Nkosi Bayete!

As he passed knocked my friend on the head from behind, no time took him down a much bigger guy, Rooikat (lit “Red Cat”) the youngster pumping like a bicycle tire over and over in the mouth just blood.  On meeting he was on the point of killing me, afterwards he kept on asking forgiveness I conceded in the end. He turned out my best friend at the time. This youngster was a Zulu he taught me some things. He taught me some words and a war dance I'm too old for that now.

These new surroundings were much more comfortable and I knew these people wanted to help.

Another was a boilermaker he landed up there of DTs, acute alcohol withdrawal these stories makes your hair stand on end.  There was another guy Beardmen I've never seen someone running so fast was more like flying he moved easy freely like a cheetah. Built like one too not your familiar strong heavy brute force sprinters. Then in these new surroundings a short stout strong mine-worker carried me on his shoulders running up-and-down in the courtyard. Jumbo Jumbo Mr Brown! Jumbo Jumbo Mr Brown!

There were other friends too, a soldier came in, he threatened to murder me a few times but then later changed his mind. There was an Indian gentleman I think he was an important man it looked like severe depression his family let me also visit when they came. Dr Khumalu named for the soccer legend he was very accurate in the courtyard if they let us have the ball. When his people came to fetch him he first proudly introduced me to his mother I felt flattered.

At the time didn't sleep much and ate my fruit peel and all bananas and an orange like an apple. A bit savage but healthy, good roughage. Once there was a riot in that ward those patients went really wild.

This was a closed ward, I found myself in another lock-up situation.

~

But first I had to find myself in police custody for a few days.

Memory gaps and blackouts I can mostly only remember flashes how I got there. It was winter it was very cold there was no mattress and no blanket just cement and brick and iron. Spartan. Fortunately I had a german army jacket on you will die there of that cold.

Must brag and say they got a much better fight than expected, they weren't the first to make that mistake. They apparently were waiting for suitable accommodation, in the holding cells it was very cold to warm up I did my gumboot dance around that cell. Zimba, Zimba! Lion! Lion! Stomping feet Doof! Doof! Doof! I thought of storming down the iron gate rhino style but luckily there was no runway to pick up speed I would have broken my neck.

Catering wasn't so hot but for tin plates hurling around it was good acoustics. Clang bang bang clang clang I made a terrific racket all the time non-stop. They had me for malicious damage of property disturbing the peace making a big noise resisting arrest and so on and given the luxury of my own cell. Made a big noise believe me I entertained all the holding cells all of the police station as well.

The station officer didn't think it was so funny.

~

I discovered a note on me “Uncle James Brown, stole one black shoelace” and I had my ID Book.
Promptly flushed down my shoestrings well as the piece of paper. It would have helped a lot if they instead contacted my family all they knew was I had suddenly disappeared.

If my people hadn't found me I don't know what would have happened, ended up Ward 11 probably. Criminally insane. The police made absolutely no effort contacting my family. Maybe they didn't like me thrashing their station. Only once they had me in handcuffs and leg irons they got the upper hand. I think at some point someone had me in a straight jacket too which is illegal. Terrifying.

The only crime I committed was breaking a lot of stuff and making a big noise I never hurt anyone but might be I insulted some people and upset some people. So that I had disappeared, this friend even took off from work looking for me eventually he found me there my people relieved  obviously had been very worried.

~

Loudly Saluting : Nkosi Bayete! Hail Shaka! Hail the King!

Much more fun than your “long live Marx, long live Lenin workers of the world unite etc.” That one police man shouted “remember Treurnicht!” a man on a horse “n man op 'n perd” I shouted in reply "If Shaka was at blood river it would be blood puddle!"

In general very optimistic, a very positive state of mind. Said Bafana would from now on win all their games 10-0 I thought I will be with Mandela watching the games and waving to the crowd, can you handle it?

~

The All Black's Haka is not a dance it is just stomping making a big meaningless  noise, for a Zulu war dance you need be very strong, quick, agile, supple with balance and speed. I think you must be young. Johnny Clegg did the miner's gumboot dances with Juluka that is much more convincing. Perhaps the crowd could sing Impi as an unofficial anthem.

I reckon if the Springbucks did the Zulu war dance answer to Haka of the All Blacks, they would be basically invincible that would be really intimidating. But they would practice 100% total confidence total commitment and total surprise otherwise it might backfire badly.

~

Most of the time I was on a high, friendly and cracking jokes only occasionally very angry especially right in the beginning.

This second trip I experienced mostly as rather pleasurable. I was busy busy there with the other guys only goes to show “nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so”. So this was my second visit it was very different things had changed a lot in the meantime. I wasn't psychotic but I think now there were some hallucinations only very few. I think it was of exposure I'd had more than enough of that.

Don't worry the doctors were confused too.

All I can say is don't stop taking your pills it's not worth it, you might get more action than what you bargained for. You might get into big trouble.

~

Zimba is a Lion, Who can stand before the Lions!!

hay zika zimba zimba zimba, hay zika zimba zimba zey!
hay zika zimba zimba zimba, hay zika zimba zey!

mow 'em down you zulu warriors,
mow 'em down you zulu chief!

mow 'em down you zulu warriors,
mow 'em down you zulu chief, chief, chief!!