DUNGEONS

DUNGEONS

I suppose I should start at the beginning, but that would take me back to utero. So I'll pick it up years later.
Fawzia Collier, one step closer to a friend across an ocean.

Apartheid: Apart from us
This was my first trip to South Africa; I was wide open with prospects of adventure, I had an opportunity to conquer new fears. I waited, dressed in my thick black wetsuit waiting for my cue to ‘go out’ on my Waverunner as the surfing contest water safety director. It was the millennium year 2000; I was entrenched amidst the South African winter, waiting for the waves to strengthen with the changing tide. I was hired to work a surfing contest for the Big Wave Africa at Dungeons the big wave surfing location that Red Bull had claimed as a trademark for marketing their popular drink. A petite woman in a long colorful skirt with hair wrapping her body like a garment approached me through the excited crowd. A new friendship was waiting for me; it would lay vested in this sensual small woman, appropriately named Fawzia which means ‘flower’. I looked at her curiously, intent eyes locked onto me, I stood mesmerized. I knew I was her target.

Strolling behind her was a very proper and elegant man regally smoking a wonderful smelling pipe! It was obvious they were people of presence; I felt royalty approaching, since everyone stepped aside and said nothing to these people. She walked right up to me and her drawn out voice, she slinked “So you are the H E L L W O M A N? You will keep an eye on my boy. Mind you, I will be watching you onboard the Nauticat.” The man just grinned and puffed on the pipe wrapped comfortably in his tweed coat, warm scarf and felt cap. She turned and disappeared in a swirl of scarves and skirts and trailing auburn hair into the cold air. This is the beginning of our unraveling story of friendship.

I'll have to explore the possible next time round.