Off The Hook

 In Plein Street, which was then the main street of the business centre of Rustenburg, the casual observer would have noticed a small, insignificant-looking little shop.  In the window you could read "I. J. PRETORIUS - LICENSED TO SELL ARMS AND AMMUNITION", then the words "FISHING TACKLE" and below that, "BICYCLES".

It was, however, a shop which was rated rather highly in my estimation. This was the place where we used to buy airgun pellets and fishing hooks, etc. But more important, I had another special friend, whose father, Mr Ikey Pretorius, was the proprietor of the business. My special friend was his son, a white-headed little chap, known as Sos Pretorius.

As I recall the situation, Sos was in a class below me, but it was common practice to have, in the English Medium section of the school, more than one class in the same classroom.

Sos and I became firm friends and we had one overriding passion in life and that was fishing.

Quite close to Rustenburg, we had the "dorp spruit"  (the town creek), the experimental farm dam and the Hex River.  At all these places you stood a good chance of landing a few kurpers.  All you needed was a bicycle, a bit of tackle and a tin of worms.

I spent much time looking at fishing tackle and eyeing bicycles, i.e. to say from the outside. Sos was more favourably placed. He was outside looking in, and inside, looking out.

My brother Billy also had a bicycle, and, with Sos' bicycle, there was no stopping us. The two of them used to take turns in lifting me and with a tin or two of earthworms and Heath Robinson-like fishing rods, we would sally forth.

Fishermen spend much time debating the question as to when fish come on to bite.  The answer was simple: all you had to do was watch Sos, and when he was away from school - sick - you knew the game was on.

There was a sequel to this: Sos was caught by the "lammervanger" (eagle - literally 'lamb catcher') : The Probation Officer. True enough, Sos did have his schoolbag with him, but unfortunately, instead of a set of books, he had three sizeable kurpers. The Probation Officer was persuaded to release him with a warning and Sos was "off the hook".

I often wonder where Sos Pretorius is today and whether he still spends his spare time, and other time, catching kurpers.