We hear daily about how the police have seized a shipment of dagga/perlemoen/rip-off branded shoes and loads of other ‘illegal' items in which we traffic, including rip-off condoms - (now that does sound uncomfortable)! Bearing this in mind, I mostly let the news of these 'busts' go in one ear and out the other, (as a result of the repetition as opposed to my version of ADDDDHHHDD)!
However, I found out the other day that despite my attitude of 'been there, done that' I can still be knocked sideways with new and inventive ideas born and bred on our own home ground!
The newscaster was yabbering on about various and sundry items, finally wrapping up with an article about a huge police bust of drugs being manufactured and distributed from an unassuming and perfectly respectable home in my area of Cape Town. Naturally I pricked up my ears! I am a self-confessed NIMBY and felt the sweat trickle down my back.
With this weighing heavily on my mind I resolved to read the newspaper as soon as I got home. Which I did. My anxiety turned to serious amazement followed by huge respect for the person who had been arrested, released on bail and was in sufficiently good humour to grant the reporter an interview.
The reason for his nonchalance?........ "Well I'm not worried about being arrested because they have nothing to convict me on, I never manufactured drugs, as I kept telling the officers ....I'm no criminal, I was experimenting .....I'm just an AMATUER CHEMIST!"
He should be in parliament, he could teach our very efficient spin-doctors a thing or two - don't you think???