EDITOR’S NOTE
THERE is always that long forgotten friend who surprises you with a pleasant phone call or message when least expected.
Tebogo (surname withheld to protect the innocent) lives in Soshanguve and the petrol price has ultimately decided the fate of our wonderful friendship. Driving from Joburg to Soshanguve for just a visit has become a luxury I cannot afford, and neither can he.
Tebsoul, as I like to call him because of his vast collection of soothing oldschool soul music, stunned me on Sunday with a biblical message. It is unlike him to trade his side-splitting humour and go all religious.
Part of his long message read: “With what is going on in the world these days, heaven could end up a ghost town.”
This message has come to resonate with my rough encounter with a window-washer vendor on my way to work early this week.
I thought I had mastered the trick of avoiding these bullies who terrorise motorists at intersections, until this latest incident. My ploy has been to give myself more space than necessary between the car ahead of me and then drive off when these menacing intruders armed with their water sprays and wipers approach.
Not this time.The violent-looking window washer would have none of it. He pursued me, and to my misfortune, the robot remained red.
He exploded into unprintable profanities while banging on my window which such force that I thought it would shatter.
When the green light finally freed me from this bully, I thought of my friend Tebsoul’s explanation for sending me that verse of a message.
It takes very little for tempers to flare under the weight of the tough economic climate, and we must pray for inner peace every morning, he explained.
I honestly have nothing against any hard-working individual trying to make ends meet while Tito Mboweni attempts to see us through the grim clutches of recession.
Still, this doesn’t give these window washers the licence to terrorise equally drained motorists. There are plenty other vendors at traffic lights, but none behave like this lot.
My recollection of Scriptures that talk of forgiveness advise us to leave retaliation to God. I strongly advise that you do the same when next a window washer attacks you. I just did.