A day in the life of a paranoid white South African Woman

Don't you just hate it when a Friday turns out to be a Friday the 13th and it's not the 13th. LOL

Okay, the dilemma....

Hubby and my BIL run a little business called Funprix. Kids, especially boys get to race remote controls around a track.

So today I ask the usual. How many parties, where, when etc. etc. This is where the 'paranoid white person' bit becomes very apparent. He has booked one of the parties in a Township which you should all know. Soweto.

Firstly, he says to me that he has one in the South. I say the South where?, He says, Soweto - I go deathly silent and then explode. By now you should know that I explode very well. What the HELL do you think you are doing? You are a WHITE man going into a black Township and currently tensions in my books are running high. That word Xenophobia, then the strike action because of the cost of petrol, cost of food etc etc etc.

Over my dead body are you going into Soweto.

Is this putting your family first?

What do I say to your boys should something happen to you???

All this for a couple of hundred bucks.

No way in HELL!!

I have exploded most of the day over the situation. I see it as trying to not put oneself in a precarious position - this is not racism but just plain stupidity. These areas are still no go areas for the majority of white people in this country. I know of a woman who was helping out a shelter where a gun was held to her head and her possesions taken including her car. I see it as being irresponsible putting himself in a situation that could be very dangerous and should something happen have a HUGE impact on this family. I am sorry but I am not having the man I love putting himself in a position that could potentially be fatal. That is just plain STUPID!!

Feeling obliged to do it because he will be labeled really pisses me off!!

Do not get me wrong. They have done plenty of parties in the suburbs involving a variety of cultures - but driving into a hot zone of trouble where you are going to stick out a mile, where your possesions will look rather attractive and the car you drive even though crap will be inviting trouble.

My family comes first.

Living in South Africa

Surrounded by electric fences, dogs who are pets as well as protection, alarm systems and Private Security Companies (the police might show up but then they could show up days later). You are weary of cars following you. You hesitantly wait for your gate to open and you are on constant alert as to what is happening in your surroundings. You don't just stop at a traffic light - you give yourself space in case you need to take off in a hurry, every person who approaches your window could potentially be a 'smash and grab'. It is a way of life. I will soon be wearing a panic button around my neck.

So this is the BAD, tomorrow I'll fill you in on the good. Yep, there is some good.