
In my view being critical of the South African government is not racist. I was critical of our pre-1994 government and no-one called me a racist then. They called me other names, but not racist. Obviously. I am particularly emotive about governments: I am vocal about Mr Renzi and the boys', Mrs Merkel's scary lot, Mrs May's new circus, Mr Tsipras and his troops' (loved, loved the ex-finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis. Now he is a dynamic man if there was ever one. What a waste that he resigned. Sigh.) And I am vocal about our government. Very vocal in certain aspects. Not every aspect. But in particular aspects I have a (strong) opinion. In my view, I am a realist. A realist about our government, too.
John23 had other ideas. But I have jumped the gun. John23 is a very clever man. Interesting. Worldly. Open-minded international-style. Well-travelled in a Tarzan kind of way. Enormously educated and big thinking. I like John23. I like his mind in particular. A lot. And his house. It has an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic Ocean. I could picture self on that veranda. Permanently. With or without John23. John23's focus was not on interior decorating (or exterior decorating other than the installation of a very lovely Jacuzzi). He was not, however, afraid of D-I-Y in his hour of need. John23 even repaired his own leaking roof. Very ingeniously and tastefully, I might add: he had half a dozen matching grey plastic buckets suspended from the exposed rafters in his living room catching the raindrops should they fall. So clever, especially that the buckets matched and were the same colour as the roof tiles.
John23 and I drank delicious wine and ate many splendid meals over a good period of time. Sometimes on the glorious veranda, sometimes elsewhere, sometimes with friends, sometimes not. Over a particularly pleasant meal one evening John23 asked me if had wondered why he (please note) had not taken our relationship to, and I quote, "the next level". "No, I hadn't" I replied as I had not wondered at all. Different chaps have different methodologies. We don't all start off in the sack and then swop phone numbers. Some start with friendship and take it from there. Like John23 had. "Well, you see ... " John23 explained " ... the reason I haven't taken it to the next level is that you are a racist. And that is like throwing a bucket of ice water over me".
I nearly dropped my champagne glass. But I like champagne too much so I did not drop it. A racist. Well I never. Me! Me, who has had various members (four to be pedantic) of the African Union living inside (yes, inside, not outside in a Wendy House or a tiny room, but inside) my home for the past eight years. Me. The one who comes home on a Sunday afternoon to a driveway full of luxury vehicles the drivers of whom are enjoying a lunch party in my home or lolling at the pool picnic'ing. No, these aren't my friends lunching and picnic'ing. I should be so lucky. You see I had at the time as many Malawian citizens residing with me as I had members of my immediate family residing with me, just saying. So, we had a full-house most weekends. Of members of the SADC, the AU, and no John23, not members of the old National Party, the AWB or the FFP.
Giving John23's opinion some thought I happened upon the conclusion that John23 did not approve of my commentary on the government. It could only have been this which turned him off so-to-speak. But I am not anti-government, I am disapproving of some of the government actions, policies and antics. I do not think I am racist per se. The fact that our government is predominantly "Black" does not make this a racial issue. I would have been just as unhappy if Mr PW Botha had built himself a laager of Nkandla proportions on the beach in the Wilderness back in the 1970s.
John23 is a marvellous chap. I love arguing with and chatting to John23. I do, however, steer clear of government-related issues. That would ruin the friendship and I have poured enough icy water on John23 already.