Day 20 - Sex & Drugs

It’s been an odd week so far. With a public holiday on Monday and again on Wednesday (yesterday) and then another one next Monday it seems that everyone has slipped into holiday mode. I have to admit though that if I was an employee I would have long ago booked three days off…and gone on leave for 11 days! Bit of a no brainer. In yesterdays newspaper a columnist was berating South Africa for its holiday culture and whining that we only really worked ten months of the year, taking a month off in April – with all the public holidays – and another in December. Two months of holiday? Does anyone, who reads this blog, wherever you are in the world, get two months of holiday, do we really have two months of unproductive time? If so then I think I must really have been in the wrong industry.  

I write this from a coffee shop, watching the comings and goings of humanity and mulling over my thoughts. Writing this blog is forcing me to examine my life and part of that are the people who have drifted in an out of it. Now I make no claim on being perfect and I have missed more than one opportunity to maintain a relationship but I believe that where there has been an inkling of friendship I have given to that relationship, I suppose, wanting that to be reciprocated. More often than not, my generosity of spirit has been abused or ignored and a few years ago when things got tough it was notable how most of the ‘friends’ disappeared. It was notable how important employees deserted me when things started to slow, how some of the community in which I live turned their back on me and consequently broke us financially, for a decision that was inevitable but uncomfortable and unpopular. My reflection of these times is jagged.

I have contributed handsomely to the local economy and provided employment to hundreds if not thousands of people in this small town over a period of ten years. I have enjoyed some fabulous support too, make no mistake, but I’m remembered for a six month period when one of my night clubs traded to a black clientele. I am remembered for a litter strewn car park, and some petty crime that happened outside of the club. Yes people, regardless of what you have heard, South Africa is still very much segregated.

I am remembered too for my weaknesses; like taking a stand against drugs – in this day and age and in the night club industry – and against under age drinking (Now before my critics jump up and down, I make no claim that drugs and under age drinking didn’t happen in my businesses, the difference is, and this is what makes me different, I did not condone it one bit, I did not turn a blind eye to it and was more than happy to phone parents and tell them to fetch their children). I also intensely dislike bullies whether they're wearing a uniform or not, or speak from the pulpit or not, and refuse to bow before anyone and especially before people who act above their station in life. In ‘texas, we have a quite a few of these self important idiots.

Over the next while and during my “This is Me” series I will get into a bit more detail about these idiots and all that has happened….

Now, one goes through life, eventually thinking that you know a lot if not everything but I can tell you one of the strangest things to have happened to me during the tough times is that I have been supported by people, often almost strangers, who I really didn’t expect it from.

People who I think sensed a kindred spirit, non judgmental people who could see what I was trying to do, regardless of how poorly I executed it. People who have helped me financially and to whom I still owe money to. People who have invited me to join their circle of life. People who I only see every couple of months. Guys that I sometimes drink beer with on a Friday afternoon, who take the piss out of me but accept me for what it is. These people are important to me. And the two or three original friends out there – you know who you are – you too remain important in my life. I hope I am in yours too.

The clouds are slowly but surely lifting. Maybe blogging is, after all, an alternative to therapy. What do you think?

Until tomorrow.