The Haven of Darkness..

Missing the good old days is what people say when they reminisce on a time where things were so bad looking bad makes it look so good.


Me and a cousin (Exact same name as me) got talking about a time many years back we, by chance, met in a sportsbar in Cape town.
At that time I was working as a security guard for the Ultra Liquors chain. Go figure.
At this point in time I lived in Loevenstein in the Tafelsig flats which is pretty posh but having two other roommates made the rent seem easy enough.
I lived about half an hour's fast walk from the train station and a section of that I didn't want to tackle at night.
Another half an hour later my train stopped and then a half an hours' walk I was at my job.
At that time if you decided to take a minibus taxi it would become pretty costly very quickly if you add it all up.


The walk made me pretty fit but having next to no bodyfat made the winters not much fun.
Soaking wet and cold isn't a good combination, believe me.


My job consisted of checking slips and checking stock and later on training new recruits. A job I enjoyed immensely as it meant dishing out orders and doing absolutely buggerall all day. Wish I knew about Opera back then heh..
Clearing out the parking lot of bums and drunk people was my other duty.
Now security guards are only armed with a baton and some mace so sometimes this job got prickly. The drunk dude and "fuck you man" incident will haunt that guy forever.
The managers of Ultra Liquors were cool as I put in a little overtime and come closing time those promotional free stuff customers get fall into my little bag.
Usually it was booze but this just got sold at my flat again. hey.. I needed to make rent. .


Before I went from there my boss was pretty accommodating as when I lost my flat he took me in for a few weeks till.
The "mates" of mine had to go pay rent but decided that pocketing my rent and stealing my stuff would be better.

I don't forget and I don't forgive. May our paths never cross.


Ah well.. Good times.
I met my cousin in a bar while living at my bosses place but as he was running we couldn't chat.

Exchanged numbers but my phone had a seizure which meant no more phoney. At this time I was just a Wap browser user specialising in wallpapers. It was a Sony methinks but can only remember its stupid ovalish clamshell and very slow reaction time. .


In that time I survived two muggings, one very confident homosexual that got the worst end of a bottle, a near accident with a taxi, almost being dragged into a little world I wish not to revisit and a ex-girlfriend that just can't take no for a answer.



There were times I lived off peanut butter for the whole week as cash was low. Times I had to humble myself and ask my very private neighbours for hot water to make some coffee as my little oven plus kettle and pots got stolen by certain assholes.

There were times I just wanted to give up. Times where one phonecall could change everything but being me I stuck to my whatever.
I found that family my father took care of when they had a hard time won't do the same for others which just strengthened my resolve to never contact them again.





I learned that people aren't what they are. Trust isn't something that should be on default.
Nobody is what they say they are and when you see a large dog coming your way you better run as it's fucking coming for you.


In the end.
I had to return home to the cushy life of not having to worry about rent, food or getting up at 5 in the morning to be at work on time.


This led me to have to deal with my mum and her condition. No prospects in life and the true meaning of "life sucks."


Now it's a re-realization of goals and a fresh start.
I miss the good old days..