RIP Rael Birns. March 1941-June 2020.
Rael was a doyen of folk music in Johannesburg. I attended the last concert of the Waldorf String Band in 2014 and that was the end of a career that spanned 27 years, 9 CDs and 3 DVDs. I took this picture of Rael at that performance. When I saw the messages of condolence on various timelines on Tuesday morning, I was saddened for a moment and then all the times that he and I shared together flooded back and I remembered them with joy. I had been in contact with Rael on my birthday only a week ago and it seems that in just over a week he got sick and died. Although he did have other health conditions, I am almost certain that his passing will be attributed to the virus. And I, therefore, dedicate this posting to his memory…
To quote Lewis Carroll from his poem the Walrus and the Carpenter… “The time has come the Walrus said to talk of many things” and I was starting to feel like a walrus or, at the very least a garden gnome. Under the current regulations, I was able to have a haircut and I felt that if I did avail myself of such services, my mood would lift and I would feel better about the whole lockdown situation.
This past Sunday morning, in the freezing cold, I chose to be the first customer through the doors at 07h00. Not only the first but the only one at that time. Others did arrive, but as I was leaving. This is what 4 months worth of hair looks like! Who knew. The barbershop that I have used for the past several years has stringent safety precautions in place and the barber that I use regularly has his own room, which limited contact between the rest of the staff, incoming customers and me.
And I came out looking like this. Did I feel good about myself? I certainly did. And I felt that my spirits had been lifted and for a period of time I felt good about myself and the situation again.
Not my usual luggage, and even though I hate packing, I would gladly pack all of these cases if I could get back to the bush. BUT HOLD ON ONE SECOND…would I really want to be at a busy lodge surrounded by people from whom I have to social distance? I believe that the current spike in positive cases would lead me to rather be at home where I am safe than in a lodge where I might be at risk.
This Dov Fedler cartoon says it all. The plug has certainly been pulled on the world as I know it. It will never be the same and I have come to realize neither will I. It has been an eye-opening week for me as friends and family have tested positive and that the contact has been traced to family of staff or just a visit to a friend. Will Level 5 be reinstated? Should it be? I am certainly not going to play ‘prefect’ on social media, but I have called out friends privately for posting pictures of themselves with no social distancing sitting with their friends to post a “look who I am with” image. And then, as if anticipating the feedback, justifying their lapse of protocol by saying “it was only for a moment”! WTAF, that is all it takes. And I really do not want to lose friends to stupidity.
Luckily for me and my sanity, I have this show that has taken off with an array of wonderful guests from both the entertainment and travel industries. It has put me in contact with friends that I have not seen for a while and it allows me to play mental games that keep me on my toes.
HOWEVER, notwithstanding the comments I have made about being prepared to stay at home, a visit to the beach would not go amiss. This is a part of one of my favourite stretches of beach in Port Elizabeth, near the iconic Bird Rock Roadhouse. Not too popular with regular beachgoers as it is windswept and exposed, but I have fond memories of my time spend here when I lived in PE.
And if I cannot head back to the beach, then I would not be averse to heading off to a desolate part of the bushveld where there are no other guests and I could get to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of a space like this one in Karongwe.
Well, that is it for another week. Much like the anti-vaxxers, there are now those who are anti-mask. If YOU are one of those, then I would rather NOT be in your company as I do not wish to place either myself or those that I love in danger.
Until next week, stay safe, stay healthy and be aware.
