Sunday, 18 May 1986: My “Date” Had Three “Protectors”

May 22, Home of Melvin (Jack) & Eileen, Kimberly, Cape Province 

I had a date last Sunday afternoon with a young South African woman in Bloemfontein – well, I thought it was a date but actually…

A Rotary Club member had introduced me to Melanie.  She is slightly chunky with blondish brown hair and a cute mole to the left of her chin.    I liked her smile and personality, so a couple days later, I phoned her at her office to invite her to dinner at a restaurant.  She suggested instead that I come over to her townhouse for a braai (barbeque) with a few of her friends.  Since I don’t have wheels, Melanie, wearing a sexy dress, picked me up on Sunday a little after noon.  When I got out to her car, there was a young guy named Keith sitting in the back seat whom she had picked up before me.   We arrived at her place which was very nice:  modern furniture, remote control TV, stereo, and new appliances.  No dishwasher though – most South Africans don’t have them.  They are used to having maids do the dishes although Melanie doesn’t have a maid.  She is living with a Greek guy – apparently platonic. 

It was a typically clear, sunny, warm autumn day.  I helped Melanie with the food in the kitchen while Keith sat on the patio sipping scotch.  Just before we were ready to eat, Graham stopped by.  He is doing his two years military service while Keith had finished his a year or two ago. 

Unfortunately, Melanie had no beer so I had to lubricate my palate with a few glasses of red wine.  I stuffed my face with barbequed boerewors (Boer sausage) and lamb chops while the four of us talked politics.  They all agreed that many older South Africans aren’t very sensitive to the cultural differences of non-white racial groups.  It made me a bit hopeful to hear that younger whites may be more willing to compromise.  After all, since arriving in South Africa, I’ve spent most of my time with people over 40. 

 

Boerewors, a favorite ingredient of a South African braai (barbeque)

Source:  https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/boerewors/

 

The conversation eventually drifted around to war stories.  Keith’s brother is with a voluntary force that most South Africans don’t know much about.  This unit is fighting on the front lines in Angola against the leftist government.  Keith said his brother has become a little crazy.  Sounds like another Viet Nam situation.

Soon Mick showed up.  He was a good-looking Afrikaner who is studying agriculture at the University of the Orange Free State.  He and another guy are renting a run-down house which has heat and plumbing for only R70 per month.  He had been in the army and also had war stories.  Mick had been a paratrooper and claimed that the South African Air Force flies humongous Hercules planes in Angola at 150 feet above the ground (just barely above the tree tops) in order to avoid radar detection.  When they are going to drop the paratroopers, the pilot climbs up to 400 feet, the minimum elevation for jumping. 

So here I was with Melanie and three other guys – some date!  She had implied that these guys are all “old friends” but who knows?  It was informative talking with younger white South African guys but as the afternoon wore on I was hoping they would leave so I could get to know Melanie better.  Melanie was surprised to learn that I am 40 (she thought I was younger) and I learned she is only 22 (I had the impression she was about 25).  Probably too young for me but I thought it would be fun to see what happened.  The three guys hung on and on.  Finally, she took Keith home around 6:30; Mick left around 7:15.  Afterword, I detected Graham and Melanie exchanging non-verbal messages with their eyes and facial expressions.  Graham seemed to be asking, “Should I leave now so you can be alone with this guy?”  Apparently her answer was “no”, since he didn’t leave.  So, I decided it was my turn.   My excuse was that I needed get back to Woolfie and Irene’s place to make a trunk (long-distance) phone call (Melanie doesn’t have a phone at home). 

It was OK playing this game and not having my ego tied up in the outcome.  Besides, how can I bitch about good company, good wine, and good eats?