Straatwerk

I cannot be called an expert on public toilets, but I have a good insight in how the toilets in the Mother City function. I know the rules, the do’s and the don’ts and I am surprised every day.

28 leaves you thinking of gang members and graffiti (the 28’s that leave their mark everywhere) and ‘n nice age just before thirty. But then there’s Jonathan. He is 28- we think. His ID book is with a friend again, so how can we be sure about his age, or about the friend?

Every day we read in the newspaper about murder, rape and corruption. Every day we walk past hungry people, suffering people, worried and depressed people. Every day we get up with new a new spirit, but some mornings our spirit gets broken by things that upset and hurt us. We know that we are supposed to love unconditionally. We know that we’re supposed to depend on God and God alone. We know many things, but we are struggling. We search for oases next to the road. A bit of cool water to drink when we become tired and our hearts become heavy. And the Lord sometimes surprises us with an unusual oases.

Many hours in one’s car ensures that you find your escape by listening to the radio. Then, as it goes, you jump from one station to the next. “The minimum and maximum temperatures for today..” – please not another weather forecast; “Tonight is the night to be out on town...” I’m working tonight, what does it help listening to other people’s evening plans; “We don’t care, we just don’t care...”- John Legend, he’s good, but not now... and so I keep jumping from one station to the next. The preacher preaches intensely, the Classical music plays loudly and suddenly another phone-in programme, with a generic theme- How long do women take to prepare for their night out? I listen, in the hope that they can provide new insight on this old topic... I’m shocked. Obviously I am from the old school. Or more than that, apparently I am from THE OLDEST school. Getting dressed has become a science, it seems.

It was a hot day as I drove down Kloofstreet. You just can’t miss them, the bright bibs that proclaim Jesus Saves, the graffiti removal trolley with many different bottles and thinners and secrets products like Graffiti Go that can instantly show graffiti whose boss. Their work is to do what the Bible says by literally working for their daily bread “by the sweat of their brows.” I drive to my office, park my car and then walk towards them to find out what cold drink they would want.

My first meeting with Bianca was a strange one. She was dressed purely in white: white dress, white blouse and very pointy high-heeled shoes. That white evening she would scream to me: “I’m not interested in your Jesus stories. Can’t you see, I am a virgin bride, spotless. Don’t talk to me anymore, you’re chasing away my clients.”

Rubbish bins. Every city has a lot of them, although their presence is mainly ignored, until your big old bin disappears without a trace one day and your life suddenly becomes messy and complicated. Every day you ask every bergie that passes about the disappearance of your big, black rubbish bin- but no one know anything about it.