FRIENDS

We moved to Port Elizabeth at the beginning of October 1984 and we only knew two couples living there, one was my predecessor and the other relatives of my wife.  I was lucky enough to have a few days off in order to move into our house, and on the day that the furniture removers arrived, we started unpacking.  Some of our possessions had been in storage for nearly eight months and we had difficulty in deciding where what should go and just at this stage a youngster pitched up and said:  "Oom, my mother says she is making tea and coffee, which would you prefer?"  A day or two later I was getting the garage in order when a woman on a bicycle passed the house, turned round and rode into the garage.  "I am Elsa and I live in number two at the end of the street, welcome to this community."  That same afternoon I was washing my car when somebody said to me:  "Good afternoon, I have heard that you are from Southwest Africa", and when I turned around I saw it was Jakes Jacobs, whom I had known in Windhoek and they lived in No. 13 (we were in No. 10) and within a few days we had three lots of firm friends!  We went to church and the service was held in the school hall and afterwards tea was served and the lady who had been playing the piano came up to us and said: "I see you are new here, I am Rinnie Marais, who are you?"  Port Elizabeth certainly lived up to its reputation as the 'The Friendly City!'

This is what we need most in this country: getting to know people you see often, not necessarily your next door neighbours, and being friendly towards them, it costs you nothing to smile and say "Have a good day!"

Oupa