If I could teleport myself ...

[henniek]

I am sure it was 1981 , but not earlier than December 1980

[Simon Mason]

1st avenue trees bring back a  "sore" memory. (although not for me).
Some young enterprising soul decided that he/she/them were going to make a swing from the trees.
This was not an ordinary swing though.
Said swing was a sturdy piece of rope with a bar knotted to the end so you could sit on it and attached to the very top of a very high tree. It was too high to just climb on so there was a bit of string tied to the bar, so you could grag it with you as you climbed another smaller tree to get on. Anyway you get the idea.
One Saturday afternoon in 73/74, (cant really remember year). Theirs Gary Willson, Warren Summers, Gary Vickers and yours truly "playing" on this "fun" swing. The idea was to see who could swing the highest.
Finally after much squabbling it was Gary Vickers to go next, Him being the youngest and last to have a go. I think he wanted to show that he was "fearless". Of he went swinging to a new record, and showing of by holding on with one hand, yelling "im going the highest, only to have his one hand holding the rope slip off.
Anyway, he was absolutely correct. He certainly did go the highest. Into the hospital with him with what I can remember, A severe concusion.
Poor bugger. 

[Simon Mason]

Gary Willson, Warren Summers and myself were building a tree house in Leticia Buchanons back garden. Why her garden? I really have no clue! Perhaps we just spotted a great tree!
We "found" about 10 really good planks of wood. I seem to remember them being about 200mm wide x 20mm thick and about 2.5 to 3 metres long. So not small planks by any means.
Between us we stacked 3 or 4 on top of each other suspended between two "sturdy" looking branches about 2/3 metres up. At that point we discovered that this particular tree had some nice size rock hard berries growing on it. So boys being boys, all thoughts of finishing our tree house were forgotten and the throwing of rock hard berries became the thing of the moment. The boy who was in the tree had the advantage of having an endless supply of berries whilst the others had to do with using "spent ammo" picked of the garden floor. As being in the tree was the best spot we decided to take it in turns as to who had the tree. My turn duly came along and up the tree I went. By this time all the good ammo had been picked by my two "best friends"? (I say best and friends because when we were not trying to kill each other with berries, we were actually best friends).
By this time all the good ammo has been picked, so I spotted a great bunch hanging just out of arms reach. Standing on the planks to gain a bit of extra height, arm stretched out as far as possible but still an inch or two away from the berries. What should I hear??? Crack! One of the "sturdy" branches had broken. Down falls yours truly. "Smack", onto the ground, and to add insult to humour the bloody planks fell on top of me. So there I am laying on the ground moaning and groaning (I must have winded myself because I could not take a breath, thus not being able to speak). Gary must have guessed that I was winded so he dutifully grabbed my ankles and started to "pump" air into me by walking backwards and forwards. (which, when thinking back must have been a funny sight to watch). Then, (Bless them both) they grabbed an arm each to help me up only for me to holler out in pain. My arm! My arm!                 
Another trip to the hospital and x rays. I had broken my right arm about 2 or 3 inches below the shoulder. The Doc said that as it was too close to my shoulder he could not put any plaster on it.
I was gutted. Nothing to proudly show of my war wounds. All I got was a bloody sling to rest my arm with. The result was that nobody at school believed that my arm was broken and kept on prodding me on the busted arm. Remember that those were the years when the Afrikaans and the English had the wars against each other at every break. They had some fun with my arm I can tell you. Eventually I had to take my x rays into school to prove to my mates that it was true.
AAAHHHH! School years were fun.

[Simon Mason]

We used to live at no 1/11 avenue when we first moved to OM. Having been there a few years, one Saturday afternoon I was just down the road kicking a ball around in the park. (I had been banned from going to the Saturday "bioscope" for throwing chewing gum which landed in some poor young girls lovely long hair). There was a park only a stones throw away in the opposite direction of the school.
Whilst playing around the three sirens went off (I think it was three for a fire?). I remember thinking that some silly bugger has overdone it with a braai again! Carried on kicking the ball around when I recall hearing a lot of commotion. So decided to go home only to find that the fire was at my house. It seemed like the whole of Oranjemund was standing outside our back gate having a good old gossip. I remember having to walk through this crowd (was about 15 people but seemed like a lot more) and them all staring at me as if to say "What have you done this time, Rooinek".
Turns out my mom had put the chip pan on the stove then promptly forgot about it causing a lovely fire in our kitchen.  I personally think my mom wanted the house repainting before it was due. Any way she got her wish as the whole house was painted within a few short days. Plus a new kitchen.
Dammit, our parents are shrewd buggers are they not.