There's a brilliant movie with Steve Martin in it called 'LA Story' which features a scene in which Steve is in a queue to use the ATM. Except that this ATM has two queues - one for customers and one for muggers. After Steve draws his cash, a mugger from the second queue steps forward and says 'Hi, my name is Bob, I will be your robber for this evening,' To which Steve, barely pausing in the conversation he's having, replies 'Hi Bob, here's something for you',and hands over some cash. The robber thanks him and the two queues each move forward and repeat. I always laugh at that scene. But now I 'get' it.
Yesterday (Saturday) afternoon Sini and I, and another couple (from Korea) - were held up at gun point by 4 men and pretty much robbed blind - cars and contents, phones, wallets with ID and drivers license etc, Sini's wedding ring...
They were pros - the entire ordeal was accomplished in minutes, We'd arrived at the Kingdom Hall early after spending a day in service to try and have a nap before the meeting started at 4pm. Our friends pulled in behind us and closed the main gate with the remote, but one of the robbers got a hand to the gate just before it closed and forced it open. Within seconds there were guns in our faces, and after the dust settled we were left standing in the Kingdom Hall parking lot feeling quite naked - fortunately not physically.
I don't know how shock works, or what it's supposed to feel like. We all felt a bit shaken, but we were laughing and joking about it shortly afterwards - 'They've stolen our car. How am I going to find out the cricket score now?' Sini was lamenting the loss of her green coat and freaky bunny keyring. Still feel like that today.
Where does the blasé come from? I think it's because, in South Africa, this is what happens. We have some friends that have experienced this. Almost every South African knows someone who has experienced this, if they haven't themselves. We've been very fortunate - there was no physical harm done. Some friends we know weren't so fortunate.
Lots of folks have said we should get counselling, or not refuse it if it's offered. I'm sceptical. Knowing the truth - why these things happen, who is behind it, that it has a finite time limit - makes we wonder what a counsellor could tell us. We have hope already, and are surrounded by people who have the same hope. What else do we need?
Yesterday (Saturday) afternoon Sini and I, and another couple (from Korea) - were held up at gun point by 4 men and pretty much robbed blind - cars and contents, phones, wallets with ID and drivers license etc, Sini's wedding ring...
They were pros - the entire ordeal was accomplished in minutes, We'd arrived at the Kingdom Hall early after spending a day in service to try and have a nap before the meeting started at 4pm. Our friends pulled in behind us and closed the main gate with the remote, but one of the robbers got a hand to the gate just before it closed and forced it open. Within seconds there were guns in our faces, and after the dust settled we were left standing in the Kingdom Hall parking lot feeling quite naked - fortunately not physically.
I don't know how shock works, or what it's supposed to feel like. We all felt a bit shaken, but we were laughing and joking about it shortly afterwards - 'They've stolen our car. How am I going to find out the cricket score now?' Sini was lamenting the loss of her green coat and freaky bunny keyring. Still feel like that today.
Where does the blasé come from? I think it's because, in South Africa, this is what happens. We have some friends that have experienced this. Almost every South African knows someone who has experienced this, if they haven't themselves. We've been very fortunate - there was no physical harm done. Some friends we know weren't so fortunate.
Lots of folks have said we should get counselling, or not refuse it if it's offered. I'm sceptical. Knowing the truth - why these things happen, who is behind it, that it has a finite time limit - makes we wonder what a counsellor could tell us. We have hope already, and are surrounded by people who have the same hope. What else do we need?
Today we swore affidavits at the police station - which we need to replace our vital documents, then went home and ate triple-chocolate-mousse cake while we watched Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (definitely one of the best feel-good movies ever). Tomorrow we'll start the process of replacing the immediate necessities. Hopefully, the 'shock' has passed and if it has, I'm grateful that we didn't notice it.
