And some really love them
DANCE MOVES: Above, Lucille de Klerk with son Mark, husband Ernest, daughter Stacey and Megan with the car their neighbours lent them for Megan’s matric dance. Right, Megan thanks neighbour Ruth Le-chandre Wevers for doing her hair then offered to assist and asked some of her friends in the beauty industry to also help.
“Ruth’s friend did Megan’s hair and charged just R500 for an upstyle. Ruth’s husband then offered my husband his new car to take Megan to the dance. Who would just lend someone their new car? They also lent us their camera. I am so grateful to them,” said De Klerk.
Johann de Bruyn, of Knysna, wrote how his neighbour got annoyed over his behaviour while he was watching sport.
“Picture this, one 55-year-old Afrikaans male who loves to braai (at least four times a week), drinks beer, burps loud, and screams at the top of his voice when watching rugby and soccer with his buddies versus one 84-year old Swiss lady who speaks funny, eats cheese on Saturdays, listens to opera and reads maps for relaxation.”
Mrs Radermacher did not grasp the craving for “cooking over a fire a South African has. To her it was a very strange, very barbaric way (and a total waste of time) to prepare a meal. When I started my fire, opened a can of beer, rubbed my belly and enjoyed the outdoors, she slammed her windows shut, closed her curtains and tried to enjoy her cheese and wine dinners while choking with fury (or, according to her, the smoke from the fire),” wrote De Bruyn.
“One day, I lit another fire. I braaied a golden-brown chicken on the Weber, juicy chops and wors and my speciality, crispy braaibroodjies with melting oozing cheese. I tucked my Tshirt into my black rugby shorts, stacked a plate and boldly went where I never dared to go before.
“To make a long story short, Mrs Radermacher thoroughly enjoyed my ‘peace offering’! She still does not light her own fires but understands ‘where I’m coming from’ and loves the taste of braaied meat. She now buys chops and asks me if I’d mind putting it on the braai. Windows are not slammed anymore. Her curtains are open and she waves while I braai her feast.”