Thy Will, Not Mine

Chapter {48} Antonio

"Where are the elephants?" Giovanni and his crazy self asked as we set foot on the land of South Africa, the Southernmost tip of Africa.

I must admit, it was way hotter than back home. But I wasn't a bad thing really, just unusual. I drapped my jacket on my shoulder and walked through the airport, my eyes opened in awe, there were so many different ethnic groups, I had never seen so many different races in one place and in harmony with one another.

It was truly beautiful, people were loving without prejudice and bias against each other, just as the Lord had created us to live. It was beautiful.

"Good evening gentlemen, welcome to South Africa. I hope your journey here was not tedious."

Was he making a conversation with us?

"Oh, sir your country is very far. But it was well worth the distance because I already love the very warm weather."

Giovanni interjected just as I was about to respond.

"Oh, we get that a lot," he looked through some of our travel documents. "Thank you for your patience.  Your papers are all in order. Have a wonderful stay in South Africa," he said before beckoning us forward as more tourists and visitors moved up the line.

The modernity of the airport still left me amazed, I was not expecting it right at the Southern tip of Africa, but I guess the media only allowed us to see the impoverished side of Africa and not the beautiful side so we we were in the dark about the beauty that lay outside of our country or Europe as a whole.

We got out of the airport and into the scalding hot sun, it was way too hot but we quickly managed to find a cab and find our way to the hotel we had booked for the duration of our stay.

****

"So those were lies and they don't use elephants as a mode of transport in Africa?" once again Giovanni decided to embarrass me in front of the driver who gave us a once-over glance over his rearview mirror with a subtle but noticeable shake of his head.

I left the question unanswered, I mean what did he expect to say to such a bold yet stupid question?

"Oh, no!" the driver exclaimed, banging his hand against the steering wheel before asking to be excused and leaving the car while opening his bonnet in utter frustration as he ran his hand down his face, making a call.

2 minutes and 3 seconds later, he returned with a regretful smile on his face and I knew what he was going say even before he said it, "I'm sorry but the car just broke down and we might have to wait for an hour before my insurance company can get here with a tow truck. I know that this is a mighty inconvenience and you are exhausted after a draining plane ride so I recommend that you use a taxi."

A taxi? The small passenger car that was similar to the one he had fetched us with?

"It's no problem, sir, we understand. We will get this taxi you speak of," I responded without any form of anger, over the past few years, I had learnt how to manage anger and stress through classes and I could gladly say that I was mastering it.

"What do you mean it's okay?" Giovanni just had to interject. "We got this taxi to take us directly to the hotel but now there are delays and we are meant to find another taxi?"

"Sir, I will not charge you for this fare, and once again, I apologise for the inconvenience and delay that this has caused," the man sincerely apologised.

He gathered our bags from the boot, before closing it and getting inside the car speaking in a foreign language on his phone as Giovanni aggressively folded his arms on his chest. Sometimes I wondered if he was a man or a baby.