Xmas day 1965! I well remember cavorting in snow for the first time, with the mother of my unknown 3 kids to be. That was the day I met Keith and Ruth in Toronto. Little did I know that our paths would intertwine for the next 50 years. I, a lonely Saffer MBA student at Ohio State in Columbus, had been invited for Xmas to join Rhona, Ross and Tish, the oldest woman in my life having met her in 1946. Ross and Tish, newly married, met Keith and Ruth living on the same floor of their Toronto tower block, and they naturally introduced me.
My relationship with Rhona blossomed resulting in numerous Toronto visits when I always saw the Mattisons. On Oct. 1966 Rhona and I married at the Bloor St. Cathedral. Keith played the music; Ross had a dual role, giving the bride away, and best-man; and Tish told everybody what to do. The bride was blessed by the prime minister of Canada, Lester Pearson, when a lift door swung open to reveal the beautiful bride in full regalia.
After dinner the night before the wedding Keith and I decided to play chess at about 10pm. Keith produced a bottle of Spanish cognac (in those days there was no Castle in Canada). The chess was even; neither the Canuck nor the Saffer would give up, each to the other, and the cognac ran out at 6am. I then showered, no sleep, and proceeded to the 10am marriage appointment before driving back to Detroit at a time before it became an urban disaster. Keith and Ruth visited us in Dayton, Ohio, date unknown.
In May 1968 we relocated to Zürich to ensure there was no Vietnam call-up for me if we decided to stay in the USA, as invited by NCR. In Sept 1968 we coincided a trip to Andalucía to meet with Keith and Ruth who were passing through Spain on their way down Africa, to Johannesburg. We had lots of laughs, with Keith and Rhona seriously arguing who was the better golfer each having scored about 17 on the first hole at Golf Hotel Guadalmina. On Gibraltar a Barbary ape stole Keith’s glasses off his face. Blind as a bat he climbed over the fencing reaching for the ape who calmly dropped the glasses into the void below. At that stage we had a 2 door 1967 Chevy Camaro. How we all bundled into that car with some Spanish furniture we had bought for the trip back up the coast, via Granada to Barcelona, I still don’t know. Somebody else must report on the hilarious story of Keith’s new best Egyptian friend in Cairo.
Keith and Ruth established themselves in Johannesburg where they met my brothers, and played bridge with my parents. In 1970 Rhona and I ended up in Cape Town, Keith and Ruth relocated shortly afterwards and our relationship resumed. We played bridge together. My bridge days with Rhona soon ended when Rhona, declarer, 5 tricks to go and 5 trumps in hand sat doing nothing, explaining “ it is a tight hand”. Impatiently I responded “as tight as a 60 year old whore”, cards flew, and Keith and Ruth went home. It is reputed that on a similar bridge occasion Ruth was tapped on the head with an Encyclopaedia Britannica by Keith.
With the advent of 3 kids each, and different sporting interests, Keith with music and sailing, me with squash and golf, we drifted apart. Our only common sport was drinking Carsehole so we often saw each other at say Forries, or the Boer and Brit, plus of course WPCC on an annual basis.
Little did we know how our lives would further intertwine as our kids grew into adults….and how!
For the record we each have 3 kids: Kevin (and Sandi), Sam (and Mike), Nicki (and Rob); mine being Neil (and Ananda), Bruce (and Mandy), Helen (and Chris).
Kevin and Sandy. I was at Dale College with Mickey Yeats, Sandy’s dad. Ananda was and is best friends with Sandy. The girls drew their boys into their orbit and are now good friends. Madman Kevin is obviously better or luckier at off-piste skiing than Michael Schumacher. My twin grandsons survived pre-mature birth (1.0kg and 1.1kg) and their first ascent of Table Mountain with Madman Kevin and Neil up Window Ravine with a sheer drop over Camps Bay, to Ananda’s eternal horror.
Sam and Mike. Bruce brought Mike home in his first year at UCT, 1991. He was always one of my favourites, but I never knew who led who astray, Bruce or Mike. In 2003 I phoned Mike in Christchurch from Melbourne to discover he was returning to South Africa. This led to pre-nuptial drinks on Llandudno beach on a beautiful evening, followed by the memorable wedding at Ohio Farm in Noordhoek. Bruce and Mike remain best friends, with Mandy and Mike working together with Neil at Intercare Day Hospital in Parklands. Sam provides me with Wonki Wines.
Nicki and Rob, were the last to come into our orbit. In the last 3 years we have become part of a gourmet bridge group playing regularly at each other’s homes. Rob’s parents James and Carolyn are one of the couples who were also very kind to us when we were kitchenless prior to our Knysna move last year. The boys provide the wine and travel stories, and the girls provide wonderful starters, salads, mains, desserts.
Helen and Chris picked each other up in the streets of Hong Kong. Through their wedding 10 years ago I became involved in the sailing crew of Carousel at RCYC, and gave up golf. Keith’s boat, FTI Flyer, competes at similar handicap with Carousel on the Wednesday evening competitions. Once again Keith and I have been thrown together. After on-board drinks on Carousel I always walk through the RCYC bar to see whether I can sponge a drink off Keith.
Abiding memories of the last two great musical events we enjoyed with him, the concert for his 70th, and GUYS AND DOLLS last year will live on.
Finally I wish to pay a special tribute to Ruth and Keith as individuals. They came to South Africa in their late 20’s and each has become professionally well recognised and respected in their business, cultural, and sporting activities. They have made a huge contribution to this country, and will continue to do so through the kids and grandkids the have planted here.
We wish you Godspeed and love.
Bernard and Claudia
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