RaDical MiDDle - ColdType

Radical Middle | 173
set up a delicatessen in Beit Street, which was rue rivoli and
Heerengracht and Park avenue rolled into one.
By 1988, Doornfontein was the back side of town. The
common term would be arse end, but I’m being polite. Beit
Street was brothels; rooms by the hour. To the gentry and the
high society, Doornfontein was as far as Timbuktu. and here
had I recently been introduced, by one Patrick McLaughlin, Pr
guy and fellow sufferer from infatuation with thirsty impractical
ancient Jaguars, unto Wachenheimer’s delicatessen.
This was startling. I thought I knew my city as well as anyone
short of a taxi driver. I’d never heard of this jewel, which had
been here for twice my lifetime. Well, now I had. Where better
to take the most dashing of corporate chairmen? He knew the
smart places, all right, doubtless too well. He’d get quite some
frisson, roughing it in Beit Street. I sent a map with the venue,
imagining him and a sharp executive secretary going wideeyed.
On the morning I wondered: did Wachenheimers do wine? I
rang and the voice on the phone was unhesitant: no, wine was
not served. No problem; I went out to purchase a chilled Grand
cru with an ice wrapper. Mr Organiser, hey? a fleeting thought
flitted: they wouldn’t be anti-liquor, would they; religious or
something? Indeed, there’d been Hebrew stuff all around, the
day with Patrick. But no, we’d had beer. I recalled it clearly.
I’m first and I bring in my Grand cru. a young Wachenheimer
politely says very sorry but no wine here please. I say, but, but,
but, we drank beer...
Wachenheimer Jr is explaining why beer can be kosher but
wine cannot when Tony arrives and the place erupts.
I’d forgotten that Tony is Jewish. Why did I do that? for a
terrific reason; I’d stopped noticing. Once, everyone who failed
to be born anglo-Saxon was a Something; a Jew, a coloured, a
afrikaner... By 1988, here was proof, I didn’t notice Jews. One day
I won’t notice anybodies.
Not only was Tony Jewish but his dad, Joe, the legendary
founder of Premier Milling, had been at school with half the