Update Saturday 15 October 2022…
Unsung heroes
Over my lifetime I have been amazed at the unsung heroes who have come into my life, helped me and then departed.
While they are around, one doesn’t even know that they have played such a vital part of your existence. It is only as I have aged, or should I rather say, matured, that I am able to look back on these angels and acknowledge them.
The kind work colleague who believed in me…
I will start off with the colleague that helped both Mornè and I when he so desperately sought to return to the UK to live.
It is with regret that I can’t even remember her name, that angel who, after only knowing me for a month or two, offered her life savings at the time, to help me.
I have asked others who I am still in contact with if they remember her name – but have not been successful. What I do remember is that she was going through a terrible period with her mother at the time.
She had Alzheimer’s and lived in a different town. She mentioned how sad she became when she found that her mom had, for some unknown reason, emptied a bottle of syrup into her shoes, she would escape and walk undressed in the street as well…..
And in spite of this hardship that she was experiencing, she still had the kindness to help us.
I do know that this blog is read by some friends from those days, so if you can help me with finding her, I would be grateful.
Margaret D. and Betty Prosser…
Having lived in Pietermaritzburg for 30 years I found that my work situation was changing direction and I was told that I should relocate to Durban, to the Head Office, to continue working for the same company.
I took this as an opportunity to venture out of the city that I was so comfortable in, but believed that the change would be good for me.
I had been divorced by my husband after 25 years of knowing and loving him, and even although I was over the break-up, I was happy to leave the old memories behind.
My mom and I visited Amanzimtoti. It is the area closest to where my new work was situated and was a area of South Africa that we had previous knowledge of. My Gran and Gran Pa had settled in Warner Beach after his retirement, and I had even attended one term of schooling here when he had died and my mother was helping sort out their estate.
I rented a two bedroomed flat in Ross Street and within two weeks, I was living here. This is when the next two angels appeared as if by providence.
Home is where the heart is…
Over the next months I was in contact with many Estate Agents. I was looking for a replacement home, and this was proving difficult.
The good price I got for selling my town house in Pietermaritzburg, fell far short of the cost of homes in a sea side town. It was daunting to admit that I was not going to be able to afford another home in a complex, but would have to settle on living in a block of flats. I had looked at many and none had held my interest for any length of time.
This was when I found Margaret. She showed me a flat in the same block that I am presently living in. I walked into it, felt absolutely no connection, and sadly told her. I think she could sense my desperation as she then mentioned that she knew that another of the flats in the same block was for sale, but it was too far out of my price range.
However, she offered to show it to me. As she opened the door and I stepped into the lounge, my heart sang. In that instant, I knew I was home.
This flat was on the other side of the building, it was cool and welcoming, well furnished and immaculate, but out of my price range.
Margaret D (as I will call her, she knows who she is), looked me in the eye and said that the owner lived in Harare and had bought the flat to spend time with a friend here, but her friend had moved, so she no longer needed to keep it.
She gave me the telephone number of Betty Prosser and said something that no normal estate agent ever says, namely, “you discuss it directly with the owner and I will forgo my commission, if she is willing to accommodate your offer”
I got hold of Betty that evening and explained what had happened, how much I was able to pay and the commission suggestion. She was quiet for a few minutes, said she would speak to her partner and phone me back.
What a long wait that felt. But it was not more that fifteen minutes when she returned my call. She said they could not expect the Estate Agent to forgo her commission, and they had decided that they would pay that anyway.
My offer was accepted despite the above, and further, she asked if I would like to make an offer on any or all of the furnishings in the unit.
To cut a very long and emotional story a little shorter, I asked my mom to please help by lending me R15,000 – and with that, everything in the flat was mine.
Betty flew down from Harare and I had the pleasure of meeting her. The deal was finalised over a meal at Lords and Legends and she handed over the keys, even although the deeds were not released. She told me that I could move in that night if I so wished. Such total trust on her behalf.
I drove to my rented flat in Ross Street, filled the boot of my car with all my clothing, and that night, I slept in a brand new double bed in my own home.
Kindness by these two angels allowed me to own the most amazing acquisition. One where I have lived a full and happy life for the past 18 years!
My special thanks go out to both of you.
Too many good people to mention…
I hope that this blog today makes you sit back after reading it, and perusing on some of the angels who have been placed in your life over the years.
If there have been, please mention them in a comment at the bottom of the blog. It is therapeutic to share and always good to thank the Universe for good things.
In my case, there are far too many to mention them all, but I know that throughout my life there have been those unsung heroes who have come into my life and left.
