“Drolletjies”- Afrikaans for “Little Turds” but not in a smelly, disgusting way. Well – not always! Drolletjies are sometimes like chocolate raisins: sweet, delectable and wickedly decadent and other times like little nuggets: just big enough perchance, to make an impression.     MOUILLE POINT, CAPE TOWN COURTESY OF MY FRIEND ANDREW MCINTOCH AKA LORD SNOWDON. THIS IS A STONE’S THROW FROM WHERE, IN 1950, MY PARENTS MET THEIR FRIENDS WHO INSPIRED THE STORY AND CHARACTERS OF “WAR SERENADE.”

WANTED TO SHARE MY COOL EXPERIENCE WITH ALL OF YOU… I POPPED INTO A LOCAL CORNER STORE TO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET – HEY, A GIRL’S GOTTA SECURE HER OLD AGE PENSION SOMEHOW IF SHE CAN’T MAKE THE NEW YORK BEST SELLERS LIST – WHEN THE MAN IN FRONT OF ME EXPLODED WITH JOY! HE SAID, “2 DAYS AGO I WON $50,000 ON A $3 SCRATCH AND WIN”. I SWEAR THE JOY WAS COMING OUT OF HIS EVERY PORE. I SAID, “WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR MONEY?” THIS MAN, CHARLES, SAID, “I AM GOING TO PAY MY RENT A YEAR IN ADVANCE… BUY FOUR NEW TIRES FOR MY TRUCK……