I'm Staying

  CHAPTER 31 ENGLAND TWO YEARS LATER Paddy sat at this gate for hours waiting for John to come home from work. He couldn't understand why he couldn't go with him We decided to set a limit to our search for the pot of gold. We gave ourselves a further six months to find our feet or return to South Africa.   Lack of work, on my part, and low salaries for John meant we were eating into our savings.   In spite of all the wonderful things on offer, the safety, the good roads, and the close proximity to Europe for holidays, Africa was still calling. There was something lacking there and it’s called warmth, not the sunshine warmth even, but the human kind, where people smile and talk to you whatever their race or class. There is human interaction in Africa which has been replaced by technology elsewhere. Yes there are many people who have made the decision to move away from South Africa and stayed; made it their home. Some have been successful and make enough money to ...

  CHAPTER 29 ENGLAND LIFE’S LESSONS   Where previously I had felt proud of what I considered to be a prestigious, indulgent lifestyle, I became somewhat embarrassed when I looked back at our achievements which now looked to have been made on the backs of those less fortunate than ourselves in Africa. If nothing else, our two years in this new country showed me where and how we had gone totally and utterly wrong in our role as employers and home owners.   Having arrived in the UK with the superior attitude of a white man in Africa, we had been reduced to tenants and workers with a lowly status of being unemployed and living off Government benefits at times. But since my attitude has always been to find some good in every situation I managed to gain so much from this transition in that I learnt to swallow my pride and accept that we are after all, just human beings all trying to survive to the best of our ability on this planet. Because of this I no longer fee...

  CHAPTER 24   ENGLAND   THE END OF OUR SENTENCE Who would think that such a peaceful looking place could cause so much misery I soon realised that my husband’s temper wouldn’t stay under control for too much longer.   After all, even an angel would be challenged under these circumstances.   While I resorted to tears of anger and disappeared to my favourite place of refuge which was hidden behind the blackberry bushes in the bottom of the vegetable garden, John had a need to confront this man who constantly challenged his qualifications and abilities as a Horticulturalist.   The time for fake smiles and effort-filled pleasantness was drawing to an end as we became bolder and the need to defend ourselves became necessary to save our sanity. Two particular instances were instrumental in signing our release from what had, to me, become a prison in paradise. The first was at yet another interminable meeting with Sir Duncan and Lady Felicity.   ...

  CHAPTER 5   AFRICA   GROWING UP some sad reminders of growing up in South Africa After a blissful bare-foot and care-free childhood the age of boarding school came around all too soon and soon after my 12 th birthday, I joined many other reluctant pre-teens as we went to the 'big' city of Bloemfontein in South Africa to shop for our new uniforms. The all-girls school of choice was Eunice Girls’ School, recommended and approved by several other families in our little town.     The store where we bought our uniforms was called John Orr’s and was one of the biggest I’d ever seen.   There were many departments such as women’s wear, gloves and hats, menswear, shoes, haberdashery and luggage in the basement. The floors were all polished wood and each department had a counter behind which stood an expectant assistant.   Here she served customers, assisting with enquiries and upon receiving payment she placed the money in a little bag above her,...