Two Bits

Thirty years is a long time to work with anyone, and when it’s a husband and wife team, most people’s advice is that landmine recovery work would be less dangerous.
When Rose and I came down to Ballito in 1985 to start The North Coast Courier, I had come from a background in newspaper journalism, but Rose had been a computer programmer and personnel agency recruiter. In a nutshell, neither of us knew diddly squat about running a business.
But that didn’t deter us. Anything was better than slaving away in Jo’burg for mindless corporations, so we set about learning the hard way. We agreed at the start to be partners. Well, to tell the truth, Rose declared firmly that she was not working for me, but with me! So I handled the journalism, distribution and production – anything to do with machinery – and she handled advertising and administration.
Of course it crossed over at times and we discussed each other’s areas, and took our work home where we discussed it louder – and louder, until the neighbours called the police! No, it wasn’t that bad. It rarely went further than out-patients casualty ward.
When I was loud and argumentative, Rose calmed things down. When I shouted and swore, Rose poured oil on troubled waters. When I had brilliant ideas involving spending money, Rose applied the handbrake and kept us solvent. When I was nice . . . no, that never happened! Vinegar and olive oil, that’s us.
Except the handbrake failed on the comic books. In a moment of madness, we agreed to publish a book, The Banana Boys, of cartoon strips that had been drawn for the paper by a mad Englishman named Koop. Well, we had 5 000 copies printed, thinking they would make our fortune. I think we sold three copies and the rest went into some expensive landfill. That’s the price of an education.
Last week the Courier staff threw a farewell party for Rose, who has decided to officially retire and devote her time to church, golf and grandchild, though not necessarily in that order. She will still keep a hand on the tiller for the Orphan Fund, though. You might think from all I’ve said that Rose is perfect. Far from it! She can’t sing and she can’t bake cakes, so it was lucky we didn’t go into the singing bakery business (my daughter objected here, saying Rose made a delicious first birthday cake for my grandson. Put in my place once again).
But as the Courier it was a very successful partnership. Shared passions and a shared goal, but loosely demarcated areas of operation made for a productive workplace. Rose’s place as general manager has been very ably filled by Pieter Naudé, who brings the energy and vision needed in a steadily-growing business in the boom town that is today’s Ballito.
Thank you to everyone who has shown their support for Rose through her recent illness. It is you caring people who make this community so special and why we have so enjoyed every minute of our time here.
I am sure you will join all at the Courier in wishing Rose a well-earned retirement, more time to herself and her grandchild(ren). From me, I couldn’t have had a better partner.
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This little poem is in keeping with my philosophy about newspapers: they’re like omelettes – can’t make them without breaking eggs!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the kings’ horses,
And all the kings’ men.
Had scrambled eggs,
For breakfast again.