My Book Arrived!

27 Aug. 13

The cell rang and Lola answered. I was standing outside in the cockpit but could hear the excitement in her voice as she spoke. My print copy had finally arrived and Vava from the Greenfields post office had made the call. Lola whooped and bounced around as she excitedly rattled off her thank you thank you over and over again into the cell. I love the way she reacts to some things, uncontrolled and with gusto. I myself struggle to get excited and treat most things as one would feel about eating the same breakfast cereal day after day, it’s just something that has to happen. Anyway, we readied ourselves and took the long walk up to the post office. The last time we caught the taxi to the post office to find out if the book had arrived and when it hadn’t we had walked back to let off some steam and it turned out to be a pleasant walk. Our calculations however, didn’t consider the fact that last time the walk was downhill. We had to stop a few times on the walk uphill to catch our breath but made it in the end. Vava handed over our parcel and Lola’s excitement returned quickly even though we were all a bit tired. She tore open the wrapping and waved the book about in the air passing it to me to hold while she took out the camera to document the moment. Her excitement was contagious and everyone in the post office stopped what they were doing and watched as the camera snapped away. I felt a bit like an idiot but also elated holding my first book in my hand. We passed it around in the post office for all to look at then waved goodbye as we walked over to Pick & Pay.

 

With two heavily loaded trolleys we arrived at the checkout. The teller asked Lola why she was buying so much stuff and a conversation about our boat started. After we had paid our bill and started leaving the store the teller shouted for us to wait. We all stood looking at her confused and wondering why she stopped us. Then she handed Lola a slab of chocolate and said thank. We were still confused and very surprised but thanked her and left the store. We walked around the corner towards Pick & Pay liquors pushing our trolleys. I asked Lola what just happened and she shrugged her shoulders. Never before had we bought groceries at any Pick & Pay and been given a chocolate for doing so. When we got to the end of the back parking area we asked the boys to watch the trolleys while we went into the liquor store and bought some drinks.

 

 

When we got back I told Lola to call a taxi and we lit a cigarette to wait for its arrival. A man dressed in a Pick & Pay shirt walked over to us and asked if we were waiting for someone to pick us up. I joked with him and said we were going to walk the trolleys home then quickly told him we would be calling a taxi. He said no we don’t need to call the taxi, he would organise us a lift. We all looked at him in confusion and tried to protest but he had already walked away. A few seconds later he arrived back with another guy dressed in Pick & Pay uniform. He introduced us to the other guy and told us this guy would give us a ride back to our boat. We were dumbfounded but followed the other guy who we discovered was the store manager to his vehicle and loaded our trolleys onto the back of his double cab. He drove us back to the boat and even helped us unpack and carry our stuff to the boat. Wow! What service! I still can’t believe it happened but urge everyone I know to go and support this Pick & Pay if you ever pass through Greenfields in East London. I think I am even going to sit down and write a compliment letter to their head office.