Fucked and Abused

I'm gonna rewrite that Led Zeppelin song "Dazed and confused" to "Fucked and abused"!! I’ve had some frustrations as an expat in South Africa. Some small ones and some bigger ones, but thought I’ll not use this blog as a wailing wall. Not unless I could find some cultural perspective or justify it from some other angle. This time I am generally pissed off and I have no intention whatsoever to find a justifiable angle. I need to write off these frustrations in order to not go mad - plain and simple!

I find myself in crossfire between my brother in law and his previous flatmate - let’s just call him Ari. In their dispute Ari has not payed the last 2 months rent and now moved out. He has later broken into the apartment (lock-seal) and stolen my brother in law’s TV. Ari has also found a way (???) to reverse R11.000 out of my account without my authorization. This amount was originally my brother in law’s salary, and from this amount we payed their rent and domestic helper and etc. Ari then decides that he can take this amount out of my account… which leaves me R11.000 (about $1.600) short!

In our household we balance our spending with our income. We spend what we earn. We don’t have deep enough pockets to go R11.000 short one month and smile back to our “friend” who stole it! Ari has come to our house to eat on a regular basis for almost a year and been almost like a family member. He’s been broke and taken in by our family. It’s the Indian way… and I happen to be married into one. We have made extra food to accommodate him… and there have been unexpected times where I personally have eaten less than normal so that he could stop his roaring tummy. Then he turns around and empties 11k’s out of my account?!

I have told him repeatedly to keep me and my family out of their dispute! In return I’m asked to stay away from it… Hello!! He involved ME by stealing 11 grand! This is personal to me. It’s like sneaking up on me at night and fiddle with my dick, very personal! This is the third time (second in a year) this happens to me in South Africa, but never thought that a friend would turn around and steal money from me.

The police tell us that, because of the technicalities, the banking business is a civil dispute that we have to settle between ourselves. The police won’t intervene in this matter. Ari still had a key to the door, and although he broke a lock seal, the police refuse to open a case on this. The TV all the same and there is no way that the police will assist in any way.

Ironically I was listening to Faith No More in the car this morning – The gentle art of making enemies! Although painful, the lyrics were ever so fitting:

I deserve a reward

Cuz I'm the best fuck that you ever had (11k’s worth to be exact)

And if I tighten up my hole -

You may never see the light again

I really feel FUCKED! Not in a pleasant way… but raped and abused!! I have no desire to loose 11grand because of a dispute that does not concern me. Now both I and my wife have wasted two full working days, lost night sleep and been turned away from every authority (bank & legal/police) that we thought could assist us. I’m in a dangerous state of mind right now!! All opportunities within the law have been tried in vain, and I’m fantasizing about “alternative” solutions. If you ever read my Dog Story, then you have a clue what I'm talking about. NO, you actually have to multiply it infinite times to come close!!

I like to have good equipment in the kitchen, so one of the first things I did when we moved to South Africa was to buy some good kitchen knives. Victorinox knives to be specific, that I like and consider good quality knives. Recently the vegetable knife was used to cut bones and was destroyed. Today I went to a china shop around the corner and bought one of these butcher knives made specifically to cut bones... "pork even, no problem"; the chinaman behind the counter told me with a big smile! What else than pork I wonder... I can’t seem to rid myself of that bastard Ari!!

Even if the money was returned to me this instant I would want this guy to really suffer. A very basic caveman instinct in me wants to provide for my family. When that ability is taken away from me, there is another instinct that kicks in (it seems). Let any suspect person in and around Gauteng know that I’m in the market and open to suggestions as how to sort things out!!!