MIERLEEU: HUWELIKS/REIS/VERSLAG IV
Terwyl ek nou met die fundamentele dinge van die lewe besig is en Oom Willie se (wit) pad soos 'n rode draad deur my verslag loop, kan ek net sowel die verskynsels "pislelie" & "go-carts" inkleurboekstaaf:
[A photograph of our dry and desolate camp at Bloekombos, Modderfontein, Potchefstroom, showing a ‘pislelie’ (pis lily/ urinal) and a rather peculiar motivational sign, for all I can remember of the Permanent Force trainers, was that their only motivational strategy was one of coercion and fear. In regards to the pislelies – the first duty we had on arriving at this God-forsaken spot was to erect tents in straight rows and then to dig deep holes, fill them with rocks and sink these plastic urinals into the holes before covering them up with sand. We also had to dig a large pit and fill it with rocks as a drain for waste water. Thus we stayed germ free and miserable. 3 SAI, O Coy, 1984 Intake, SADF, Military, 1984.
[ In the distance, under the tent were our ‘go-carts’, hard plastic privies so named for their resemblance to the same. Arranged in a circle and hiding deep holes lined with 3 metal drums welded together. In this ‘gesellige plek’ (convivial place) we sat and relieved ourselves while holding long conversations about everything from our Mother’s rolypoly pudding to shitting on our Permanent Force trainers. If one needed the facility at night, one would have to head out into the dark, climb through the barbed wire fence and find a seat, all the while being serenaded by the high pitched howling of black backed jackals on the hill above – spooky!
[During the South African Border war (Grensoorlog), toilets were in the open and were called "go-carts".]
Een van die "staande drils" (gereelde take) van die twee tiffies was om met die honeysuckle ('n Bedford tenkwa) die toiletputte leeg te suig en die inhoud dan op Oom Willie se pad te laat uitloop...
Die volgende ritueel was die fotonemery op 'n spesiale bankie net vir die pasgetroudes:
...en nadat ons van die lekkerste Kaapse en Italiaanse vonkelwyn en versnaperinge geniet het, is ons vort na nog 'n bestemming, waar nog drie rituele take in en om 'n smids(werks)winkel op die nuwe egpaar gewag het:
die eerste was om 'n lang stuk materiaal om 'n paal te wen en dit dan met 'n oeroue, ambagtelike, meganiese strykmasjien te stryk:
Die tweede taak was om hulle eie hoefyster van ysterstaaf tot hoefyster om te vorm en te smee:
EK KAN MY GEREDELIK HIERMEE VEREENSELWIG