During the period in which I lived in Retief Street, I saw frequent changes of inhabitants in the corner house, which was situated on the left of my garden on the corner of Retief Street and Long Market Street. I don’t know why so many changes took place, but I suppose that one of the reasons was that the house was old and damp. The changes were so frequent that it was difficult to keep up with the constantly different faces of the neighbors. Nevertheless a particular change took place in March of the second year in which we lived there and it was impossible not to notice the newcomers.
The family brought with them a very big cage containing ten monkeys which were always very noisy. They also chattered continuously with very high voices.
It was unusual to see monkeys in Retief Street and they were a big attraction for us. At first the owners left the big cage in the middle of the garden so we all stood on our toes looking over my dividing fence admiring the curious creatures.
Maybe because the monkeys were too noisy at sunrise the owners decided to put the cage next to our fence so that the animals were far away from their bedroom. This change allowed us to admire the monkeys and their acrobatic stunts very closely, although we had to put up with the noise they made.
I was fascinated how they settled their quarrels and I liked to give them fruits like loquats and lemons which they accepted greedily.
On the day of my birthday I was wearing my favorite purple jersey because it was somewhat cool. As a gift I had received a camera with a zoom and I was in the garden photographing the insects. I was walking and pointing the zoom at a spider web. Looking for the spider I walked backward a little to put the camera in focus.
I took another step backwards and it was one too much. I found myself with my back close to the monkey’s cage. I realized it too late. The hairs on my neck stood up as though electrified. The monkeys grabbed my purple jersey from behind and judging from the noise I thought that all ten of them were pulling it and me towards the cage. I didn’t know what to do. I threw my arms upwards and instinctively fell to the ground so my jersey remained in the monkeys’ hands.
They pulled an pulled until they got the whole jersey through the gaps in the fence. The monkeys then sat in a circle dividing it between themselves.
I was worried about my camera but then I saw it on the soft grass. Thank heavens for that!
About Mauro
I got my inspiration for this website from the song called “Imagine”, and so I decided to go on this adventure. I have always wanted to put up something like this where my friends and I could express our memories and dreams for the future. Share them with us, because if many people dream the same dream it will certainly come true.
Woah, that sounds scary!
Hehehe! I remember those people and also your purple jersey. Good thing that you lifted your arms and that way allowing them to take the jersey. Glad you and your camera were okay.
I am very glad to see you enjoyed and liked my monkey photo’s so much that you used them for this post. These are wild vervets that come down regularly from the mountain here in Hartbeespoortdam and come and visit us. I truly enjoy having them around and I don’t know where you lived where the neighbours had the monkeys in a cage, but they would surely not be welcomed here and I will report them immediately as you are not allowed to keep them in captivity here in South Africa. Those poor monkeys must have been terrified. What a shame.
Lovely post and thanks for sharing. :)