Madiba 90

We are all the time told that the ”world is shrinking” and when you are living in a remote little place like Svångemåla this is more obvious than in most other places. Two, maybe three cars pass my house every day but I am still in touch with the furthest corner of the world all the time through the internet and a satellite dish on my roof. The only difference to living in a big city is that I am the one who decide when I would like to be “in touch” and when not.

Today I read BBC World on the internet and saw that some had been asked about “when I met Mandela”. BBC did not ask me but since it is one of my best memories I will give you this “exclusive” story.

Mandela, or Madiba as he is more commonly called in southern Africa, was for a year chairperson for an organisation I worked for and came to visit our office to get a bit more informed about the progress we were making and the problem we had. It was a really big thing and we were all very excited. Smart looking your men with dark sunglasses and funny hearing aids came the day before “the day” to make sure that no bombs or other “problems” were hidden in our small HQ. A plan was made about how to receive the great man and for unknown reasons I was chosen to stay on the stairs outside the entrance to greet him. A secretary with flowers and a few other colleagues were also there and we agreed to stay there until our boss had properly greeted Madiba. The big limousine came and my colleagues could not contain themselves and rushed down the stairs to greet him. I was now alone and it was a bit awkward when the big man came up the stairs, extended his hand to the only person standing at the door, me, and I stuttered a welcome.

Later, we were all asked to explain to him what we were actually doing and why. His normally very jovial mode had changed and he was more like a stern grandfather who would not tolerate any vague explanations or arguments and I was not the only one who was a bit nervous. I tried my best and got a nod of approval as well as a comment that “this is a bit of news to me” and “I appreciate what you are doing”. Better endorsement than that is, to me, not possible and supported me for the rest of my time at that organisation and is still, sitting here in Svångemåla, a great memory that nothing and no one can take away from me.