MY husband, our nine-year-old son and I moved to Paarl last year on 1 December from Somerset West. We live on a grape farm and absolutely love it.
But there are a few niggles I have about this beautiful ‘dorpie’…
The beauticians: I went for a wax and facial at a well known establishment in the Mall only to be told, DURING my session, that there wasn’t enough wax to finish the job, I would have to come back two days later!
So the following month I decided to try another beauty parlour for a pedicure. Bear in mind now that it costs R130 for this small procedure.
I had to ‘lie down’, bend my knees up as far as I could so that my feet could lie in a foot spa filled with warm, soapy water.
After a minute or two I shyly asked the beautician “Shouldn’t you switch the footspa on, in order for it to massage the feet?” I mean the thing was plugged in!
“Oh sorry”, she said, “it doesn’t work”. BUT SHE HAD PLUGGED IT IN, and I still had to pay the going rate.
Normally, in the past, when having a pedicure I sat comfortably in a reclining chair, I never had to lie down and bend my legs up as far back as possible - and all this two months after I had broken my ankle!
The doctors in this town are exorbitantly expensive. At a medical centre in town I had to pay just over R300 to be told I had flu and was given a prescription for medicine that cost me over R200 (the medicine didn’t even work).
I’ve recently been told that after 5pm the doctors here charge “after hour” fees - good heavens.
If I drive through to Somerset West to see our family GP, he has seen my son and I as well as giving us medicine from his dispensary, all for the HUGE cost of R180.
Please do not think he favours us, all his patients pay these rates. Even the dentists in this town are overpriced.
When I broke my ankle two months ago I was admitted to Medi-Clinic. When I had to see the orthopaedic surgeon for my check-ups he and his secretary constantly spoke to me in Afrikaans, even though I am English speaking.
Now, you tell me, am I, or am I not, the paying client? My whole life I have been taught, in all the secretarial positions I have procured, that the client is RIGHT.
If the client speaks to you in Afrikaans, then answer him/her in Afrikaans and vice versa, it is only good manners.
My doctor’s and hospital bill came to just under R20 000. Do you not think it would be a small consolation to address me in my home tongue?
Last, but not least, the dreaded car guards. Yes, I can hear you sighing. There is a small parking area in town across the road from the Pick ‘n Pay centre.
I pulled into a parking spot and within seconds a ‘woman’ with a yellow car guard apron steps up and informs me that she will be looking after my car.
“No, that is not necessary thank you” I answer. “No Madam, you must pay to park here, there is a meter”. “Oh” I answer “How much for the meter for 1 hour?”
“R4” is the reply. So I asked her where the meter was so that I could put the money in it. Here comes the crunch: “The meters are not working”.
My reply “So, why then must I give you money for the meter?” She then informs me that she will also “protect” my car. During this altercation I noticed three youths listening attentively to our conversation so I turned to them and directed my question at them.
“If you wanted to steal my car would this woman be able to stop you?” They laughed and answered an affirmative ”No”.
I then turned to the woman and told her that I then thought it pointless to pay her to look after my car, it wasn’t necessary either to give her money for the meter seeing as said meter was broken and, last but not least, I did have insurance, thank you.
Oh boy, the vitriolic thunder that emitted from her lungs was quite frightening and off she sauntered shouting at all and sundry. I don’t know what she said, I can’t speak the language – you see I’m English!!!!
Helen Martin
