In my home a Triple S refers to the things you do in the bathroom…. One of which is also called a relax as in; “I am going to relax,” which was a warning to sensitive noses to clear the area.
In Port Elizabeth a Triple S could also refer to the Stadium, Ships and St Croix.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – built for the 2010 World Cup and still something of an enigma. Like that over large brother of yours who went to special school and isn’t quite self sufficient yet but you keep him around and in cigarettes because one day he might be useful…
Ships – all at anchor in Algoa Bay waiting for the call to fetch cargo and only then filling up at one of the bunkering ships also anchored in the Bay. A bit like that middle brother – the one that has ‘connections’ and got into a certain job due to them. The one that you know is only there because he is benefiting on a large scale but you don’t want to say anything about because you are a little uneasy.
St Croix – once the home to thousands of penguins, seals on Brenton Island and sharks galore in Shark Alley in between. Now like your first wife – you explored her, exploited her and she left you only for your grandchildren to realise that maybe the old goat is worth saving so they start a fund to protect her from the ravages of the sun and exploiters. Little do they realise that it may just be too late to reverse the effects of her being out in the cold and unloved for so long.
All of them a bit like the mindset in Port Elizabeth – we keep stuff around on the off-chance that we will be able to make a buck, if not now then maybe later….

Alan Straton
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