Surrender!

Blog 87 – Surrender! by Ms Paige Turner
Dear Reader,
I write – dear Reader – because I do believe I have one reader. I’ve read in all sorts of writing magazines about whipping up your readership with a blog, but I can safely say that it’s only Bee Pollen Diet Pills, Honest Diapers (?) and Cheap Freezers (?) who spam my blog and the probable only authentic reader is Phillip Sheahan. So if you are not Phillip Sheahan and reading this blog, then dear readers …
Dear Readers … I am back from sunny, windy, Cape Town where I have been rehearsing my one woman monologue with the Ulutsha Theatre Company and the lovely Khululwa Nkatshu. See photos on our Facebook page – Creative Ink for Writers. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Ink-for-Writers/499238446841633 It’s was mostly read throughs because rehearsals begin in June with Amy Leigh Vermaak directing from the ALAS Drama Academy in Cape Town www.alasacademy.co.za Perfs are at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation in mid-November. It’s called ‘A President in Waiting …’ and it’s a true collaboration of acting, (Ulutsha) directing, (ALAS academy) production (Desmond Tutu HIV Centre) and writing (Creative Ink). Amy has told me to ‘surrender’ myself as this will be my first experience of NOT directing my own words. Aha.
My family went shark watching. I didn’t. I bought cardigans instead. I did go to the Kruger National Park for the third time but I didn’t go on the walking safari whilst my family did. I couldn’t surrender myself to either of these adventurous activities. Whilst they safari walked I had coffee and marsh mellows with three bull elephants who munched away at the bush beneath the fence that (retrospectively) flimsily separated us. I told the lodge’s chef that it was so peaceful to munch on marsh mellows with three bull elephants and I added, “I was safe, wasn’t I? The fence provides protection?”
He hesitated, did one of those ‘aaaahh’ throaty things that South Africans do and then said, “Look. I think they knew you weren’t going to harm them.”
Following this, Jacob, our safari guide stopped at some white rhino and emitted the darkest of ‘Mwa, Mwa’ sounds as my son-in-law snapped away. I asked, “Jacob. Why are you making those sounds?” He replied, “It’s the rhino confrontational sound. It puts rhino on the alert and turns them face to face with our vehicle.” I then asked, “Jacob. Why did you do that?” He said, “Because Jamie (aka Master Mind) wants rhino photos.” When we stopped at a running testosteroned bull elephant on musk heat I told Jacob that Jamie had plenty of photos of elephants.
I love Safari. But I surrender myself to it, you see. More in two weeks on the ‘The Battle at Kruger’.
• Three places left on this summer’s ‘Get Inspired’ Tuesday morning course starting Tuesday 29th April for five weeks. Email me for a syllabus. Thursdays – Get that Book – is full.
• ‘A Dozen Promises’ EPublication – the finalist 12 stories from Creative Ink’s competition is in the final proof reading stage and will be out shortly. Hopefully before the Easter Bunnies hatch.