On Thursday morning I couldn’t find my wallet. I searched my home, I went through clothes I hadn’t worn for ages, I emptied out the trash bin, I checked the car – no luck.
I’m not the youngest guy around – memory’s not so hot, but I did my best to retrace my steps over the past days. Wednesday was Freedom day – I hadn’t left home. Tuesday? Last visit was to the Second Avenue Spar in Verwoerdpark – little hope that I would find my wallet there, but I said a little prayer and took myself off.
At first I had no luck with the supervisor at the tills – I was told that the person who had been in charge on Tuesday was not present today. I persisted, asking for contact details, and presently another lady supervisor (I think) came to my assistance.
I waited a while and was then approached by a lady from the rear of the premises. I described my problem, she asked for my name and, without comment, went back whence she had come. After a very short while she came back and then, to my intense delight, she produced my wallet with the remark that there were no contact details therein.
I checked – credit and bank cards, driver’s licence, medical aid cards – all there. The cash, roughly R700 was untouched.
I thanked the lady and a gentleman who had approached as well as I could.
I would like to have spoken to the teller who had handed in my wallet, but both personnel waved me off; they were quite happy with just my thanks, and gave me a “Have a nice day!”
In this South Africa of ours, with all the tales of corruption all over the place, who could have expected to have an experience like that in a Spar outlet!
I have the utmost respect for the people at Second Avenue Spar in Verwoerd Park.
