Just Saying – 8 January 2016

While I was lying under my colourful umbrella on Umdloti beach on the third day of 2016, I dozed off into a lovely new year’s dream.

I dreamt a massive charcoal cloud covered the KZN skies and it rained. No, it poured.

Not just cats and dogs. More like rhinos and elephants. I was surrounded by water, lots of water. The golf ball sized rain drops exploded on the passed out beach-goers, shocking them into a conscious state.

Those who managed to run, did. The rest were washed away along with the broken glass and litter left on the beach.

In my dream, Hazelmere Dam was full. In fact, the dam magically expanded, to accommodate all the water.

I dreamt Sembcorp Siza Water announced that there are no more water restrictions. Umdloti and Darnall taps poured out crisp, clean, clear water. The sludgy, green, half empty North Coast pools were full of sparkling, blue water. Water just flowed out of every corner.

I dreamt municipal spokespeople were more responsive. They replied to emails and answered questions in a flash, hours before deadline.

In my dream, traffic lights sprouted out of the ground like sunflowers at Tiffany’s. Old Fort Road’s craters disappeared, making it possible to actually drive on the left side of the road on the way to the Litchi Orchard.

I dreamt there were no accidents caused by overloaded vehicles, drunk or reckless drivers. People did not drown anymore, the seas were calm and sharks became vegetarians. Sugar cane grew taller and sweeter than ever before.

I was sinking deeper and deeper into the dream, until it was abruptly ended by a slobbery, warm tongue on my cheek. A friendly Jack Russell stood next to me, wagging his tail, hoping for a good scratch. I watched him run to the next slobber victim, thinking about the wonderful world I just imagined.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this dream came true?