SPIES?

1 November 2004 / 17 Ramadan 1425

I'm concerned. It seems there are spies on the ‘net and it is not the safe place that I thought it was.

Yesterday, my sons and I were deciding what to cook for iftaar. They had some great desire for kurie kitchrie (that's an Indian rice thingie with yoghurtie stuff gooi-ed on top). I was lazy, however. So I told them that I thought it was a good idea but that they must maar cook it themselves. At murmurs of dissatisfaction, I suggested that I would help and guide - you know, the kind of thing a father should be doing.

But they still refused. THEN, they sommer dropped the bombshell which froze me in my tracks. And which gave me the first indication that I had been compromised.

'Why did you put it on the internet that we cooked??' they demanded viciously.

'How can you tell everyone about our sugar beans?' they asked accusingly.

I backed towards one corner of my room, afraid of what might happen if I gave the wrong answer. So I didn't answer. I don't deal with interrogation very well. (Ask their mother who dealt with interrogation by South Africa's Security Branch excellently.) And was afraid that they might bliksem me.

Fortunately, they were feeling merciful - must have been the fasting (and the threat of starvation). And so they ended it quickly with a: 'We are not cooking because you will just put it on the internet again!'

Buuuttt.... they are my kids and I suspect that they secretly love me. So they did end up cooking kurie kitchrie (which was absolutely lovely) with some guidance from me.

And if there was a lesson I learnt from yesterday, it is that after that sugar beans story, I am never going to tell you people about my sons ever again! Sellouts! Impimpi!