VN October 2022

Vetnuus | October 2022 48 Reaching the wrong side of 75 and going through the most astonishing political changes this country has ever seen gives one reason for reflection. Bear with me. As a child in the early 50s, we had a freedom that was currently unimaginable. You had to be home by the time the streetlights came on, and yes, we had streetlights that worked! School meant, as a five-year-old, walking a kilometre or more to the train station, climbing up the steps of those old brown wooden railway cars and then finding a seat on those long green leather-covered benches. And yes, you stood if the train was full to make way for the older people, even if they were only 25 years old. We went through three stations before getting off the train and walking another two kilometres to the school. In the afternoon, the process was reversed. And this I did until the end of standard four when I was moved to a high school. The process changed to a walk; then nine stations catch a bus for 11 stops, then a second bus for three stops and then over the road to the school. And were we safe? There was never ever a question of that, and if youwere ever in trouble, the nearest policemanwould undoubtedly look after you and give you the necessary help. You probably got a hiding when you got home for being so stupid as to get yourself into trouble. Then, after a few years at boarding school, otherwise, sport would have been impossible due to all the travelling, so it was off to university. All applications were made by post – like a week or two before answers were had. On the due day, I was put on a train in Johannesburg and told to go overnight to Pietermaritzburg and find a way to the campus. Not too much concern from your parents, who would only know you got there if you managed to find a tickey box – oh, that was one of those telephones that stood on street corners and operated with coins. Graduation was four very comfortable and joyful years away – we had work to do but were remarkably free to get up to any sort of mischief that you could think of. The Durban beaches were a 90-kilometre ride by bicycle away, and we knew if we bunked the last lecture on a Friday, we could make it by sunset. Then, sleeping on the beaches was not scorned upon. And after a lively weekend, Sunday afternoon was a long uphill ride back to Varsity. Then off to work for a few years, followed by four years at Onderstepoort. Private practice for the next 48 years. But the change there is also concerning, a topic for later submission. And the country? Well, we all know what we have seen and experienced, which is not that good. From a country where most things worked to one now where we are surprised if things work. From roads that were pothole free to now where potholes dictate arrival times if you arrive at all. But there is a very bright side to this. It may be hard to see, but I have the good fortune of working internationally and with directors of some international companies. These chaps see a very bright side to SA, particularly in recent weeks. You might ask how, when there is so much doom and gloom and such a deep financial pit, we must climb out. Covid has changed the world! By design or by bad decisions, it is a fact that we need to accept. Going back to the “olden days”, one would remember the corner store where the Old Greek Cafe owner knew every kid on the block and would write up everything your mother had asked you to buy in his brown paper notebook. And the Portuguese greengrocer who would deliver a single bunch of carrots if that was what was needed. Will we ever see that service again? Now over 50%of the upmarket offices in Sandton are empty, and many are being changed into private schools or residential apartments. What do my higher echelon friends see? They see a country with boundless assets brought to its knees bymismanagement. They see fantastic opportunities. They also see load-shedding as inevitable without change and herein lies prospects. Eskom is beyond saving because the inept government has held onto reins it does not understand, let alone SAA and Prasa. What do the business people see? They see an opportunity to bail out the government, but this is not without cost. They will not invest in a corrupt business where their funds can disappear instantly without a trace. So, their help will come at a price that includes adequate security. And what do we, the man in the street, see? We see a government that, all of a sudden, asks for public help to save Eskom and the country. Yes, Cyril is inviting the business sector to help supply current. What do the businessmen say? Yes, we will certainly help, but the likes of those known to have been the corrupt need to be prosecuted. And then, within a month, a group of “bigwigs”, including the Guptas, are arrested and await trial. It’s the start of change which will gain momentum, and if it ends with business people running the country, we will all be better off – that is why they are businessmen and successful – they know how to supply the need of people. I hope my friends are right!. v Life plus 23 without parole Mike Lowry Mike Lowry has been in veterinary practice for "life plus 23" years. In this column, he shares his experiences and opinions . Regulars I Life plus 23 + 23