#mr ducktail

[sir-griswold-of-macelwain]

watching a french movie that's basically happening in a reconstituted 1905 (as in, the characters in it put up the act that it's 1905 to fool a guy) and it just made me think we were so robbed of facial hair in Downton Abbey. DGMW I can't for the life of me imagine Matthew with a moustache or Robert with a beard, and Tom having facial hair is just so absurd... but they should have had facial hair. Not everyone maybe, but... more than just Mr Grigg, Kieran Branson, Durant and Kuragin. Plus Clarkson who's slightly more often onscreen.

anyway here's what I'm thinking of (pictures from wikipedia's list of facial hairstyles page)

"English moustache" for Evelyn Napier, who wants to age himself a bit when he's in the diplomacy while still young, as well as Mr Bates after he arrives in Downton and after he gets out of prison (facial hair as a sign he gets his life back under control, from alcoholism then from prison).

"Friendly Muttonchops" for Harold Levinson, and Tony Gillingham tries them on but ends up not sporting them after Mary makes fun of him.

Imperial Moustache for Carson because come on obviously. Also Carson would have sideburns. Mr Molesley tries to grow them too but it ends up being too high maintenance for him.

A ducktail for Robert after his ulcer burst because he doesn't want to get out of bed to get shaved and thinks it's not worth the trouble, might as well finally grow facial hair. Lord Merton and Anthony Strallan sport that too, but they do it in the early seasons.

Pyramid Moustache for Matthew Crawley. It's discreet and still popular enough that it wouldn't have made him look like a fool. In the trenches, William grows one too to make himself look more respectable and he never really has time to let go of it. Unless there's some policy about servants not having facial hair, that's possible, idk.

Dali Moustache for Thomas Barrow. Self explanatory.

[purplevspurplebrawl2023]

HELLOOOO TUMBLR!!

We’re back with the next round of the Purple Brawl!

The winners of the left sides round one consist of

Claudine Wolf

Susie

Donatello Hamato

Gamzee Makara.

William Afton

Tinky Winky

Big The Cat

And Raven!

The right sides round one will consist of:

Twilight Sparkle (MLP GEN 4) vs Share Bear (Care Bears)

Mr Van Driessen (Beavis and Butthead) vs Virgil Sanders (Sanders Sides)

Blaze The Cat (Sonic the hedgehog) vs Cyclonus (Transformers)

The Joker (Batman) vs Galvatron (Transformers)

Daphne Blake (Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated vs Tecna (Winx Club)

Slam Tasmanian (Loonatics Unleashed) vs Bonnie (FNAF, personally I do not think he is purple but here we are.)

Camui Gackpo (Vocaloid) vs Bright Heart Raccoon (Care Bears)

Bentina Beakley (Ducktails) vs Fear (Inside Out)

The votes will start today at 12 PM EST!

Be sure to make any propaganda you want, and vote ! Votes shall last 24 Hours.

Good luck!! (Please beat the shit out of Bonnie..)

(I ran out of space to put tags.)

[a-contemplative-soul]

I found this song randomly in an Instagram post about animals, then I activated Shazam and I found it. Since the first time I heard it I put it on my playlist, the feelings it brings are similar to "Answered in a Prayer" by The Ducktails, it's a mix of nostalgia, loneliness and contemplation.

Song: Mrs Magic

Artist: Strawberry Guy

Year: 2019

[mrpomade]

A #ducktail is something to not be messed with. It's only fitting that this one is done up with #mrducktail #pomade The littele guy goes for $14 for 1.4 oz. and the dedicated #teddyboy size is 14 oz. for 60. This is one of those #pomades you will dig the scent of, kind of like sugar water/cola #pop scent with a lighter medium hold. #themotherkutterkultklubshop #rockabilly #ducktail #duckass #fenders #oldschool #slickhair #hairgum #mrpomade Pomade.com

https://www.pomade.com/collections/vendors?q=Hairgum

[figurines-rock]

Figurine exclusive pour Mr Ducktail (the Motherkutter London)

http://www.mrducktail.co.uk/

[tanakariza]

Ok, so, I was watching the promo for the next “DuckTales” episode and I couldn’t help but wonder...

... why does Gladstone’s voice sound so familiar?

And sure enough, after looking it up on IMDb, i found out that Gladstone is played by the same voice actor as....

(Drumroll)

Mr. Peanutbutter from Bojack Horseman.

How perfect. How absolutely perfect!!

[winterscaptain]

a real hero.

Aaron Hotchner x Gender Neutral Reader

a/n: so about five of you asked about 6x06, devil’s night, when jack dresses up as his dad for halloween. when y’all make the call, i deliver! here’s just over a thousand words of total fluff, thrown together in about an hour (please forgive my errors and tell me what you think!). this stands alone, but i’m throwing it in the ajf pile for good measure, as well!

words: 1.2k warnings: language

summary: “we're taught to expect unconditional love from our parents, but i think it is more the gift our children give us. it's they who love us helplessly, no matter what or who we are.” ― kathryn harrison, the kiss

masterlist | a joyful future masterlist | ajf faq | requests closed!

“..today it rivals only Christmas in terms of popularity.” Spencer and Emily come into the round table room, and you suppress a smile. 

If you know anything about Spencer, it’s that his love for Halloween knows no bounds. 

Emily sits down next to you, explaining, “All I asked was what he was planning to do this weekend.” 

You hide your laugh in your file, looking at Hotch over the top of the folder. There’s the smallest pull in the corner, the threat of a dimple. He looks up at you, and the dimple appears for just a split second before disappearing again. 

+++

Aaron’s anxious as you all wait for the go-ahead from air traffic control. He keeps checking his watch, and his leg bounces under the table. You’re the only two still in the cabin, the others took two other cars and are apparently taking their damn time to arrive from the precinct. 

You throw a Hershey’s kiss at him. He jumps and looks over at you. 

“What’s wrong?”

He sighs. “I’ve never missed a Halloween with Jack. I’m just nervous we aren’t going to make it back in time, is all.” 

You offer him a little smile. “You’ll make it back.” 

Just then, his phone rings and he answers it. “Hotchner.” A smile breaks across his face. “Oh hi, bud. Yeah. We’re almost in the air...Just a couple more hours...What?” He looks at you, and you furrow your brow. “...Let me ask.” 

He covers the mic. “I’d imagine people in their twenties have better ways to spend Halloween than with an over-excited five-year-old and his boring dad, right?”

You snort. “Hell no. I’m in.” 

And it was true - you didn’t have anywhere else better to be, and the lights in your house were already dark and had plans to stay that way to deter trick-or-treaters. There was no better way, in your opinion, than to spend Halloween with an overexcited five-year-old and his (allegedly) boring dad.

He shakes his head with a little smile and returns the phone to his ear. “Yeah, bud. We’re on for the three of us.”

+++

You sit on the floor of Jack’s bedroom, having been dragged in by two of your fingers immediately upon entering the apartment. He told his dad to wait in the dining room and closed the door behind him, so you imagine he has some serious business to discuss with you. 

“I don’t want to be Spiderman.” 

Your brow pinches. “Why not, bud?”

“The costume’s itchy and he’s not a real hero.” 

You hum, thinking. “Are there any real heroes you want to be, or do we want to toss out the hero idea entirely?”

He considers the options carefully, the pinch of his mouth starkly reminiscent of Haley. “I think I want to still be a hero.” 

“Okay. Do you want to come up with some ideas? We still have a little bit of time.”

A little bit of time was pushing it - Aaron wanted to get going before it got too dark out, giving them time for a movie before bed after Jack acquired his haul in the neighborhood. 

An idea comes to him, lighting up his face. “Can you get one of Dad’s ties? They’re…” he looks up, remembering, “...hung up on the front of the bathroom door in his room or inside the closet by the light switch.” 

“Of course.” You kiss his head, shutting the door behind you. You sneak down the hall and open Aaron’s door, trying to be as quiet as possible. 

“You know,” comes a voice from the dining room, “I can hear you?”

You throw your head around the door frame. “No, you can’t!” ...And shut the door behind you.

In Aaron’s room, you find the little hanging tree with all his ties, finding one of the red ones he wears all the time and one of which he has about five near-identical versions, just in case something happened out in the wild. 

You have half an idea of what Jack’s planning, but your only job right now is to follow instructions.

You throw the tie over your shoulder and make a play at sneaking back into Jack’s room while Aaron’s amused huff chases you down the hall. 

Closing the door behind you again, you told up your prize. “I got it.” 

Jack turns around, wearing the suit he got for Haley’s service. It’s only a little small on him, but he’ll probably lose the jacket anyway, working up a sweat even in the chilly Fairfax fall. “I’m gonna be Dad.” 

A little smile pulls at you, and for some reason, there’s part of you that wants to cry a little. Nevertheless, you pull it together quickly, kneeling in front of him to tie the tie. “I think that’s a great idea.” 

Jack puts his little hands over yours. “Can I try it?”

“Mhmm.” You put your hands in your lap, watching him fruitlessly tie knots, trying to get that crisp line Aaron manages every morning. When he gets a little frustrated, you ask, “Do you want some help?”

He nods, looking up and away as you undo his handiwork, giving him a four-in-hand knot that won’t eat him alive. You tighten it just enough to tuck under his collar, smoothing his jacket and fixing the ducktail sticking out of his shirt. 

“Ready?”

He nods, and you open the door. Jack tucks behind your legs. “Dad, don’t look at me!” 

Aaron, ever faithful, has his back turned right where you both left him in the dining room. “I’m not looking! Are you almost ready? ...Need any help?”

You nod at Jack, and he goes into the hallway. “No.”

“Okay.” 

You keep your distance, leaning up against a free spot on the photo wall as Jack steps into the dining room. 

“Whoa,” Aaron says, clearly surprised. “That is definitely not Spiderman.” He looks at you, but you don’t give anything away, a little smile on your face. 

“He’s not a real superhero,” Jack explains. 

“He’s not?” Aaron looks entirely the part of the confused father at the moment, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, a questionable orange-ish sweater. It almost makes you laugh. “Okay. I give up. Who are you supposed to be?”

You can hear the grin in Jack’s voice. “I’m you, Daddy.” 

Aaron’s face softens and he walks over to his son, embracing him before picking him up. He looks at you over Jack’s shoulder. “Was this your idea?”

You shake your head. “All him. I only filched the props.” 

Aaron shakes his head with a little smile you can’t read. Redirecting, he grabs his keys and his wallet with one hand, shoving them in his pocket. “Let’s go get some candy, my little G-Man.”

You grab your coat and Aaron’s from the coat tree, the bucket for Jack’s goods, and follow the boys out the door. You lock the door behind you, finding both of them waiting for you at the end of the apartment hall.

There’s no thought to what the other twenty-somethings are doing tonight. 

Nothing could be better than this. 

+++

tagging: @arganfics @quillvine @stxrryspencer @agenthotchner @hurricanejjareau @ughitsbaby @rousethemouse @criminalsmarts @shrimpyblog @genevievedarcygranger @ssaic-jareau @good-heavens-chris-evans @davidrossi-ismydad @angelsbabey @writefasttalkevenfaster @venusbarnes @hotchsflower @ogmilkis @marvels-agents100 @hotchslatte @risenfox @mrs-dr-reid @captain-christopher-pike @dwellingsofrosie @pan-pride-12 @sunshine-em @word-scribbless​ @jdougl-love​ @sageellsworth05​ @dreila03 @forgottenword @aaronhotchnerr @ssa-morgan @buckybau @sana-li @tegggeeee @abschaffer2 @ssacandice-ray @ellyhotchner @lotties-journey-abroad @mrs-joel-pimentel-23-25 @laneygthememequeen @violentvulgarvolatile  @mooneylupinblack @ssareidbby @violet-amxthyst @bwbatta @roses-and-grasses @lcvischmitt @capricorngf @missdowntonabbey @averyhotchner @mandylove1000 @cevanswhre @qvid-pro-qvo @jeor @spencers-hoodrat @infinity1321 @zizzlekwum @popped-weasels @evee87 @nuvoleincielo @this-broken-band-girl @reidtomestyles @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @winqhster @spencerelds @the-falling-in-the-danger @nattylite49 @crazyshannonigans @softbibxtch @iconicc @mangoberry43

[posthumanwanderings]

PHW's Top 10 NES Games (without thinking about it too hard)

also this list will omit the heavy hitters we all grew up with and loved, because I didn't want it to be dominated by the Mario / Zelda / Castlevania / Megaman games, and we all know (hardcore gamer or not) that Super Mario Bros 3 is the best game of all time, so let's get to it...

1. Kirby's Adventure (HAL Laboratory)

2. Shatterhand / Solbrain (Natsume)

3. Crystalis (SNK)

4. Crisis Force (Konami)

5. Cosmic Epsilon (Asmik) which I got to use the 3D Famicom glasses to play on before!

6. Metal Storm (Tamtex / Irem)

7. S.C.A.T. (Natsume)

8. The Guardian Legend (Compile)

9. Adventure Island 1-3 (Hudson Soft)

10. Ducktails (or any Capcom made Disney game really)

*edit, I forgot about 3 more essential games! ugh

11. Little Samson (Takeru / Taito)

12. Mr. Gimmick! (Sunsoft)

13. Kabuki: Quantum Fighter (Human Entertainment / HAL Laboratory)

[rpeterthomas]

I always wanted a beard for as long as I can remember, and fortunately I have the ability to grow facial hair. As it stands, beards are popular and in fashion at the moment.

There are many different styles of facial hair, ranging from clean-shaven to the full Alaskan lumberjack and everything in between.

I actually let my own beard grow out just to make this post for you guys so you’d better appreciate it, because it was a pain in the ass.

Right side.

Straight on.

Left side.

Above was taken after I had my hair cut. As a result, my beard no longer matched my hair and made me look untidy. Now, I’m a fan of a style called “The Ducktail”. This beard style is blended from the sideburns down into the length of the hair at the wearers chin. This creates a smooth and distinctive tapered shape that resembles the tail of a duck.

To start I used this beard wash from Lush called Kalamazoo to make sure I had clean and debris free facial hair to work with. It is loaded with Pineapple enzymes and apricot kernels. This leads to clear skin without stripping away the skin and hairs natural oils. I’ve been buying this beard wash for 3 years now and I cannot recommend it enough.

Beginning at the edges of the facial hair, I use my Wahl Detailer to line up my cheeks and neckline. Taking care to remove enough hair to leave me with a clean, strong perimeter line. The next step involves using your preferred beard oil (Mine is Iron Horse by The Oil Can Grooming) to assist in blow-drying your beard. I use a small round brush and my dryer to smooth out my beard. Blow-drying the beard allows you to get a true sense of the shape already there. Carefully I use the Detailers to sculpt the shape, freehand.  To finish I use scissors to polish off any remaining strays. The last step is to use a straight razor to shave the trimmed part such as my neck and upper cheeks. To prevent irritation I use Kiehls Smooth Glider Shave Lotion  the product allows the blade to just glide over the skin without any resistance, leaving clean shaven skin underneath.

In order to really complete the look on longer beards, it’s worth investing in a beard balm. My choices are any of the ManMane range (I have the Jardin Du Monde) and the new Beard Balm from Uppercut Deluxe. Both will help to really seal in the style by allowing you to manipulate your beard and great a smooth shape. Oils are good for maintaining the condition of the hair, but ultimately don’t have the hold and control of a balm.

My own beard has gone through its fair share of updates and changes over the years. As I gain more experience as a professional, I find better ways to achieve the required results. This post has been drastically overhauled since it was first posted back in 2015.

If you need any help with your facial hair then check out my work and book a visit from The Bike Barber or you can also get a cut from me at Keep The Faith Social Club in Royal Arcade, Cardiff!

  Grooming: Beards. I always wanted a beard for as long as I can remember, and fortunately I have the ability to grow facial hair.

[purplevspurplebrawl2023]

Right side round one!!

Bentina Beakley (Ducktails) vs Fear (Inside Out)

[mrpomade]

Another @santiago.greeen the hair styling machine. Seemingly there are more short hair styles on social media. Here's a look at a backside with some length that was styled perfectly. Just gather everything towards the middle and maybe push the bottom of the #ducktail together with your hands. 

[purkinje-effect]

The Purkinje Effect, 36

Table of Contents. Go to previous.

____________________

Geek slouched alone in the floor of Hancock’s Statehouse room. Down to his gloves, tank, and jeans, he routed through his duffel, armor, and jumpsuit and laid out everything in his possession. He picked uselessly at what remained of his savings, and quickly returned the caps to their stash in one of the inner pockets of his boiler suit. He found himself snacking on a tub of shortening, rather than accomplishing the task of taking inventory. His gaze fell on the two bottles of Buffout he’d collected from the gym in North End, and his pursed mouth wandered askew.

After Park Street Station, he never wanted to touch a chem again. Even tobacco and spirits felt suspect, and he’d never really considered them chems per se.

He wanted to talk to Hancock. He’d wanted to talk to him since they got back inside Goodneighbor’s walls. But the mayor had made himself scarce and unapproachable, sticking to the corners of people’s vision. The only times he’d seen him in the past twenty-four hours was a quick pop into his room to grab some chems, and when he had taken a short nap upon returning home from their excursion. Geek was pretty sure Hancock had been floating around the Third Rail, but he hadn’t bothered to press interaction. He absolutely did not want to enter another subway if he could help it. Where would he even begin talking anyway?

And it wasn’t like he could talk to ‘Choly about it, either. The chemist had stayed in the Hotel Rexford and not been seen at all. Geek had half a brain cell to suspect that ‘Choly had somehow left town without the Neighborhood Watch noticing, but the rest of his brain cells knew that didn’t add up either. No, the last thing he wanted to do was hunt down the little cretin.

He picked up Cronus, turned it this way and that in his hands. His pursed mouth flattened into a long wide line. A gloved fingertip trailed one of the edges. With a brittle, loud noise he slapped the broad side of the blade against the floor. Again, a third time, until part of it snapped off the once-wrench he’d built it atop. His jaw seared. He grabbed for the ball peen in a tool apron, applied it to the remainder of his work. As the pieces freed from his shiv, he shoved them into his mouth and swallowed them without a care for the possible consequences on the way down.

The shiv was still Cronus, with or without his sweat poured onto it.

He pulled everything back together, keeping the chems set aside. He glanced to the coffee table which normally boasted his boyfriend’s spread and glassware, then stood with a stiff snort, carrying the two bottles of steroid supplements. Then he descended the spiral staircase on his way to the one person he felt would talk to him these days.

Sorry, Dais. He gesticulated on his way out of the Statehouse and across the plaza. We had to go save a Synth imprisoned by Triggermen in a vault. Oh! Sorry, Dais. Hancock didn’t tell me that he meant for us to help him do somethin’ completely different, when he agreed to work with us. Daisy, we should be worried about some a the chem-weapons our new chemist has. Daisy, so sorry. Got trust issues now--

Geek stood before Daisy’s Discounts, and stopped, watching. A ghoul looked to be throwing hands with Daisy from across the counter. He wasn’t sure whether to step between her and this short bespectacled ghoul with a patchy red ducktail, faded muddy leather jacket, and high-rolled trousers demonstrating mismatched socks and spectator brogues. It seemed like neither was intent on landing any hits despite their animation toward one another. The unfamiliar figure slapped his elbow against the back of his hand repeatedly. The longer Geek stood there, the more he felt Daisy’s exhaustion and this other ghoul’s exasperation, like pressure descending upon the space. What got him really staring wasn’t the glowing uranium green hatch marks all along his bare right arm. It was yet another Pip-Boy owner.

Daisy tossed a glance to Geek, to let him know she was aware of him, but she didn’t let up gesturing with animation. The other ghoul said nothing, and kept his attention on Daisy. Daisy slowly began verbalizing bits and pieces. Everything out of her mouth felt like an incomplete thought, but Geek could tell now there was some manner of conversation taking place. And it was about him. He flushed deep pink, and did his best not to frown.

“--No, the three of them are in a rough patch after what happened in the vault, but-- No, I’m sure we can get together enough forces in Goodneighbor to reclaim the-- Cecil! Damn it all!!” No amount of raking one hand along the back of the other could convince the ginger to ease off.

The ghoul turned to Geek. He gave a few dials and buttons and impassive tweak, then resumed gesticulating, this time toward the pink ghoul.

The Pip-Boy emanated a voice something like a Mister Handy’s, though too modulated and mechanical: “You’re the Geek, then.”

“I, what of it,” Geek stammered in bewilderment. “What’s--”

“I might be upset about the ongoing damages to my library,” the Pip-Boy continued on Cecil’s behalf, “but your detour saved one of the only people in Diamond City I still respect. So I owe you thanks.”

“I don’t-- I don’t understand--”

Geek’s attention flitted between Daisy and Cecil, desperate for a modicum of explanation. Cecil went in for a handshake, only to notice Geek’s hands were full. Cecil’s demeanor jilted to a cool fixation upon noticing the particular chem.

“Oh. Buffout. Full bottles? Are you looking to unload them?”

“Cecil,” Daisy hissed, slouching on the counter, and not even bothering to move a muscle. “If the Geek is interested in selling them to me, I will set them aside for you. And you can buy them. From. Me.”

Geek glanced up at the store front sign, then back to Cecil. Supposing it’s fair she dislikes anyone but her doing business in her shop.

After watching the Pip-Boy screen a moment, Cecil soured and lost his patience with the whole thing.

“I’m going to the Den,” his Pip-Boy announced on his way out of the plaza and around the corner.

“...His library?” Geek still glanced in the direction Cecil had left.

“That was Mr. Cecil. He’s the curator of the Boston Public Library.” Daisy let out a long, beleaguered sigh. “I’m sorry, dear. Did you need something?”

“...I thought I did... Never mind.” He squinted, unable to shake the rhyme. “No. The library curator? I thought you said the library was full of super mutants.”

“He is. And, unfortunate as it is... it is.” She only got up long enough to fetch herself a beer, and seemed in marginally better sorts with her whistle whet. “When the mutants moved in, I was confident--but not certain--that he stepped out of the house at the time, so to speak. It’s a shame for the library to fall out of his hands like this, and for him to come home from his errand like this, but I’m glad he’s still kicking. One of a handful of the prewar ghouls that still haunt the Commonwealth.”

“Came to apologize for not reclaiming the library yet, but... You did the same thing Hancock did. You sent us to make sure somebody that matters to you was okay, but didn’t want to admit it might turn out t’be a rescue mission.” He swatted his train of thought away before continuing. “You are so goddamn good at your job that I don’t even have to know I’ve got questions, an’ you’ll answer ‘em.”

He set the Buffout on the counter. She softened, smiling genteel despite having little clue what he was on about.

“My job? Sweetheart, I’m just a gorgeous, brilliant, humble gal running an odds and ends shop in the ruins of Boston’s red light district. So you are interested in unloading some goods. I’ll give you ninety-five caps for the pair.”

He nodded impatiently, unable to get rid of the chems fast enough. She counted out five caps from a satchel and gave him the rest, which he shoved into his caps pocket. With a pointed, insistent enthusiasm, he excused himself.

“Boston’s gonna have its library back one day.”

She was scared we wouldn’t find him alive. He thought back to her asking her favor, and recalled her sheer, genuine attachment to the location itself. Hancock had to know who Cecil was, going into this. That’s how he deduced Daisy had put them up to it.

He knew Daisy’s answer to the question ablaze in his eye as he stormed across the plaza to the nearest Neighborhood Watch. Now he needed to know Hancock’s answer to the same damn question.

Why’d you mislead us, when y’know we would’a said yes?

The Watchman waved toward the stoop to the Third Rail, not even having to deduce what Geek wanted. So he did what he didn’t want, and he entered the bar that had been a subway terminal in another life.

Ham stopped him with a pair of gentle, insistent hands on his shoulders.

“Geek, I know ya don’t know me too well. But I’ve got to warn you. I don’t like when trouble kicks up in this place. Don’t be that trouble, capisce?”

“Ain’t got a single intention of that, man. What, you worried Hancock’s gonna start somethin’ in his own bar? Don’t sweat it.”

The tuxedo’ed bouncer relinquished, and Geek continued downstairs in search of the mayor. When he didn’t locate him in the main seating area, he couldn’t even pay mind to Magnolia’s performance on stage. He slipped down the hall to the VIP lounge, and stood right before the corner turned, and listened with great resentment. Oh goody. Worst case scenario. Hancock and ‘Choly were talking, and he could smell Mister Handy fuel before he even got to the hall in the first place.

“Leader’s got to be trustworthy just as much as he’s got to trust his compatriots,” Hancock continued coolly. “You and Geek sounded like you had your heart set on clearing out the library, laid out a ton of financial and sociopolitical ground we stood to gain. But she sent y’all there to check on somebody. I was pretty sure he was safe, but I was very sure Valentine wasn’t. And I didn’t trust either of ya to make the moral decision to focus on Valentine when given the choice. So, ah. Thank you. For making me check myself.”

“You’re forgiven. ...Though, if you really wanted to thank me, truly thank me, you could show your gratitude with a kiss.”

“You’ve got a strange economy, to prioritize bartering in tokens. But... you’ve been bending over backwards since you stepped foot in my town, presumably in some attempt just to earn some. I suppose I could... give you a little peck.”

After a tense and awkward quiet, Geek could hear some clothing rustling, and Hancock’s boots hitting the floor.

“A peck, nothing more, nothing less.” The ghoul mused, diffusing his displeasure into dreaminess. “This ghoul’s not running the bases anymore. Already got my home run.”

'Choly broke the long pause with abjection.

“...When was the last time you know of that Sticks was in town?”

A tall figure came up behind Geek. The pink fellow didn’t have to turn around to know the man wanted trouble.

“You got a habit of snooping?” He had a somewhat shrill, sarcastic, mid-tone voice. “I’m told your bubblegum butt shouldn’t be here.”

“Did Ham sic you on me!”

“Melancholy did. He warned me that you might be following him.”

Geek put his hands up, incredulous.

“I was lookin’ for Hancock!”

“I was just leaving.” ‘Choly leaned hard into his cane, standing several paces from Geek. “Ugh, you have an awful eavesdropping habit. If you want to watch, or be included, you should just say so--”

“Sir!” Angel blurted out, coming along behind him. “You’ve paid good money to enforce a restraining order. Such invitation is both unwise and contrary to your investment.”

‘Choly couldn’t even muster rolling his eyes at his Handy.

“Come on, MacCready. I need to work out some things with the other Rexford tenants.” He glanced over his glasses to Geek, exhausted to his soul. “You heard Angel. Don’t be my shadow. This mercenary is a formidable ex-Gunner, and he’s in my pocket.”

The tall man in a cream duster followed along with the chemist and robot. Geek hemmed as he watched them scale the stairs at ‘Choly’s pace. He couldn’t shake the grief, and did his best to read the room where he stood. A bald patron lounged at the seating area near the end of the bar, where some white picket fencing provided a safety barrier at the edge of what had once been the loading platform.

Wearing sunglasses, flannel, and a pleasantly stupid grin, he waved warmly to him with unsettling familiarity. Geek approached him, scalp prickling, and narrowly made himself sit at the patio furniture with him.

“The fuck are you doing here,” he asked the man.

“Hey, now...” The man grinned, hands up in defense. “Everybody’s welcome in Goodneighbor. Even me!”

[tanakariza]

After hearing that a lot of the Gravity Falls staff is working on the DuckTales 2017 rebut, I realized that the two have very similar premises.

It’s about a group of siblings

who’s parents put them in the care of their Great Uncle

who lives in an unusual dwelling

and has a mysterious past. 

They meet household staff

and make new friends.

and they all go on crazy adventures together.

Of course Disney. Of course.

[zone0neko]

The Patient

(MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR BODY HORROR)

His name was Thomas Miller.    Thomas - or, as most of the staff at Spring Hills Hospital referred to him, "Mr. Miller" - was the state's only known case of Adalhard's Syndrome. This wasn't much of a surprise - the condition itself is exceptionally rare, with only a handful of unfortunate individuals diagnosed with it each year - but the fact that such a horrific genetic mutation had found its way to our homey little village had made Mr. Miller a sort of spectacle among local doctors.    If I were to say so myself, the esoteric nature of Adalhard's Syndrome helped to spare Mr. Miller from what would have been a hellish fever dream of gawking eyes and mouths, of flashing camera lights snapping his sickly image to be preserved forever for anyone and everyone to see, the sounds and flashes assaulting his slowly decaying mind throughout the last year of his life. In short, I am grateful that the existence of the genetic atrocity was only known to those who studied it, among the countless other deformities that sadly exist and ruin the lives of those who suffer from them, and even more thankful for the ambitious minds that strive daily to invent methods to alleviate - or even cure - their debilitating symptoms.    I can only hope that Miller himself had thought the same thing when he was first admitted into my care.    -  -  -  -  -    It was the fifth month of Miller's residence at the hospital when his son stepped into the picture.    Robert Miller was a handsome, intrepid young man: his mahogany-brown hair, trimmed down and fitted into the finest ducktail cut, contrasted perfectly with his navy blue suit and black dress shoes; his patient, smooth demeanor only accentuated his lovely appearance - a few nurses' eyes would follow him as he maturely strolled through the halls (I am ashamed to admit that I was one of them).    He first spoke to me after, as he admitted later, asking around for the saint who took his father under their wings.    "Are you Carol Smith?"    "Why, yes I am! Is there something you need?"    "You're the nurse who cares for Thomas Miller, right? ... My father?"    He adds the last line after a pause to stifle a faint sob; his eyes were swollen and red around the edges.    "Oh, Mr. Miller? I assure you he is in only the best of palliative care that Spring Hills-"    As soon as those two dreadful words escaped my mouth, Robert's demeanor grows cold - yet somehow crestfallen at the same time.    "...Did you say 'palliative care?'"    "Oh, I apologize - were you not told about his condition once he was diagnosed?"    "I... I'm afraid I couldn't bring myself to ask the doctors what was wrong with him. After he broke both his legs that badly...at his age-"    I waved Robert over to a private room, trying to hide the pity I felt as I gestured for him to sit down.    "Sir... your father has Adalhard's Syndrome, and he only has a few months left."    I could almost hear his heart skip a beat as the blood drained from his face.    "... Pardon?"    "Well, his body is beginning to reject itself, in a way: it's slowly condensing into itself, and the only reason why he's alive at this point is because of life support. He's basically imploding."    By now the initial shock had faded, and he rushed to his feet with a hardened expression of determination on his face.    "Let me see him."    "Sir, it is recommended - for his sake and yours - that you at least prepare yourself-"    His fists clenched, and his face began to flush a raging crimson as he spoke through gritted teeth.    "I don't care if he looks like he got run over by a truck, I don't care if he is falling apart. I. Want. To. See. My. Father."    I couldn't deny the relative of a patient from visitation, so I had no choice but to guide Robert down the halls to what remained of his father.    -  -  -  -  -    Thomas Miller's room number was 205 - even years from that somber day, I can recall it without hesitation.    "Mr. Robert, there's still time for you to change your mind-"    "Open the door."    Despite visiting Miller daily, my hand was tremulous as I slowly turned the doorknob, and pushed the door to the side...    What both Robert and I had saw was even worse than I had previously expected.    This far into his demise, Thomas Miller could barely be described as human anymore: only his upper half remained - his legs had been forcefully shoved into it long ago, shards of bone and chunks of flesh piled on top of each other, poking from his torso like bloodstained teeth - and his arms were already on their way to experiencing the same fate: they were grossly misshapen and practically vestigial, with his hand and fingers fused into his forearm, soon to shatter under the pressure of his muscles pulling his limbs into himself.    His head jutted out like a sore thumb: his jaws were severely elongated to the point that his neck muscles could no longer support them, and it left a toll on his chest in the form of a large gash dug out through flesh and fat, all the way through his sternum and ribcage; the skin covering his jaws had grown just as stretched taut over time - but as his malformed head soon succumbed to the increasing pressure, both bone and skin begun to tear, snap, and collapse, leaving shards of teeth and bone embedded in his lips.   The pull from Miller's extended jaws left the sockets of his eyes just as long: they wetly glistened under the piercing hospital lights, eyes resting in his lap and practically shoved into his gut - he had gone blind about a year before, and his nerves had become so damaged and mangled that he needed no morphine, for he could feel no pain... he couldn't feel anything.    What remained of his nose was a flattened bump that was crumpled at the bridge, with long holes beneath it, breathing tubes snaking through them all the way into his tiny, crushed lungs; food and water was pumped directly into his stomach through a similar pipe, the organ itself partially exposed beneath a shard of rib.    Miller's tremulous, moist breathing filled the air as a single tooth - one of the five or so remaining that hadn't gone loose - fell from his mouth and onto the mangled viscera that was his body with a thick, bloodied strand of mucus.    If he could think anything at all, if any piece of his crumpled brain could piece together a thought, it would be a cry for help, a plea for his life to be snuffed out like the flame of a candle.    -  -  -  -  -    It only took a second for Robert Miller to collapse onto the tile floor, another for his leg to begin to fracture at the exposure to what we now refer to as Adalhard's Trigger: the sight of a relative stricken by Adalhard's Syndrome was later discovered to activate the onset of the condition itself - it was revealed that the disease is congenital.    It really was due to Robert that this was discovered - until then all patients with the disease were essentially quarantined due to the lack of knowledge on the conditions that lead to its onset, and especially to prevent any further trauma from destroying the lives of friends and family.    By the time Adalhard's Syndrome began to severely damage Robert, Thomas had passed away - the basketball-sized heap of flesh that remained was surprisingly heavy due to being so condensed, and was taken in for further study - but I ensured that Robert would spend the rest of his life lying in the same hospital room that his father once inhabited.    I'm sure it's what he would've wanted.

[annelapedusbrest-blog]

MY MEMORIES OF JOHANNESBURG - City of GOLD.

article published 4 Feb 2009. Written and compiled by Anne Lapedus Brest.

MEMORIES OF JOHANNESBURG,   CITY OF GOLD

Written and Compiled By

©  ANNE LAPEDUS BREST

On the 4th February 1961, when I was 14 years old,  and my brother Robert was 11, our family came to live in Johannesburg.  

 We had left Ireland, land of our birth, leaving behind our beloved Grandparents, family, friends, and a very special and  never-to-be-forgotten little furry friend,  to start a new life in South Africa, land of Sunshine and Golden opportunity…………… The Goldeneh Medina…...

We came out on the “Edinburgh Castle”, arriving  Cape Town 2nd Feb 1961.  We did a day tour of Chapmans Peak Drive,   Muizenberg,  went to somewhere called the “Red Sails”  and visited our Sakinofsky/Yodaiken family in Tamboerskloof.

 We arrived at Park Station (4th Feb 1961), Jhb,  hot and dishevelled after a nightmarish train ride, breaking down in De Aar and dying of heat.

 We lived in Becker Street, Yeoville, Robert went to K.E.S and I went to Barnato Park (aka Johannesburg Girls’ High) in Berea.  Robert was in Cadets , I played hockey, and bunked school (with Gilda Goldblatt!!)  Our next-door neighbours were Michael and Sandra Golding,  Zena and Teddy Cohen lived in Becker Street also and Ronnie and Nigel Baskin lived in Yeo Street near the Richters -  Selma and Charles Richter,.

 Girls at Barnato Park lived in mainly Hillbrow,  Berea, Yeoville, Bellevue,  Houghton, Orchards, Melrose and Dunkeld.  After school, many of us would catch the 19 bus from Tudhope Avenue  Berea to Raleigh Street, Yeoville, but many girls were collected by beautifully coiffed and bee-hived mothers with long painted nails, arriving to collect them in huge fancy Chevrolets, with  big cats’ eye tail-lights.

 ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA ……………………………. 

Oy, but I had to get used to so many new expressions ……..

“ See you this arvy, Hey? “  and    “See you just now, Annie”    (I learnt the hard way that “Just Now” didn’t mean immediately)

 “There’s the new girl in Form 3, ……..  Shame!!”    “My sister’s baby is so cute, ……  Shame!  

 People would give me directions and tell me to turn at the robot.

 Can I  Lend  your book?

 Whatever I said, the girls would answer “Is it” ?

 The shul is full of KUGELS……………….

 Why did the bus-conductor call us all  “Donkey”  when he collected our tickets????   “Thank you,… Donkey” and the Klippies would say it in a high-pitched voice. “Thank you, donkeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyy”

 You MUST come visit this arvy,   see?     You MUST go and see Cliff Richard at the Collosseum.  You MUST buy the latest Elvis Presley record.     MUST,   MUST,   MUST   (only in South Africa!  Say that “MUST” to people overseas, they think you are a control-freak).  (took me a while to get used to it!!)    

G.C. EMMMMM 

Girls would talk about great talent at a party, and they talked about Chracks , boys talked about  “good stock” .

It’s a blerry gemors!!         Stoep.      Goeie Môre ,    Lekker Bly,      

My skat.     Klop Dissel Boom gaan!      Klappies.      Lappies.    

 Wag ‘n bietjie.      I’m Gatvol !!!!    Deurmekaar.

Yislaaik!     Herrrrrrre  ! (Yurrah)       Magtig!!  …..Maggggggtigggggg  !!!       Vragtig!  …….Vragggggtigggggg !!!!!!   

Where’s the jol tonight, hey?   Do youse know?

 Don’t tune  me  kak, hey?     Ag! Yes  no  fine.     Stovies.    He’s fab - such a doll !!!,      He thinks he’s such a big Bok.      It’s not so lekker.      

 Howzzit, my China.     I smaak you.  

 Don’t chaaf my cherry, hey!     Don’t grip my cherry…

 Who do  you  think you’re  looking at,  China?    

 Don’t  tune me grief, ek sê.       Voetsak!        Sies!       Ag! Siestog, Jong!  

 My bike is buggered.  

 Bugger off !

 He donnered  her.

 She Bliksemed him

 They Revolting!  

 Sommer so …………………..

 Don’t talk to them, they are all such Rubbishes.

 Stiffies.

 It’s Kwaai……..

Well, yes , no fine, Those were the days my friend we thought they’d never end …...   

SUBURBS    

In those days a majority of the Jewish community seemed to be living in Hillbrow,  Berea,   Bellevue,  Yeoville  , Cyrildene,  Observatory,  Dewetshof, Judith’s Paarl,  Highlands North, Houghton,  Dunkeld,  Melrose, Hyde Park.

 Suburbs where a lot of Jews also  lived were Kensington,   Emmarentia,  Greenside, Doornfontein,   Mayfair.  Remember Fordsburg (Fitas). Also a Jewish area once upon a time.  

 Robert and I went to Yeoville Chader (The Bernard Patley), - Mr. SHATCHAN was the  headmaster, and teachers I remember were Miss AARONS (Bella Golubchick) , Mr. Solly GOLDBERG, Rev.  HIMMELSTEIN, and the             Shammas was a  Mr. CHAZEN (His daughters, Gertie and Hannah both went to Barnato park) and  Mrs. MAGID 

Chader Children I can remember the names of some of the “ Chader children”. Colin Koransky,     Dorian Hersch (Shear),    Terroll Hersch (Z”l),   Gilda Goldblatt (Galvad), Brenda Goldblatt (Spitz) (O”h)    Frances Taylor, and her older sister, Sharon (now in Israel),    Carmella Shapiro,     Marsha Furman,     Gerald Pokroy,     Philip Eliason,  Harry Sacks,     Alan Kaye,   Susan Kaye,   Dorothy Lewis,    Harry Sacks,   Philip Sacks,    Ada Freedman,     Ilanah Himmelstein,    Julian (Julie) Kaplan,  Meyer Kaplan,    Brian (now in Oz) and his sister Jewel Rosenthal,     Eugene Klatzko,     Martin Chaitowitz,   Hymie  Symanowitz(Z”l),    Ruth Seeff,     Sandra Katzen (Pokroy)     Robert Hershfield,     Mervyn Gerszt,     Bernard Kromelick, Derek Hammerschlag (I think that was his name)  Wolfie Tepper,   Marlene Tepper,   Stanley Chitiz,   Manny Magid,    Melanie & Beverley Segal.

 I must have been a real “chrack” in those days, coming from Ireland, funny clothes, and even funnier out-of-control curly hair, and an accent nobody could understand.  I found it hard to make friends, but I eventually palled up with Gilda Goldblatt (now Galvad) , (daughter of Leslie (Z”l) and Mona Voloshen Goldblatt (O”h),  from Webb Street.   Leslie (Z”l)  was a Choirester in Wolmarans Street Shul) and Gilda and I have remained friends to this day.

 Girls at Barnato Park whom I remember offhand,    Pam Ginsberg (Melzter)   Pam Gladstone (Nathan),  Denise Seeff,     Ruth Seeff,    Susan Simon,     Molly Robinson,    Rhona Shroder (aka Rhondie Shrondie)  (Ullman) ,    Phyliss Goldblatt (Rubin),   Geraldine Blumberg,  Debbie Rabinowitz,  Jacqui Hotz,  Sharon Rafel (Rubin),    Leah Smith,   Ann Kaiser,  Ann Moscow, Barbara Diane Levy,   Barbara Levy,    Lynette and Jennifer Margolis,   Carol and Margaret Kowalsky ,  Gloria (Gola) Levine (Ash),  Gilda and Brenda Goldblatt,   Eugene Klatzko, ,   René Mazelle,  Jill Gonski, Felicity Nathanson,   Avril Kaye,  Jackie Susman (Woolf) (her sisters Helen and Andy went to Athlone) .   Pam Kohn,   Lydia Burstein,   Ada Folb,   Sharon Cooperman (Fehrer)  Beryl Andrews,   Heather Round (Levy),  Joan Gracie, Merriel Pratt, Hilda and Charlotte Brinkman, Ann Mullins, Susan Simon, Doreen Simon, Marilyn Silansky, Carole Silansky (Sands) Verite Hirshowitz, Ruth Samuel (Segal),    Vivien Alexander,    Renée Kunz,   Lorraine Goldberg,    Marilyn Silansky and her sister Carol Silansky, ,   Yvonne  Shochet,  Janet King,  Pam Kewley,   Adah  Ben Yehuda,   Roslyn Abramovitz,  Joan Cooper,  Bernice Frid (Vunck),  Suzanne Lutrin (Resnick) (O”h),    Helen Rothschild,   Joyce Tischauer,   Helen Leftin,    Maureen Nagel (Ruskin),   Gabriella Albrecht,  Sharon Smith (Munitz),   Pam Levy,  Deborah-Ann Fanaroff,   Jacky Centner (Cannon),  Lydia Burstein, Ronelle Shepherd,  Cynthia Muller,  Marsha Sosnovick, (Jansen)    Karen Israelsohn,  Joan David (Elkon),   Sheina & BatSheva Romm,   Lorraine Nussbaum (Silver),   Susan Hommell,     Kela Saltzer , Barbara Beira,   Shoshanna Kaplan (Kaplan)  , Myrna Katz,  Isobel Strasbourg (Mehl) , Isobel Thomson, Vivienne Lee,  Meryl Michaelmore,  Vivienne Fritz, (Head Girl)     Patsy Coetzee, (Vice Head Girl)  Philla Moller, Gillian Coleman, Sheena Haarhof,  Glen Marshall, Naomi Tabachowich,   Ailsa Bowley, Sheena Hayworth, And  some girls from Mrs. Oppenheimers extra Afrikaans lessons class were, Vasiliky someone from Greece, Daria someone from Italy,  Jean Smith (?)  from Rhodesia, Jacqueline someone from England, Marilyn Patricia Myers from England,  and teachers, Miss Todd, Roberta Evans, Miss Cohen (later Mrs. Gevisser), Miss Miles with DOG - George, Miss Langley (head), Miss Rosewarne, Miss Walmsely ,  Miss Hodkin,  Miss Jones (Vice Head), Miss Horn, Miss Dankwerths, Miss Martin, (later Mrs. Gold), Mrs Morrison, and one or two Barnato Park Dogs, who came along to school with teachers.  I think Miss Evans had a little Muttie trouping along next to her?  

SCHOOLS     Athlone Girls , Athlone Boys,    Waverly girls,  Highland’s North,  Parktown Girls and Parktown Boys,    Northview, Greenside High,    King David Linksfield  (King David Victory Park was to follow later on)  Yeshiva College,     Rodean,     Brescia House,     St. Vincents  (for the hard of hearing).    Helpmekaar,     Damelin College,    Yale College (Marcus (Marky) Luntz) , Regis College,  Princeton College.      Yeoville Boys,   Observatory Girls, ,    Hyde Park,    The Tech.      K.E.S (King Edward School),    St. Johns,     Redhill,       St. Stithians,    Marist brothers,    Yeoville Convent,    Hirsch Lyons,    Yiddish folk,  Jeppe Boys, Jeppe Girls.   H.A  Jack,   Jewish Government.

 SCHOOL UNIFORMS. Mc Cullogh @ Bothwell.

Remember Yeoville?   The Yeoville Post Office in Raleigh Street, C.N.A, the Picadilly Bioscope  the Bug House (Oi) next door to  Yeoville Home Industries (owned by Simon and Leah Kaufman),   Kenmere Pharmacy (owned by the Marams) (next to the fruit shop in Kenmere Rd) and  Yeoville Pharmacy (owned by the Joffes) (diagonally opposite the Yeoville Baths in Raleigh St.,)  Yeoville Fruit and Flowers (Jorge aka George),   Hill Fisheries,   Crystals,   Yeoville Baths, (and a swimming coach there called Bernard  Green) and the Apollo Café across the road where they played pinball and the ducktails always hung around there with their chains, and motor bikes, all the Brekers.   Theo  Hommel (fabrics),   Fitz Bakery where the OK Bazaars in Yeoville built their new shop, corner Raleigh and Bedford, diagonally opposite the Yeoville Library.  And opposite where the 19 bus went into Berea and town), Hub Stores,    Emdins – Haberdashery – (one or two shops down from the Apollo Café,)  Denbo Jewish Bookstore,  Scotch Corner!    Billy’s Hairdresser in Rockey Street (near Raymond St)    Faigels   and the  Dae-nite Pharmacy Rockey Street, cor. Bezuidenhout,   Squires (clothing, school uniforms/shoes)

 Portuguese Fish and Chip shop in Rockey Street, all the Tailor shops going down into Rockey Street, and Jekisons Tailors, and a  guy called Bokkie Jekison who was the Tailor there  (great looking bloke, with a great looking brother, I think his name was Eugene)  both so easy on the eye!). Bokkie recently told someone that on the 7th April he will have been at the shop for 55 years  California Tailors, and the Yeoville Recreation Center in Raleigh St, where Sandra Stein won the “Miss Yeoville” competition in about 1962 .(Bokkie Jekison died before the 7th April, suddenly, whilst out on a walk)

Water Polo at the Yeoville Baths. Richard LEE was a water-polo player, he lived in Yeo Street, Yeoville, I think.  Had a brother Eric LEE.  They were Highlands North school boys.  Lionel GILINSKY, another water-polo player.

 And does anyone remember the Purdy Boys, Neville and Leonard?

Some MORE of the YEOVILLE, CYRILDENE, OBSERVATORY people …… Jeff Wittles ,    Linda Shapiro,     Rex Schwartz,    Sharon  Schwartz ,     Ivan Sabbath,       Arnold Messias,     Ivan Sandler,     Louise Lazersohn ,     Barry Sacks,      Barry Bloch,     Barry Black,    Michael Walldorf (Vorsie),  Sonia Barsol,     Gerald (Jake) Fox (Z”l)  Jonny Grossmark,    Vivian Stillerman,    Charmian Clayton,   Max Gur,   Ruth Margolis,   Elaine Margolis,   Heather Garrun,   Yvette, Esther & Naomi Sofer.    Sharna & Nadja Isaacs (aka Lerman),   Colin Opwald,     Frances Siegenberg,  Nicky & Costa Kapitanopoulos,  Alfie Wood and his sister Margie Wood (now Horn),   Locky Lockstone,  Shirley Shtub  (probably Sztab),  Reuel Kaplan,  Geoff (Geoffrey)  Landsman (Z”l) ,  Reina Cohen (O’h),   Sandra Stein (Ezra) ,  Nola Stein (Fox),  Charmion Clayton,   Ivor Cohen,   Sandra Deitz ,   Spencer Hodgson,     Heather Garrun,    Linda Chitiz or Chitters ,  Marlene Teper,   Leonard Kahn  & his sister Maureen Kahn. (now Puterman)  Maureen and her husband were one of the first people to move into a new block of flats called “La Contessa”,  in Yeo & Bedford St. Yeoville)   Arnie  Jones,   Jennifer Jones,   Bernard James,    Abel de Freitas,   Sandra Tucker.  The Griffith Girls (Virg, Bernice (Bunny) and  Diane –still great friends of mine) and their brother Cedric) The Matthews Girls Hazel, and Norma, there were more sisters but I can’t remember the names) .   

GREENSIDE/EMMARENTIA   People, -   Clifford Price,    Howard Price,    Brian Ruskin, and I think Barry Pillemar ,  Suzie  & Gaby Henshel, (de Groen),  June and Yalta Gervis,   Suzanne & Linda Myers,  Aubrey Gamsu    Ada Gamsu,   Maurice Hockman, Margo and Peter Philips,

HOUGHTON people. Michael, Brian & Jennifer Lever,    Molly Robinson,  Harry & Philip Sacks,    Sharon Smith (Munitz)  

HIGHLANDS NORTH  People. -   Brian, Stanley & Karen Feinstein (Joseph),   Max Schiff (O”h)

WHO REMEMBERS   -  Hymie Brest,  (Mayfair/ Kensington)  and his friend (to this day) Alec Ross   (Bez Valley).  Certainly part of the  “Main Manne” crowd.  

 ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA …………………………………

Where’re you okes jolling to?       Jollers.     Lekker Jol.

 Where are your folks tonight.

 Volkspeeler.     The Sakkie sakkie

 I’m only chaafing, man?     Sweet Obeet.!!     Lekker soos ‘n krekker (cracker)

 Wat ‘s goedkoop is duur koop.       Stille water – Diepe grond,

 Eina!     Skyfies.   Veldskoene.    Breekers.

 Don’t tune me Chandies

 Check that little lightie, he’s  two bricks and a tickey high

 Ever since Pa fell off the bus.

 Give me a bell, hey?       Bell me.    Love you stax.     I’ll  fetch you just now

 African women sitting on the street corners calling out   HEY Mielieeeeee -  Tickey Mielieeeeeeeee.    

 Vrystaat!  

 Vat hom Fluffy.

 I’ve got Sut.

 They’re so larnie!

 My ou’ man is giving me uphill

 My Skattebol.

 I feel up to Paw-Paw.  I feel up to Maggots.

 ‘Strue’s Bob…??       No….. You LIE !!!

 SHOT !!!!!!!!   (SHOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT)

 Skit ‘n donner (donder) (the movies)

  And Observatory café where boys played pinball and they had ‘Pennyline Sweets’ where you could buy 2 for a penny  and cafés had Jukeboxes . Remember the old 78 records (those were in the fifties though) and then the LPs - wow, and when those came out we thought we’d died and gone to Heaven, and the 45 speed records.   Cassettes, and tape recorders,   reel-to-reel tape-recorders (I still have one).

Boys had a way of walking, hands in pockets, only the thumbs visable and rolled from side to side with a sort of rolling gait, and the more they rolled as they walked, the more macho they felt!  

Who remembers ????……     Debras  (Schmaltz), and  when a tub of Yoghurt cost 8c, and an Appleltizer cost the same, a bar of Cadburys chocolate cost 5c and there was a chocolate bar called “Honeycrisp” also for 5c, and you could get a Toasted Cheese  for 15c.    Stamps cost 2½ cents .  If you left the envelope open, it was cheaper…     Airletter forms in green,   airmail writing paper, airmail envelopes and Basildon Bond writing paper.

STREETS in Yeoville/ Bellevue,    -   Raleigh St,   Rockey St,   Bezuidenhout St.,  Isipingo St., Raymond St , Hopkins St,  Yeo St,    Kenmere Rd,  Fortèsque Rd,    Becker St,   Cavendish Rd,    Bedford Rd,   Webb St,   Natal St, Isipingo,   St. Georges Rd,   Ellis St.,

 YEOVILLE BOXING CLUB  - Sammy Samson  and his son Cedric who sang as a child, and he had a group at some stage called “the FireFlies”   I think Alan Goldstein who was also a child singer may well have been part of that band ( later known as Alan Gold) .

How many people remember……. The Black Steer in Yeoville   - fab apple crumble and double thick cream and  in the 1960s the price of a Steerburger, with Pickled Cucumber, fried onions and salad was 45c ……….but at the Golden Spur,  the Burger would cost you 50c and the Yeoville crowd felt that was too expensive!)  Norman’s Grill (for Prawns!) in the Jeppe Hotel.    East Africa Pavilion (well known for it’s curries, where the waiters wore a red “fez”,  The 252 Tavern.   His  Majesty’s Cellars,   69 Grill.

 and Kosher -  Connoisseur Hotel,(Gloria Rootshtain) (long gone)

 And remember-   The Rosenkowitz 6   from Cape Town, first surviving Sextuplets in the World

 And when Arcadia (Jewish Orphanage and Home for Jewish children) was in Forestown

 DAENITE Pharmacy, Orange Grove.  Owned by  Chookie BRENNER .  and the okes that worked there, Mervin  Rappoport, Issy Peimer, Cecil Chweidan (O”h), Ivan Dorff, Solly Branstein, and a girl called Lola but I can’t remember her surname.   And     Dr. Chris Barnard, (Heart Transplants Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town)

 And the …… the motor racing at   Kyalami Race Track

 And the Motor Rallys?. Anyone remember  Lionel Gilinsky?    He raced something called “Production cars” in “Endurance Races” at Old Grand Central Circuit ( Halfway House, now called Midrand) in the late 60’s and 70’s  -   and later “Historic” Cars at Kyalami Race Track.  He was known to be amongst  South Africa’s Top 3 Racing and Motor rally drivers in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.   Not bad for a boy from Welkom!!

Attorneys. -   Moss Morris & Ettlinger, (Lennie Ettlinger,   Max Levenberg,   Selwyn Cohen,   Hilliard Gordon,  articled clerks then - Rodney Berman and John Gilbert,  Also a Selwyn someone articled clerk).     Routlege Douglas   Wilson   Auret  & Wimble,      Wides , Chain & Berman  (Cyril Wides, Inky (Ian) Chain and Rodney Berman),     Edward Nathan.      Israel, During & Kossuth

Tour Operators - Springbok (Atlas) Safaris,  (Julie Lapedus).

Accountants.   Sussman and Lange (Trevor Sussman and David Lange)  (cousin of Myron Lange, the Surgeon) later known as Sussman Goddard.

HILLBROW.  We always went to The  Curzon and  Clarendon for 7/6- , ( later 75c,)  and then a Bioscope called the International (owned by Herman and Maxwell Youngelson) was opened at the top of Pretoria Street and there it would cost you between 90c and R1.00, but the seats were so comfy and the whole bioscope was so plush, that the Yeovillites felt it was well worth the extra.  

Anyone remember The  French Hairdressing Saloon    (a Mrs. Sher was the manageress) and the  OK  Bazaars and Carnival Novelty.

ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA  ………………………….

I’m going for a goof this arvy.       ‘Scopes,   Flicks, Flik,     What’s the “Aggie”?     

Hy het  haar uitgeskop, verstaan jy my?

Check my new jammy!

 We going to Durbs with the car,  probably see lots of ‘Vaalies there, all the ou toppies,   tannies  and   ooms,  nie waar nie?

My ol’ lady!       My ol’ man.    

My broer !    My sussie.    My Ouma,    My Oupa

 Knobkerrie.   Sjambok

 It’s so hot, I’m vrekking off   here.

 D’is Baie Mooi

 He lives in the Gramadoelas….

 She lives in the Bundu…

 The Dingas

 I was with Ruth, Heather and them

 Drink your SUP !!     there’s a plate on the Zinc

 Let’s make a plan…..

 Cows give us MULK!

 My one aunt    My one leg,    My one arm,    My one finger   My one toe

 Broekies

 The word “THE.  ” I learned in school that before a consonant we say “THE” .   “THE” bed,  “THE” table,  “THE” book. And before a vowel the have to prounce the “the” as “THEE”…………….  “THEE”  Apple,   “THEE” elephant,  “THEE” egg.

 So why then, do we hear (only in South Africa) people saying   “THUH” apple,  “THUH” Elephant,  “THUH” egg.  Please hold for “THUH” Operator.   And why do some of us say  “the PHOTA” when it is clearly “PHOTO”.

FOLKSINGING Era .   Who remembers the  Nite beat, run by Abe (who ran the tuck shop at the Yeoville Swimming Pool), and the folk-singers Ian & Ritchie ( Ian Lawrence and Ritchie Morris),    Des and Dawn (Lindberg)(“And the Seagull’s name was Nelson”) (Dawn wore her hair in two pigtails then) Colin Shamley,   Dave Marks (“Mountains of Men”  and “Master Jack”) Cornelia, And  The Troubador,  The College Set - Andy Levy,  Hugh Solomon,  Norman Cohen)     Keith Blundell and the Baladeers,     Aubrey and Beryl Ellis.     Mervyn and Jocelyn Miller (from Potch).   Mel, Mel and Julian (Mel Miller, Mel Green, and Julian Laxton.

BIKERS and the Hell’s Angels, wearing black leather jackets, chains and the peace sign often around their necks,  roaring down Pretoria St and Kotze St on Harley Davidsons making a helluva racket, some of the more nervous  Biker girls precariously hanging  onto their boyfriend’s backs,  but “the in girls” didn’t hold on, they somehow balanced themselves by placing their hands nonchelantly behind the seat, looking around, throwing their hair back, with a  “don’t- sig–with- me” look, lazer- beam- eyes, -looking–out- through- thick- black- fringes, and a tattoo here and there.  

And nobody did “sig” with them, either.  

 The FLYING SAUCER is where they all met.   Pretoria Street, Hillbrow.

Hillbrow’s Eateries and Coffee Bars   Doney’s coffee bar for the best cappuccino in town (who remembers  Jeftah and George, the Duke)    Café Wien (later on), with the most comfortable seats,   it was like sitting in your own lounge,  Café Krantzler,    Dunk-a-donut, The  Milky Lane,  the Florian (where the bus turned to go down Twist street to Town).    Mi Vami,   Lucky  Luke  (Steak House in the 70s),  Fontana, open 24 hours a day, (famous for their chickens roasted on a spit,)  Pikin-a-chicken,   Porter House (Frulatto and the best Pink Sauce in town) not to mention the steaks (not that I ate them being one of the Kosher Kids, but I was sorely tempted, HA HA HA) and the German Beer Keller,  The Hamburger Hut,  Golden Egg,   Bella Napoli. Kiss-Kiss.

 The CHEZA in Jeppe Street.  Famous for Muesli.

 HAIR STYLES and fashion.  We dyed our hair black with Palette where you dropped a white tablet into some black gunky muck and we all had pitch black hair. The Blacker your hair, the more “sharp” you were.   We teased it and wore it in Wings, and the bigger the Wings were, the more “with it” you were.   And remember the stiff petticoats under your many Flared skirts,   and cat-eye glasses?  Helanca stove-pipes,  in all colours.  Studded Belts, Box Pleated skirts,  and ID Bracelets (with your boyfriend’s name engraved on the inside), Plaid pinafores came later on, and a ridiculous little narrow velvet bow on a clip or hairgrip which we found a space for in the teased bird’s nest, usually just to the back of the fringe. And also a thin chiffon scarf tied around the hair.  White high-heeled shoes  (I wouldn’t be seen dead in half the things we wore then)

My Mom always said that my hair was like a Bird’s Nest at the back, but then I didn’t have eyes at the back of my head,  (just as well).  Boys wore their hair sleeked back with Brylcream and Vitalis and all bought their t-shirts from the Skipper Bar. (Arnie, Mervyn, Earle and Barry Sacks) Black t-shirts with  thin white and red stripes around the neck.   And a corresponding white tee-shirt, with black and red stripes.  If you didn’t have one of those, you were not one of the “in” boys!!!!  

 And then girls started to iron their hair.   I remember my Mother used to plonk my head onto the ironing board, and put a brown paper bag on top of it, and iron away until I had sleek straight hair, but then the minute it rained, I looked at though someone has plugged me into an electric socket….  Durbs did the same to all those who had out-of-control hair -    Frizzed them out in 2 mns flat,  in fact as soon as you got to Van Reenen’s Pass into Natal, you knew you were there because your hair suddenly was on its own mission……..

and who Whirled their hair?????  Oy -  a bittereh gelechter….. We whirled it One way, then the other way, and you had dead straight hair (until you hit the 505 Club and the first thing you’d notice is that your fringe was just “not there” anymore) and the rest of your poor hair style was all moving in different directions.  If it was raining, and you opened your front door, bang went the straight hair.

Remember those little DOEKs we wore on our head when we went to Durbs.  I have a photo of myself wearing one.

COME ON GIRLS  - who used to sleep with curlers/rollers in their hair!! and who remembers using the inside of a TOILET ROLL as an emergency roller???????  And all this lot would be covered over by a hairnet.   Of course morning brought a splitter- of- a- headache from the curlers digging into your head.  Anyone remember?  Bet you do!!!  I DO!! There you are, the big ADMIT……….   What on EARTH did we look like?  I don’t even want to think about it …………………

I always say that if I have to come back in another life, I want to come back as ME but with dead straight hair. Second choice, I wouldn’t mind coming back as one of my spoilt-out-of-control  Dachshunds either (but the  straight haired type, not the wiry haired) (ha ha)

 GYM:    Bodybuilders, weight-lifters and wannabes came strutting out of Gyms such as  Sam Busa  and   Monte Osher  all fit and glistening, with huge shoulder muscles, and killer smiles  - carrying black gym bags.  And  Reg Park’s Gym,  ALSO somewhere in Hillbrow.

YOGA:    Mannie and Alan FINGER,   Nina OBEL

MODEL AGENCIES: .  Stella Grove and Gianna Pizanello

DANCING STUDIOS and DANCERS:    Natalie Stern      the late Mercedes Molina,    Jeffrey Neiman  (Enrique Segovia) & Rhoda Rifkin,    Bernice Hotz , Gitanella   (Spanish, Ballet,) Shirley Klitzner (O”h)  (later in the 70s Hilary Etkind - taught with Rhoda and Jeffrey)    (anyone who ever loved Spanish dancing, will remember Mercedes Molina/ Jeffrey Neiman as a brilliant dance duo)  (and will remember the very sad passing away of Shirley Klitzner (O”h) when she was barely into her twenties).

 PHOTOGRAPHERS.   Maurice,   Kurt Slesinger,    Karklin,  when it was fashionable to stand your wedding photo on an small easel on the floor.  Either carpet or parquet flooring.  Stella Nova .

RUGBY. Alan MENTER   Springbok Flyhalf, and   Sid NOMIS Springbok - Center, and later Wing),   Alan is married to Pam (ex Pretoria) and his Brothers are  Brian, Robert (Robbie) and Mandy (Malcolm (Z”l)) Menter. Their Mom Esmé (O”h)  grew up with mine, in Dublin.  Syd is married to Ann.

 CRICKET.    Dr. Ali BACHER  former South African cricket captain and one of the greastet cricketers in South Africa. Ali BACHER received South Africa’s Sports Merit Award, the country’s HIGHEST athletics honour. Ali is married to Shira (I am friendly with Shira’s sister Marsha KARKLIN,) and I remember their daughter Ann being a Tennis champion when she was just a little kid of 11 in the days of the “Jewish Guild”  Other well known South African Jewish cricketers came later on, Mandy YACHAD , and later Adam BACHER, nephew of Dr. Ali Bacher

TYPEWRITERS.    My first memory of a type writer was that old black thing with with a keyboard with round circular lettering and a typewriter ribbon.   My Mom used one in Dublin,  Then I remember the Olivetti and also a swiss typewriter,  but the ones where you would have to bash a silver thing on the upper  right to go to a new line.  I remember electric typewriters, and using a white powdery Tippex  thing for covering up mistakes, except that they never quite covered them up, particularly on the carbon copies. And remember the carbon copies.. HA HA,  and when I worked for lawyers, they didn’t allow those tippex rub-outs, so one little mistake and you had to start all over again. Remember STENCILS and Roneo-ing various blurb.   I can remember using a bright shocking pink liquid with the stencils, I think.  We wrote to “Messers. So and so”, and we’d end off with “ I remain, Yours Faithfully”

 WEDDINGS  and when the Bride/Kallah would change into her “going away outfit” and the blissful couple would leave the wedding to go off on their honeymoon.  When Bride’s kept their vails on the entire night. When there were only 4 pole-holders and the Bride’s  parents paid for the entire wedding, and the Groom/Chossen’s parents would pay for the booze, the photographer and the flowers.

 THE CIRCUS   Boswell-Wilkie. I hated the circus, terrified of the animals and sorry for them at the same time, a hypnotized crocodile once got out- of- control and strarted climbing out of the ring into the screaming audience. Clowns clowning around were never my scene, and when the trapeze artists or the tight-rope walkers did their act, my heart was always in my mouth, terrified they would fall or something.  One did once, I can never get that memory out of my mind.  

ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA ……………………………………

 I dopped my exams and my folks are having a cadenza -  *Snot ’n trana  all round ….. (*Yiddish Equivalent is Vainin ‘n Kloggin, well, that is the Yiddish we used in Ireland).  

Chips, here comes the Teacher.

I’ll have a dop of brandy.

Ops me a pencil.  

Baie Dankie…….. hoor!    Aseblieftog!

Plaasjapie.

Safe my mate !!!!   (and the hand movement – very important) -   forefinger/little finger pointed up while thumb was holding middle/ ring finger down) - done with a wag-type-movement, like fast- mode windscreen wipers.

We’re Chommies  

Cheers!  

There’s a Miggie in my room.  

Kyk  daai (Daardie) Goggoh (as in insect, not as in “GOGO” -  Zulu for Granny)

Boeremeisie.     Mevrou,     Mejuffrou/Juffrou,     Meneer

Kyk na daardie lelike ding………………

 Kombi

 Gooi

 Waneer u die syn hoor, is dit agtien uur, twee en vyftig minute en dertig sekondes…………..

 Around 1964 came the Beatles, (“8 days a week”, “Love Love me do” and later, “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s club Band” “Hey Jude”)  The Rolling Stones, (Angie)  the Mini Skirt era and  Mary Quant and the birth of the Discothèque .    Op Art earings in gaudy colours and the skirts continued to get shorter.  Girls wore double breasted Pin stripe suits which made a come back.  The Boutiques were born.  I remember the  BENATER family had a great boutique “Carnabies”, at the top of Rissik Street, or near there.  It was, I think, the first shop of it’s kind.  Very modern, trendy and for the young (20s and 30s).  And the Pink Panther was in Hillbrow - Also very trendy gear.

 Remember Twiggy?……….  She was on every Magazine cover, often holding her Teddy Bear, feet pidgeon-toed, with beautiful big brown eyes, and a body so thin, she could fit through a crack in the wall.   She started a trend, her, and “the Shrimp” -  (Jean Shrimpton),  and Mary Quant.

 AND   Op Art Earings     in strange shapes and gaudy colours, shorter skirts, and flattie shoes.  

 The First Disco was at the Summit Club, Marrakech,  (around 1966) with Go-Go dancers Dixie,  Felicity Fouché, and  Christine all dancing away in the micro-est of Mini-Skirts.   Johnny Martin (previously known as Martin Raff) was the owner, and I heard he also owned a club called 007.

Someone called Neville Peacock was the Marrakech DJ and there were psychdelic and ultra violet lights and if you stood under the latter, all your “klein-goed” shone like a beacon for all to see.  

And   the 505 also in Hillbrow.  Eddie Eckstein and Paul Ditchfield - The Bats played there on a Sunday ),  and the Diamonds  and  Gene Rockwell (Heart!”) as did the Basemen (Ronnie Cline on Keyboard, Ralph Simon – Singer, Rodney Caines – Bass Guitar, Leon Bilewitz – drummer and Irwin Kalis – Lead Guitar) and Clive Calder,  (Les Markowitz on drums) also played at “Club-a-go-go” and also they toured around the countryside and played at various venues.

Also Johnny Congos (“Sealed with a Kiss”),  Johnny and the G-Men,  and Johnny Sharp,   4 Jacks and a Jill.   The Staccatos.  Did I mention Manfred Mann? (“pretty Flamingo”)

 MORE CLUBS   - TJ’s  (town) and The Yellow Submarine (Hillbrow) (owned by Martin HART) and the Boat (Buccleuch) were in the latter part of the sixties  and the Downstairs later called The Purple Marmalade somewhere in Hillbrow.  Another Disco was owned by George McCauley, brother of  Ray, opposite Joubert Park (Club-A-Go-Go),  His Granny worked in the tuckshop and was always so nice to everyone.  The Band there was the “Falling Leaves” and George was in the Band.   The Electric Circus,  And  Raffles , a very fancy disco/restaurant but that was in the late 70s. Owned by Dave Kerney. (I think).  The Stable in Jan Smuts Avenue. The Out of Town Club

 And who remembers the other Bioscopes -  The   Colosseum with the twinkling lights,  Cliff Richard sang there once, and a few girls from Barnato Park were expelled for bunking school and going to his concerts.    His Majestys,   Monte Carlo (French Movies),  The  Empire,   20th Cen. Fox - Pritchard Street,  Cinerama (Claim and Noord)  In those days there was an interval after the News and the Cartoons, and Usherettes would be standing at each exit with a tray with all the Munchies and Chocolates, cold-drinks, etc. The  Apollo  in Doornfontein.  I’ve already mentioned the Yeoville Bioscopes earlier on. Who remembers the “Midnight Shows”   the Astra and the Victory in Orange Grove, The Rex in Greenside. The Plaza, the Bijou in town and some flea-bitten run down Café Bio which no decent self-respecting girl would touch with a barge-pole, but I can’t remember it.  A lot of the Yale College boys went there. But not the girls!!!!

People smoked in the bioscopes (“scopes”) then and when you looked up, you saw it all swirling around in smoke from the projector.  Nice and healthy!!   but nobody ever noticed it.  It was just a part of life in the sixties.

REMEMBER WHEN ……….  we went to Bioscope on a Saturday night, dressed up in your A-line dress, or a Box- Pleated skirt, or tiny hound’s-tooth straight skirt in black/white and your black patent high-heeled shoes, with a Black Patent leather bag to match, and your gloves (which you carried in your hand).  And later you wore your Dress with the shorter hemline, Mini-Skirts, and  your “A-line evening coat” (Jackie Kennedy), just on the knee,  and your flattie shoes, the hair teased up to the high heavens and lacquered so heavily that if it rained, you looked like glue. (Boys hated teased and lacquered hair)

And the boys wore jarmins and Elvis Presley hair-styles with thin ties made of nylon or similar in a machine-crochet style.    (Later when the Beatles came in, boys’ hairstyles changed forever, and no boy would be seen dead with Brylcream or Vitalis plastered on his head).  Boys would never  previously been seen in pastel colours, but the Beatles changed all those dark shirts for pink, mauve and lemon, with a pin collar near the tie. 

Boys would buy you a 75c box of Black Magic chocolate at Interval.  If you put it into your black patent leather handbag and never offered him one, then your name was mud, and girls judged boys by whether they opened the car door for you …. or not!

 AND SOME OF THE MOVIE STARS ….,   Natalie Wood,    Kathryn Hepburn,  Rock Hudson,   Doris Day,   Steve McQueen,   Sohia Loren,    Alain Delon (the heart-throb of the 60’s) (who remembers him in “Purple noon”) Gina Lollobridgida,   Raquel Welsh,    Bridgitte Bardot,   Ursula Andress,   Warren Beatty,  Jack Nicholson (One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest),   Shirley McLaine,     Julie Christie,    Michael Caine,  Elizabeth Taylor,   Richard Burton,    Paul Newman,    Sal Mineo,    Suzanne Pleshette,   Richard Burton,    Sean Connery,    Omar Sharif,    Charlton Heston,   Gregory Peck (to die for?) James Dean

 POPULAR MOVIES.   West side story,   King Kong,  Gone with the Wind,   Exodus,   Dr. No,   *From Russia with Love,   * (Remember in that movie, the Russian woman (was her name someone KREBBS?) who had a knife come out of her boot and it shot straight into poor Sean Connery’s shin bone. EINA!     Just thinking about it, hurts me)   Bridge on the River Kwai,    Dr. Zhivago,    Goldfinger,   (it had a great theme song in it  by I think Shirley Bassey) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,   Annie Get your Gun,    Dingaka.

 And the DRIVE INs     Old Pta Road -   Jhb Drive in,   The 5-Star (Eloff St.Ext),  The Velskoen  (If a girl was seen at the drive in with a boy, she got a “bad name” and the same for the Café Bio’s.  It was just not for a nice Jewish girl!!

 REMEMBER WHEN ….. there was NO Bioscope on Sunday nights

 THEATRES.  Alhambra (Doornfontein) ,   Brian Brooke (Braamfontein),     Market Theatre ( Newtown),     Alexander theater ,    Jacques Brel,     Apollo (Doornfontein).

 Remember the Adverts for all the Cigarettes,  Players,  Craven "A", Dunhill (remember the maroon Rolls Royce?)  Benson & Hedges (Gold) ,   Lexington (That’s the one!),   Gunston (remember him on a raft, all macho,manly, unshaven and rough and ready tumbling through impossible rivers?)   Horseshoe Tobacco,     Gold Dollar,    Texan, (which the boys would hold between their thumb and middle finger)   Lucky Strike,   Gauloise and Peter Stuyvesant (for the fun lovers, remember the wonderful places they went to and the great clothes they wore, swimming in glorious lagoons, skiing down snow-capped mountains, all the beautiful people,all  having wonderful fun?)  I never smoked,(well, I have to say that, in case my family read this article, ha ha) but after I watched the Peter Stuyvesant adverts, I really felt like buying a packet , so that I too, could go to all those magical places, and I’d look glamerous too,  HA HA   - (the power of advertising!) (A Bittereh Gelechter!!)

But it just looked so “in” to see people smoking, and girls would hold the cigarettes at the tips of their fingers, and waved their hands for effect as they spoke, shaking their fringes out of their eyes.   People who didn’t smoke, were “squares”.  

I remember Celeste GREENBLATT, taught me how to apply black pencil inside my eyelids, and ‘base” onto my face and to wear white lipstick and I taught Sandra STEIN (later Ezra) to dye her hair black, and the blacker the better, (her  Mother had a FIT)  - Golda (née Kaufman)  (O”h) whom I saw yearly in LA and she never failed to remind me ! 

FLORA and FAUNA in South Africa.  I remember once being enthralled by the most magnificent yellow creeper we had growing on the fence in Becker Street.  I took photos of it, and sent it to my friends in Dublin to show the exotic flora and fauna is this beautiful sunny South Africa, until Michael GOLDING next door, laughed his head off and said “but that’s only Canary Creeper, it’s not much better than a common garden weed”!!     African Violets,  Jasmin, Golden Shower,   Begonia Sherera,   Bougainvillea,    Pointsettia,   Birds of Paradise,  Cycads?. Maybe they do grow overseas too.

 PARTIES   in   Observatory,   Cyrildene and   Dewetshof.  We rock ‘n rolled to Elvis Presley’s   “Jail house rock” & “Don’t step on my blue suede shoes”, “Rock around the Clock”   in our flared skirts with stiff petticoats underneath, the more the better, and huge belts around our waists, and we wore flat shoes (75c at Maram’s chemist, and 95c for the leopard skin ones).   And later we twisted with Chubby Checker (Let’s Twist again, like we did last summer )   We also did a dance called the Shake – anyone remember the song “I’ll do the Shake, the hippy- hippy shake” and also a dance called the Madison.

 The Bez Valley Ou’s, on a Sat night Jol, and the Lebs  would sometimes gatecrash. Usually a Scuffle and the girl’s father would have to ask them to leave.  Sometimes, in stubborn cases the police would have to be called in to skop them all out.  And then the party continued on,    Little Richard,   Cliff Richard,   -   sometimes a few of the kids would have a bit of “dagga”, (a zol), on the stoep or in the back garden when they thought nobody was looking, and the only way anyone kopped on was because they would come back to the party with a manic laugh, and red eyes. (and of course the smell, but if you admitted to knowing the smell, then it meant you were a dagga smoker yourself!)    Trini Lopez. “If I had a hammer”

 SOCIALS at   Oxford Shul,  The Vrede Hall,    Yeoville Recreation Center,    Temple Shalom,   and Bands like “Dinkie and the Deans” - Jake (Gerald) Fox  (Z”l) (rhythm Guitar),  Barry Sacks (Lead Guitar),  Spencer Hodgson (Bass guitar)  and Errol Sack on the drums, would play, they also played at the Club 505 in “the Brow”.   Peter Lotus well known Jhb Disc Jockey,  I think he sang as well.  Lots of singers used to go to Margo’s on a Sunday Afternoon, and the crowd would all hot-foot it out there after them to hear music. I think it was Bapsfontein, or near there).    There was little else to do on a Sunday, so many places were closed.  Just remembered another band, Dave Levine and the Swinging Angels.   Les Gutfreund was one of the band and  made a name for himself as Les Goode. “Dickie Loader and the Blue Jeans”  Gene Rockwell – Heart.

NIGHT CLUBS and Bands.  Bennie Michaels,    Archie Silansky and his daughter Carole Sands     The Coconut Grove  at the Orange Grove Hotel,    Dan Hill (Ichilchik),     The Colony at the Hyde Park Hotel,    Sardi’s,    The  Mediteranean (I Cinque di Roma),  Diamond Horseshoe,   The Greek Taverna,     Ciro’s (Kruis Street)

 STORES.   John Orrs,     The Belfast,     Greatermans,     ABC Shoes, Dodo’s,   Barnes Shoes,   Ackermans,     Ansteys later Garlics,      Katz & Lourie,     Mr. Man,      Man about Town,    Stuttafords,      Woolworths,     Deans Mans’ shop,     Skipper Bar,       O.K Bazaars,     Cuthberts,     Markhams,      Millews,       K. Marks ( curtains),    Juta's,     Bothner & Polliack (records,   Henri Lidji Gallery,   Derbers Furs,     FDF (Fruit & Dried Fruits)   Vanité (Ladies clothes)     Bradlows,      Geen & Richards,     Shepherd & Barker (Furniture),    CAN,     Jaffs (Fabrics),   Mosenthals,    Dicks (Sweets) - Rissik Street, and later on  Morkels, your two year guarantee store!   Putzys.    McCullogh & Bothwell (School Uniforms).

 REMEMBER WHEN we would get all dressed up to go to town, to have tea at Ansteys sitting alongside Ladies in beautiful outfits, white gloves, smart, elegant, men in suits, with white shirts and ties

 MUSIC  Soul music was popular in the 60s,   Aretha Franklin,   Jimi Hendrix,    Carla Thomas,    Otis Redding (“sitting on the Dock of the Bay”),  Percy Sledge (“ Midnight Hour”, and Music from Brasil, Sérgio Mendes,  Herb Alpert and the Tijuana brass.

And of course, Johnny Mathis,  Charles Aznavour,  Simon and Garfunkel, José Feliciano

And ….  REMEMBER WHEN , our Mothers would ring a little bell at suppertime, and the “servant” (oi, how COULD we have??) would come in with the next course. And when your “boy” did the garden and the “girl” cooked.  

 SHULS   Lions Shul (Doornfontein),   Wolmarans street ( Rabbi Rabinowitz 50’s and 60’s, then Chief Rabbi Casper)    Yeoville Shul (Rabbi Lapin),   Adas Yeshuran (Yeoville) ,   The Bnei Akiva Shul (Raleigh Street),  Greenside Shul,    Emmerentia,     Fordsburg,   Sydenham Highlands North,  Mayfair (Rabbi Zagenov) , Kensington Shul (Rabbi Rabinowitz),   The Curve  (Observatory),   Berea Shul (Rabbi Bender and Rabbi Aloy),    Oxford Shul (Rabbi Bernhard),   Chassidic Shul (Rabbi Lipskar)     Cyrildene,    Temple Emanuel (? and  Rabbi Assabi),  Temple Israel (Rabbi Super), Temple Shalom,   Temple Beth-El (Rabbi Ben Isaacson)   Sandton Shul (BHH) Rabbi ZS Suchard (but that was in the 70’s) Yeo Street Shul.  Reverend Symanovitz from Yeoville Beth Din.  The Beth Din was in Raleigh Street then.

 CHAZONIM. Chazen Hass,   Chazen Bagley,   Chazen Dudu Fisher (1970s early 80’s),   Chazen Johnny Glück (Wolmarans) in the eighties (Choirmaster Prof. David Cohen). Chazen Hasdan, (Warmbaths) Chazen Badash, (Yeoville, Choirmaster *Malovany) Chazan Mandel (Berea Shul) – Gus Levy choirmaster.  (* a world reknowned Chazen - I did attend a concert of his here in Jhb a number of years ago), Chazen Berele Chagy

 Yeoville Shul Choir,   Lionel Levin,   Kenny and Colin Koransky  and their father, Natie Koransky, Martin Harris, Len Bobroff,  Stanley Feinstein,  Brian Feinstein,  Robert Lapedus, David Shapiro.   The Choirmaster was Mr. Himmelstein,  I think his son Lior, was in the Choir too.  Colin Opwald.   Benny Lipchick (Z”l)

 KIDS at the Yeoville Shul…. Percy Suntup,   Fivie (Phillip) and Hymie (Z”l) Symanowitz,   Olga Berelowitz,   Joan Morris,   Karen Feinstein,   Linda and Stanley Chitiz,   Wolfie and Marlene Teper,   me and my Boet,  Robert Lapedus, Gillian Erster and her brother Moishe Erster,   Naomi Shapiro,   Marilyn & Sheila Atkins,  David Shapiro,  Rhoda Shapiro,  Jenny Winnick,    Alan Kaye,   Philip Eliason,   Sheila Hahn and Irma Keifer   I remember David and Daniel Lapin, ( Rabbi Lapin’s sons) being at the Shul  .

 Beni Akiva and Habonim Camps.   Betar.  Hashomer Ha’tza-ir (spelling, whoops!!)

 AND REMEMBER WHEN the only children at a barmitzvah function were the Barmitzvah boy and his siblings, who were allowed to stay up for the night.  The entire Simcha was for adults and the only time you heard the Barmi boy, was when he made his speech.    Robert’s Barmitzvah was a Kiddush at home after Shul, and a “tea” that evening for a few friends of my Parents.  Many kids had that kind of Barmi.  Who knew then from Theme  Barmitzvahs.  

 AND …..When Children were children, and played snakes and ladders, and ludo, dominoes, monopoly, yo-yo’s, and they read out of the Local Libraries and they played Cowboys and Indians, ( just entertained themselves.  No Video games, computers, cell phones, I-pods, Electronic everything… and No TV then either.  

BANKS and Building Societies.  Barclays,   Volkskas Bank,   Allied Building Society,  SA Perm(inent)   The UBS (United Building Society)  SA Perm,    NBS (Natal Building Society)   Trust Bank  

 ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA ……………………………….

 J’’’’enesburg!

Ag Shame, man, were you home stokkies aleen??

Wikkel.   Sikkel.    I’ve got no tom, hey?

Koeksusters.      Konfyt.       Biltong.        Vet-koek.        Braaivleis.

Boerevors en Pap.        Poitjiekos.     Mielie.   Rooibos Tea.    

Grondboontjiebotter

Ouma se Rusks.       Fanny Farmers

“Hau”

The Tokoloshe is coming…      Dorp !   Pandotjie!  

 He rocked up in an old  Skedonk.

Question.     Hallo Meneer………. Hoe Gaan Dit met jou vandag?.     

Answer.       Ag , No…..  Fine ….Jaaaaa,……….   Kan nie Klaar Nie !

My Oom se Bakkie

My Gran did the “Charlston”, but that was back in Nineteen voetsak

Why are you still Gaan-ing on?   you  Poepal !!  

He is so Grotty….. A real Dweet …….A Drip.

It’s …Kwaai.   It’s …. Skarm.

 HOTELS : The Carlton (original Carlton) ,  Moulin Rouge,  The Chelsea Hotel (Hillbrow) (I think this is where the Jacques BREL theatre was)  Casa Mia,    Langham ,    Gresham,    the Jeppe Hotel (Norman’s Grill)     Victoria ( Plein Street near Station),  Criterion ,   Landrost hotel (Anabelles nightclub).    Tollman Towers – (next to Jeppe Street Post Office),    The President Hotel (Eloff Street),   Anlar Hotel (Hillbrow),   Courtleigh Hotel (Berea),   Jocelyn Residential Hotel (Claim Street Joubert Park),    the Quirinal,   Waldorf ,  and Balalaika which was then way out in the “country” - Sandown,  which is today, a hub of activity. The Skyline,   The Capri  and The Park Royal

 SQUAD CARS.   HOT RODS and the name Buddy Fuller comes into my head for some reason.

MOTORTOWN. Remember when all the motor dealerships were in Eloff Street, Ext.  Motortown.   And names like  Rillstone Motors (Agents for the Simca),   Lawson Motors, (Agents for Volvo),    Lucy’s Motors  (Katz) (Agents for Fiat),  Curries Motors,   Grosvenor Motors ( Agents for Ford),    Sydney Clow  (Agents for Peugeot),     and a dealeship in Anderson Street called T.A.K. Motors, (Agents for Lancia and Ferrari), Ronnie Bass,  (Sigma)

 And then Main Street became the used car center for Jhb.   Austin ,   Chevrolet,    Mercury,     Buick,    Dodge,     Morris Minor,     Mini Minor,     Hillman Minx,     Ford Fairlane,     Vauxhall Victor,     Ford Cortina,     (Ford) Zeyphyr,     Sunbeam.  Killarney Toyota.   Lionel Gilinsky (Pilot, Motor Rally Driver/Racer) Brenner Toyota in Braamfontein,        Chookie Brenner  

PETROL     Shell,    BP,   Mobil (Engen),   Sasol,    Trek,   Caltex,    Total,  

 REMEMBER WHEN Milk was delivered to the house????, in proper Milkbottles with red tinfoil caps, and the cream would be all at the top of the bottle? And Nel’s Rust Dairy in Victory Park.

 DOORNFONTEIN. – Apollo Cinema  near Crystals,  Crystals, Beit Street (who later moved to Yeoville)   Wachenheimers, Goldenbergs,  and  Nussbaums, all in Beit Street, and Dairy Alhambra (Zama Levine) - opposite the Alhambra Theatre in Beit Street. Zama Levine had the shop for about 40 years (according to his daughter Gloria Levine Ash).  Gloria’s mom was from the ICHILCHIK family (Dan Hill and Gloria’s Mom, Emma Ichilchik Levine (a cellist)  were siblings.  Dembo’s in Beit Street.   The famous sculptor Anton Von Wouw lived next door to the Alhambra and opposite Gloria Levine’s (Ash) Grandfather, Mr. Ichilchik in Doornfontein. American Café for ice-cream, Sour Kraut, Hot Dogs, Millers Antiques on Simert Road.  Campbells.  Cohen’s Café.   And Ellis Park.

Doornfontein Streets   Beit Street,   Siemert Road,   Siveright Avenue.  

And Segall’s Sausages (Alf Segall) (spelling?). Kerk Street, York House.

 ROADHOUSES.   Dolls House (Highlands North), Casablanca (Nugget Hilll) Dakota (Crown Mines), and Uncle Charlies.

Ice CREAM.  Papagallo.

 WITS RAG   Down Eloff Street, with the floats, remember?    and the Rag Queens and Princesses.   I remember one particular Jewish Rag Princess of 1971, and still a beautiful girl to this day - Blond hair, gorgeous and looks like she just stepped out of vogue magazine -   June Gervis  ( - two sons, Grant and Richard Reichlin, both  of whom were at school with my children, Angela and Gregory Brest)

 ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA ………………………………..

“She took me around”   Around where?

And what about   “See that ou??  -   he threw me with (wif) a stone”  

The Spanspek is Vrot!

Takkies.

Ag Dame! …………………..

Listen, Lady ………………

And how many South.Africans when they first arrived in America, England, Australia, Israel etc talked about taking their “costume” or “Cozzie” to the Beach.

She’s the   most prettiest   girl.

My ou’ man caught me smoking dagga, hey, and I got such a  SKRIK.

I bumped her on the corner of Cavendish and Becker Streets 

I didn’t scale anything

*Spek and Eiers   ( *Just because I know the name, doesn’t mean I’ve eaten it, see !)

Ek is a Ware Suid Afrikaaner.

Melktert!   Guavas,   Grenadilsh!!     Marmite,   Anchovette Paste,    Jungle Oats.

Comment - That bike is Kwaai, so lekker….   Answering comment  - MOH-SELFFFFFFF

YIDDISH/Jewish sayings -   In alle Schvartze Yohren,    He lives in  Alle Drerderin,    Meerskeit,  Fahrpackt,   Fahrkakte,    Fahrkrimpt,    Fahrbrempt,   Fahrshtunkender,  Farrible (Litvak word, in other countries they talk about a “Broigas”)   He’s a Shlemazzel,   He’s a Hundt,   He’s a Chaleria,  He’s a Peruvian,  He’s a Shlemiel, …  a Chazzer ….  a Mamzer,    She’s a plapper…. a Yenta,   Gei n Drerd,   Vos  Macht Tzu?,   Shreklich,  Chader (not the Chader where we learned Hebrew or Barmitzvahs) ,  Kitke,  Lax (lox in the USA)  I need that aggravation like a loch in kop?  I’m chalishing for some Petzah (In Dublin, we called it “Calves Foot Jelly”)  Alter Kakkers ,   Bobbe Meises,   Ebberbottled.  She’s such a kochelefel.

  Question  - How are you today Bobba ‘Chuma ???

Bobba’s answer -   Nu, does it do any good to complain???      

RADIO.   LM Radio  who remembers  the signature, “Aqui  Portugal Moçambique, fala-voz do Radio club em Lourenço Marques, transmitindo ondas curtas e médias

(This is (here is) Portugal, Moçambique, the voice of the Radio club in Lourenço Marques, transmitting in short and medium wave) with Evelyn Martin (Martins) .   David Davies and the LM Hit Parade and was it a little prayer ending off at midnight ?   With a sort of mournful depressing music to accompany it. Peter de Nobrega…  not sure which station..Bob Courtney  Eric Egen Springbok Radio , Paddy O’Byrne,  David Gresham (Gruesome Gresh) and Clark MacKay (Clackie MacKay) and Esmé Euverard (not sure if she was Springok Radio or what)  Charles Fortune (Cricket commentator)  Programmes like “Pets’ Parade”, and “the Creaking Door” –skriklig !!!!     David Gresham - Gruesome Gresh - (keep your feet on the ground ,and reach for the Stars)   Everyone remembers “JOHN BERKS” !!    - “Long John Berks” -   I always listened to the Talk shows and one show in particular has stayed in my mind. The Jhb Station Master, complete with an Afrikaans accent, (guess who) called a Yiddishe guy living somewhere in Killarney, to tell him that his consignment of chickens were on their way over.  You could hear what sounded like a few thousand chickens all clucking their heads off and the poor fellow was protesting, saying that it was the wrong number, it wasn’t him, some mistake and besides, he had a small balcony, and he didn’t have room for crates of chickens, but The “Station Master” kept on saying that he has nowhere for them either, the fellows’ name and address were on the crates and the chickens were going to be on their way, shortly..  What a “lag” that was.     Although this article is about the 60s, I can’t help but mention my fellow countryman, John Robbie, and John, if you ever get to read this   “Go mbeanna Dia Duit”   and enjoy Lá na Pádraig.

  AND  the Requests – I think It might have been Esmé Euverard who ran a programme, was it called “Forces Favourites”?   with Messages from girlfriends to their ou’s in the army,  with requests like this   “ Poppie, het jy ‘n boodskap”???   Poppy, are you there?  Speak up Poppie……., Poppie??      Crackle, crackle…..   Hallo,     crackle crackle ………..   Hallo, ja, D’is Poppie wat praat,  Ag, man, I’d like to send a message to my boyfriend at Voortrekker Hoogte??????       Daw-ling, I love you Verrry much???????? ,     ek het jou lief, my skat???      I hope you are orite and I cawnt wait til you are home again awready, Vasbyt  en Baie Liefde, van Poppie, hoor?       En  Frikkie says howwzit.   LOURENÇO MARQUES.   Polana Hotel,    Avenida 24 Julho (July),     o Zambi,    o Cisno Negro (Black Swan),   Xai Xai,    S. Martinho de Bilene (aka San Martino)  wonderful beaches,     prawns to die for (*just because I said that, doesn’t mean I ate them!!!)   “Cerveja” at sidewalk cafés,   Caldo Verde (soup),   wonderful buildings, Pregos.      

BUILDINGS such as    Palace Buildings,    Rand Club,     Old Arcade,   Markhams Technical College, Manners Mansions.     Broadcast House,  Essanby House,     Ponte  -  Harrow Road,     Rissik Street Post Office,     Union Grounds – Twist and Claim,Joubert Park.     The City Hall  -  Rissik Street. And in Jeppe Street the Medical buildings ... Jenner Chambers ,    Lister Buildings,    * Drs. Jacobson,  Broer  and Smith,   later  “and Barnard”, and later still, “and Kaplan”,     Pasteur Chambers ,     Medical Centre ,  Archie Jacobson,   Ivor Broer, Mervyn  Smith.    Michael Barnard  and Neville Kaplan (not all at the same time.)

 HOSPITALS:  the Lady Dudley,     Florence Nightingale,     Princess,   Marymount,      Franklin,     Queen Victoria,     Garden City Clinic     Parklane Clinic.     Fever Hospital,    Jhb Gen. (General Hospital)    The Childrens’ Hospital,     Baragwanath.   The Frangwyn –(Maternity )

 ARMY.   The Drill Hall in Joubert Park!   Voortrekker Hoogte (Pretoria) The first 3 months you were a rookie,  and after you got out 9 months down the drag, you went to Camps for about 3 weeks a few years later. Boys  went meshugah when their hair was cut so short.

And Polio –  two major epidemics in 1947 and 1954/55, when schools were closed, and public swimming pools too, children in iron lungs and leg braces.   Infantile Paralysis, they called it. (I wasn’t here then but I know about it)

Around the late fifties, a movie came out with Danny KAYE and Barbara Bel GEDDES (Miss Ellie in Dallas) , called the “FIVE PENNIES”. Story of Red Nichols, and his young daughter (played by both Susan Gordon and Tuesday Weld)  who contracted polio.   .

And “Interrupted Melody”  Another polio movie about the Opera singer, Eleanor PARKER.  Terrible epidemic, wiped out today, as far as I know .    And then they found an immunization against Polio.

WHO REMEMBERS …...   Gilooly’s farm,    Boksburg Lake,    Zoo Lake,    Florida Lake,    Wemmer Pan - Wembly stadium   Ice rink ,   The Wilds,   The Snake Park,    Melville swimming Pool,    Hillbrow Indoor Pool  (at the Summit Club), and the   Squash courts   there,   Brixton Swimming Pool,    Rand Show/Skou,   Milner Park,  Tower of Life.

THE ELLERINE brothers,   Sidney (O”h) and Eric

RESORTS.   Lover’s  Rock in the Magaliesberg,  Little Roseneath (Ndaba, Fourways).  Margo’s (where the bands all played on a Sunday afternoon. I think it was near Bapsfontein).  And lazy days sitting on top of the Wilds, admiring the Flora and Fauna and watching the world go by (not today!)  Linksfield Ridge.

ADVERTS..   Mac Phails -  Mac won’t phail you

NAMES CHANGES     Jan Smuts Airport – O.R Tambo ,   Halfway House -  Midrand,   Verwoerdburg – Centurion,.   Hendrik Verwoerd Drive -  Bram Fischer Drive,  Hans Strydom Drive  Malibongwe,  DF Malan -   Beyers Naudé,   Harrow Rd - Joe Slovo Drive - , Sandown Square  - Nelson Mandela Square.  Transvaal – Gauteng,    Eastern Transvaal – Mapumelanga.   Warmbaths - Bela Bela,   Pietersburg - Polakwane

 NEWSPAPERS/magazines   Rand Daily Mail.   Die  Vaderland,   Die Beeld,  The Star (still going strong) Sunday Express, Sunday Times AND  Back Page of the Sunday Times…  Scope Magazine

 I thought I’d end off with a little song …………………..  anyone want to sing along?  You all know Sarie Marais?  Here we go. Een,  twee,  drie……..

My Sarie Marais is so ver van my hart,

Maar’k hoop om haar weer te sien,

Sy het in die wyk die Mooirivier gewoon,

Nog voor die oorlog het begin.

O bring my t’rug na die ou Transvaal,

daar waar my Sarie woon

daar onder in die mielies by die groen doringboom

Daar woon my Sarie Marais.

 Lekker Bly Skatties, and Alles van die Beste.  

 Anne Lapedus  (Brest)

one of the  “SIXTIES  ROCKERS” … still  ROCKING ON  !!!!

Uitlander, no more

!!!!  

 © Anne Lapedus Brest,   (Ex Dublin, Ireland)  Sandton, South Africa.

Contact details.  

digitalphoto@icon.co.za  or  annebrest@icon.co.za  

082.452.7166 .

 DISCLAIMER.  This article has been written from my memories of S.Africa from 48 years ago, and if a Shul, or Hotel, or a Club is not mentioned, it doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist, it means, simply, that I don’t remember them.  I can’t add them in, either, because then the article would not be “My Memories” any more.    

more.    

[crystal-lasill]

Never Betray a Theif

(Starter for @glomgold for a Ducktails AU)

Crystal looked up at the building as she walked up. The building wasn’t what she’d been expecting. Why did a building need a hat? She wasn’t going to ask, of course, but... W H Y...

She’d never been to Duckburg before. Surprising in her line of work, but she’d never had a reason to. Any jobs she’d been offered were rather petty and she hadn’t found any reason to pick them up.

The city was beautiful, but she had a meeting to get to. She’d be a tourist later.

She walked into the building and up to the front counter. “My name is Crystal Lasill. I’m here to see Mr. Glombold.” The girl looked up at the black cat clad all in black. Such a fashion faux pas, black on black. “Right. Take the elevator over there.” She replied with a disgusted, distanced voice before returning to messing with her nails.

Crystal rolled her eyes and headed for the aforementioned elevator, not even a thanks to the receptionist.

She had no idea what to expect from her new client, but if that was any indication, she’d walk out long before a price was even mentioned.

As the elevator opened into the large office she walked out, looking around the room. Impressive. Her ears and tail twitched in curiosity and interest as she looked at every detail, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes landed on the man who’d requested her appearance. 

“Good morning, Mr. Glomgold. You’ve brought it to my attention you wanted to see me?” She gave the older gentleman a sickly sweet smile.