Mick's Memories

Especially at the Verlorenvlei house, after a day in field Tony Manhire would bring out his guitar and we would sing folk songs and drink Old Brown Sherry. Favorites would include Donovan's 'Catch the Sun' and Rodriguez 'I Wonder.'

One of the stories that Kirsten used to tell me fairly often was of the spring break that she spent hiking in Zion National Park in Utah. As with most of her stories, I wish I could remember this better. I only remember the story she told of the journey back, and that only in parts. I think that she was living in a hippie house outside of Missoula at the time, that she called Toura (?) House. One spring break, a bunch of folks set out for Zion in an old station wagon. It was heavily loaded down with people, dogs, and their luggage. I can't remember any of the other people involved, except that one guy had the unlikely name of Peachcraft. She had a great time hiking in Zion, as I can well imagine. That part of Utah is among the most beautiful parts of the world. I myself spend a summer in Natural Bridges National Monument, one of the highlights of my life. On the way back to Montana, a very long drive, they passed a couple of hitch-hikers. They were heavy laden already, so could not...

I graduated from Milnerton High School in 1986, and had a quite satisfying celebration at the beach. I first bought a 12-pack of beer then boarded the Melkbosstrand bus up the coast. The beer of choice at that time would probably have been either Castle or Carling. Anyway, I got off at a stop somewhere along the coast road, then walked until I was alone on the beach, something easier to do in those days. It was a hot afternoon, and the beer very enjoyable. I kept it cold by burying it in the sand, just a little ways into the water. I then proceeded to relax, contemplate my life, and drink beer. Doesn't get much better. At about my fourth beer, a dog approached me. I petted it a little, but it wasn't interested in scratches behind the ear. It seemed to want to tell me something. Actually, it was kind of like a stereotypical "dog wants me to follow him" scene in a movie. The dog would come close to me, bump me with his head or suchlike, then trot off down the beach and ...