I Hate it when a Plan . .

. . comes together

So here we go: It’s January. A new year and a new school for Tom. High school.

He sure looks swish in his new tie and blazer and sleeveless jersey. He is so looking forward to this new school even though he hates the grade eight compulsory short pants! Long pants are from grade nine.

I bid him farewell and he sets off up the road. Years of doing the carpool lift to school have come to an end.

Eleven Years after Aitch decided we had to move out of River Drive, Tom walks to school.

Just as Aitch had planned. *

300m as the crow flies, 500m on foot including a detour through the shopping centre!

~~~oo0oo~~~

* In 2003 Aitch said to me on the driveway at 7 River Drive, “We must sell up here and move.” I said, What? No, I’m going to die here. Right here in River Drive, on the left bank of the Mkombaan river.

“No you’re not,” she said, “We have to move.”

Why? I asked, already feeling myself conceding defeat to the resident estate agent. I knew she’d have a good reason.

“We’re out of the school catchment zone,” she said. Which school catchment zone? I asked, puzzled. “Westville Boys High,” she said. What’s that got to do with us? I asked, faintly. “I want Tom to go to WBHS,” said she who knows things.

But he’s only TWO! I said, sensing victory.

“I know,” she said, delivering the coup de grace. We moved.

~~~oo0oo~~~