Way back before the army, in my University days, you had to send in your annual exam results to the SADF to prove that you have passed. If not, well, it’s in the back of the Samil with you….
As luck would have it, my exam results weren’t published in time, so in the middle of my December holidays I was sent to Bloemfontein by train (with the exam results firmly in a big envelope) to report to 1 SAI.
Off the train, lots of army personnel with R1 rifles waiting to herd us onto the trucks. Jeez, they think we’ll run away or something? Then, off the trucks, and on to the parade ground. We must’ve been the last train to arrive, as there must’ve been about 8,000 kids sitting there, waiting to be processed.
And then I learn't something new. I came from what I thought was an average school. Everyone (except one guy that I knew of) finished matric, and then everyone went off to university or technicon. Some guys went to the army first, with the idea of studying later. Well, that’s what I thought.
The Sgt Major in the front screamed (even though he was using a PA system) “Al julle fokkers wat matriek het, staan op!” And all of us fuckers who had finished high school stood up. And we were 12. Out of more than 8,000…
They sent me home again after 4 days. And a month later I received my pay cheque from the SADF. Sixteen rand. I bought some beers at the Pig & Whistle in PE with that.
No comments:
Post a Comment