How it began.

It began one afternoon. No, it didn’t.

It began far earlier, years earlier than that with vague and foggy ideas and whimsical discussions but it was cemented on that afternoon when the question became a statement.

We visited the mother of a dear friend. He’d immigrated to Italy a few years ago and she asked that we come around for a meal and to look at the photos they’d sent. We’d always been close to them – him, his wife, well his whole family really. His mother and brother also wanted to see the new addition to our family, a beautiful petite little girl. The mother had a surprise in store for us. She phoned her son and family in Italy and we got to speak to them. It was marvellous to hear the excitement and the familiar voices from so long ago!

I think perhaps, as is natural, there was some nostalgia tainted with regret in leaving the country. It’d been hard for them but they were now beginning to find their feet. From this came a question that for me, put the ideas and whimsical notions into motion. I cannot remember the exact wording, but the sentiment was:

“Should we come back?”

My reply was “No. It’s not the same place you left.”

 For many months, maybe even years, I’ve felt like I no longer belonged in the country of my birth. The country had revolted, quietly and violently and the majority of the population were finally allowed to work, play, live, eat and own what they wanted but it came at a price.

The majority of the population had been suppressed and treated like savage children. They were always told where they may or may not go. They were always ‘looked after’ and some were given basic services – others domiciled in outcast, hovel like communities with nothing more than mud and iron to shelter them. Their heroes were the ones who stole, murdered and pillaged from their oppressors but all that was passed now – or should be. Their chosen leaders were in power, the new rule of the land emphatically stated that everyone was entitled to basic services, education and any other necessity akin to human rights. The problem was – is that the vast majority are still holding doggedly onto their way of life. The ‘you must give me’ mentality and the ‘I’ll defiantly take it’ like their struggle heroes. This became law with affirmative action and BEE and became reality with rife corruption because the new leaders seem to feel entitled, as in the past, to take what they can.

I can no longer obtain the services I require as a client because the people behind the counters or on the other side of the phone line are not well versed in English and prefer to treat their clients with arrogance and indifference. Granted, perhaps I should have learnt one of the other official languages and not be arrogant about English but in my defence English has always been the language of business here and of our communiqués abroad. This seems trivial, I’m sure but it isn’t when you require the emergency services.

Services, there practically aren’t any. The few that remain seem to be hanging on by charity, hope and prayer. Our roads and infrastructure are in horrid disrepair. I keep paying my taxes but don’t seem to be getting the services I’m paying for. It’s so bad that private companies have begun fixing roads, deploying ‘points-men’ to direct traffic at intersections where the traffic lights have failed and security companies are still booming because the police can’t keep crime under control. Go to a civilized part of the world and tell someone you want a contract with a security company. I’m sure their question to you will be “Oh! What did you act in – can I get your autograph?”

I’ll admit we (my wife and I) were still a little tender around the edges having a tiny new person to look after and we didn’t take our new responsibilities lightly! We wanted and still want the best for her and it was beginning to occur to us that there was better elsewhere and that I had the ticket.

When we returned home after a lovely dinner with my friend’s mother, we put our lovely daughter to bed and had probably one of the most important discussions in ages. We bantered and tossed ideas until 2 in the morning and when all was said and done it was decided. It was time to flee.

Ciao for now.