Out and About - Weekend Edition One

After helping out my dad with some banking matters, my parents invited my brother and myself to go with them to a local home and garden exhibition which was being held in Durban. I had left the boys at home and just texted them to let them know that I would be gone for a while.

Mom sat in the front passenger next to dad who was driving with Greg and me in the back. As soon as we entered Durban with the Saturday morning shopping frenzy, my mom started freaking out. She was berating my dad for not having left her at home in peace "I don't need this", she was praying out loud, instructing my dad to allow any taxi driver to do whatever he wanted, "If he hangs his arm out the window, just let him come in. Just don't have an attitude with them". My dad quite reasonably pointed out that he doesn't usually overreact when driving, its my mom who has road rage! Hats off to my dad for keeping his patience through this tirade although he's had almost 46 years of marriage to practice. I was battling to keep patient because obviously all this lamenting is very distracting for the driver and I did comment at one stage that I don't like to see mom like this, limiting herself from going to different places because of her fears. I eventually kept my counsel so as to not cause a fight. We navigated the city centre traffic with mom in one piece although decidedly grumpy and moody by the time we had arrived at our destination.

The exhibition was set up along the usual lines of lots of lovely things for lots of money. We wandered around collecting brochures, snacking on unusual but tasty honey-roasted nuts. Very moreish! As we wandered past one particular stand, the Indian presenter demanded our cellphones. "Give me your phone!" My dad and I both said "NO!" but mom and Greg handed their phones over to be fitted for a cover which is touted as basically a protective skin (see-through cover) x R75.00 each - quick sale - good salesman!

My mom and brother both found captive audiences to talk to as they both love talking. Greg felt sorry for one salesman (something to do with swimming pools) and went over and kept him talking for 15 mins. Mom found her talking partner by some exclusive patio furniture.

I wandered off and spotted something quite innovative in the corner by the entrance. A small van beautifully signwritten with a built-in ATM and steps up to the ATM - quite useful and just pack up and go when the exhibition is over. Except it was Out of Order! The number of people that climbed those steps and tried to draw money before realising that it wasn't working was quite comical. People are mostly not very observant.

We stayed until the hunger pangs set in and then decided to leave because the food was just too overpriced at the show and we had seen everything by that stage. As we left, the sun was shining after a morning of rain and a quick decision was made on our next destination...