This is another story of protection.

I’m sitting in my lounge in Randburg, soaking up the winter sun.
alone at home,
not too long after my divorce in 1996.

The sunny couch is right in front of a big glass window,
next to the front door.

An electronic gate means that people can’t just walk into my property.
But,
the next moment 5 big very dark skinned men walk to my front door,
passing my window at my sunny couch.
They are walking very purposefully.

Five.
How they got past my electric security gate, I don’t know.

Don’t ask me why,
but
I don’t register that anything might be amiss…
I lean over, open the window,
look at the leader and genuinely smile,
asking:
‘how can I help you’?

I notice how the look on his face visibly changes…
I see the animosity on his face softening and he hesitates,
before saying: ‘no, it’s all right.’
And they all turn around in unison and walk away!

I will never forget that transformation on his face!
It took me a while to realise that I had actually been in danger.

And I realise that I am telling this story
because, once again,
I got lucky….