CARER/VIDEO

I took on some work with a carer agency after leaving UCB & moving back down south

Not pleasant work & had a client accusing me of cleaning his genitals with a scourer to spite me as I had to rush off to my next client.

My pastor David Harland could hardly keep a straight face when I asked him to come to the inquisition. No surprise, I resigned; not wanting to continue working with that risk.

Then worked at video distribution to a club network...so much easier & pleasant

ENGAGEMENT

We went to a Japanese restaurant in Brighton after doing the ceremony in Charmaine's lodging home

2000

DRUNK BUMP

It was the 1st day of the mellenium & I got up early to pick up Charmaine from a shift at Casualty at Brighton Gen.

On the way, some idiot, high on who knows what walks straight out in front of me...although doing only 30 mph he went flying over the hood, smashed his head into the windshield & lay crumpled next to the car. I got out & checked on him...my car was in worse condition than he was.

His friend...& all credit to him, came running up from the beach to say he had seen it all & it was his friend's fault.

I followed the ambulance & police (after briefly consulting with them) to guess where...yes...Casualty at the Gen & who... just as she was finishing her shift comes to recieve...but Charmaine. Puzzlement all around; but ...more was to follow.

The guy was taken out & put on a guerney only to promptly get off & run away...I guess he was concerned about the bloods showing what he was on. Clearly he was fine. We all had a little chuckle & went on our seperate ways.

I still had to fork out for the damage on the car...couldn't even sue him as I didn't know his name

WEDDING

We flew out to SA via Lisbon only to find our connection would not be until the following am. It took ages to get Charmaine's transit visa after which we got put up in a classy hotel for only a few hrs.

I stayed in Roosevelt whilst meeting with various members of her family

Her mother was focussed only on family so her world was tiny. A brother, Ash had a failed marriage & was living with a woman.

Her parents had divorced in the early 80's Her father was an ex cop.

Her cousin Emmanuel & his wife Shaina offered their garden & marquee for the reception

The original minister could not make it so we had a last minute stand in.

My best man was Tony Sands & whilst I thought I made a good choice; he turned out to be another wolf in sheep's clothing..

We were married in a church in Bramley.

We left for a country lodge nr Pretoria. Lion Lodge was beautiful but the mosquitoes were not.

The Phekos had stayed with the Percimoneys so we picked them up & drove back to Lesotho & their home. I had picked them up during the week but this was Charmaine's 1st experience of their home. Again they were such beautiful hosts.

We drove back into SA & stayed at Lillieshoek...remember. We had a lovely 4 nights there connecting with a local church who wanted me as a teacher.

There was a Marmaset monkey...Hotstuff that just took to Charmaine's hair. The property dogs used to follow her around whenever she went for a walk...one was called Meisiekind (Little Girl)

Later when looking into the opportunity it turns out the Free State Educational Board felt I was too pale..

We stayed a few nights with Charmaine's mother in an apartment in the cesspool of Hillbrow...never a dull moment in that community.

Soon we were settling down to married life in Worthing