Hier waar ons woon, aan die rand van die Swartland, word nogal gereeld kattekonsert gehou. Dis nou wanneer al wat \u2019n sirene is in \u2019n dissonante kakofonie begin loei.<\/p>\n
Soms is dit die brandweer, dan weer \u2019n ambulans of die polisie wat jaag. En sodra d\u00edt verby is, begin iemand se motoralarm, en niemand steur hulle meer d\u00e1\u00e1raan nie. Dis oor dit so dikwels gans onnodig begin loei. En dan weer \u2019n huisalarm wat drie verskillende deuntjies speel.<\/p>\n
So stap ek nou die dag oor na Buurvrou \u2013 die een met die hoenders. Haar Smart staan en skreeu voor die huis dat die biesies bewe en die blare tril, maar g\u2019n dief is binne \u2019n omtrek van twee kilometer te sien nie. Toe ek vra, seg sy nee, niemand het by die motor ingebreek nie; dis die vlie\u00eb se skuld.<\/p>\n
\u201cHoenou?\u201d vra ek verbaas. \u201cYes,\u201d seg sy, \u201cze flies.\u201d \u201cMaar ek het nog nooit gedink vlie\u00eb kan \u2019n motoralarm aktiveer nie,\u201d seg ek. Dit werk so, laat sy hoor \u2013 elke keer as sy groente vir die hoenders gaan haal, klim \u2019n paar vlie\u00eb ook sommer in die motor. En sodra die motor warm gebak word voor die huis, raak hulle aktief en aktiveer die Smart se alarm. Alles behalwe smart<\/span><\/span> vir die bure wat daarna moet luister.<\/p>\n Dan is daar die ander bure, meneer en mevrou Kwak van Nederland, wat gereeld oor \u2019n naweek weggaan. Natuurlik word die alarm aangeskakel en natuurlik begin dit loei nie lank nadat hulle die eerste draai oor Sir Lowryspas gevat het nie. En dit loei, en dit loei, en dit loei . . . en hulle weet van niks. Dalk is die meneer \u2019n kwaksalwer.<\/p>\n Volgens keer sal ek maar op WhatsApp \u2019n stemnota maak en dit vir hulle aanstuur om te hoor waarna ons die hele ganske naweek moet luister. Sommer met \u2019n paar kil woorde by sodat hulle weet hoe ek voel. Die jimmel weet . . .<\/p>\n Eendag in \u2019n vorige leeftyd in Pretoria stop ek by \u2019n rooi lig agter \u2019n ambulans, wat so flussies met loeiende sirenes verbygejaag het. Die volgende oomblik swaai die dubbele agterdeure oop en iemand klim uit. Maar ek sien daar is beweging agter hom en toe ek mooi kyk, sit twee van sy maters lekker en kaart speel.<\/p>\n Nou wonder \u2019n mens darem hoeveel keer word sulke sirenes misbruik, bloot om vinnig deur die verkeer te kom.<\/p>\n Maar hey, hoor nou di\u00e9 stuk: Buurvrou met die hoenders het \u2019n seun in die huis. En die seun speel soms musiek dat jy dit tot in Kaapstad kan hoor. Maar nou die oggend om drie-uur raak dit darem te dik vir \u2019n daalder en ek bel haar nadat ek lank gewik en geweeg het.<\/p>\n Dis mos nou \u2019n onheilige tyd om onnodig wakker gemaak te word. \u201cHello,\u201d antwoord \u2019n krakerige stem. \u201cHallo,\u201d seg ek ook. Stilte. \u201cWhat can I do you for?\u201d (Uitlander, sien.) Salig onbewus van haar seun se lawaai. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can turn that noise down,\u201d seg ek. <\/p>\n Sy was seker goed die hoenders in, maar \u201cwhat goes around, comes around\u201d. En dan kan karma ook nogal lastig wees! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Karma kan nogal lastig wees, skryf Werner van 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