Displacement
By Magg
These are essays or very short stories about living in South Africa just after Apartheid ended. They were written very quickly at the time as I just wanted to capture key things that hit me whilst living there, but I hope to develop them (or one of them) into a novel.
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Shopping Day
As I turned into Bowling Lane, a white man from a speeding bakkie (van) shouted something in a tongue I didn't understand. (I found out later it was Afrikaans) I didn't need to. Whatever was said there was no mistaking the contempt and hate. It was then realized that what Thandie said was ringing true. The route I took was lined with thick trees and soft turf that surrendered with each tread I made. As there was no pavement I decided to walk along the red path close to the huge houses. Each house I passed, German shepherds, Dobermans, Rotweiler's ran to me spitting and barking, with only the electronic gates separating us. Thandie's prophetic warning was now like massive bells ringing in my ears. At one party I attended, somebody told me that guard dogs had been trained to smell blacks and attack on sight. I pulled my blouse away from my neck, dipped my head and drew a quick breath through my nostrils. It was hot and the sun stood alone against the flat blue sky; a thick layer of sweat had already settled on my forehead but I could still smell the Dewberry body fragrance I bought from Body Shop in North London. The white froth dribbling from the corner of the Rotweiler's mouth with its programmed eyes scrutinising its mark, quickly told me that no amount of fragrance was going to make much difference if those teeth ever got me!
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Alien Experiences
Rita was a large woman; shiny earrings dangled from her ears, purple eye make up stared out from under her brows and her high heels tramped noisily on the marble floor. She and her husband had been in the country for twenty-five years and owned an electrical shop in Orange Grove, central Johannesburg. Before talking about the business on hand, we talked or rather she reminisced about Britain and wanted to know how it looked, as she hadn't been back in years. After some minutes, the conversation moved to the present day situation: South Africa - its people, her worries and fears. I offset this by telling her how excited I was to be here, in the continent of my forefathers. I suddenly realised I said this without thinking when I saw the look on her face. But you're not African!' she exclaimed, 'You're British ' as I am!' It was said with some desperation and urgency. For that split second, images came flooding in my mind. Some years back when I was a student at Southgate Tech, on my way home there would be times I would have to wait for a bus either in the pouring rain, the cold weather or the hot sun. I'd meet little old ladies whose conversations would always begin about the erratic nature of the British weather ..............
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Experiences: 2
I have this thing about displacement that seems to put me constantly on the periphery of people's lives. Not finished but would like comments. Thanks
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Experiences 3: My time in Scotland
This is about my time in Scotland. Scotland has a campaign on at the moment about trying to defeat racism. It was supposed to be just a few lines but mine turned into this.
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