In Alan Paton’s historical novel, Ah, But Your Land Is Beautiful, the human tragedy of apartheid in South Africa is described in the relationship between a white man named Robert Mansfield and a black man named Emmanuel Nene. Mansfield has resigned as a school headmaster because he can no longer support the government policy of apartheid. He is without work, without income, without friends because of his decision to work for racial justice. Nene comes to see him and to express his respect and support. As they talk about the wounds Mansfield is suffering for the stand he has taken, [READ MORE]

When my best boyhood friend Dennis and I were growing up, we used to take a city bus downtown to go to the movies. Our mothers always gave us money for the bus fare, for the movie ticket, and also EMERGENCY money – just in case. So off we would go to the movies, our pockets bulging with change. One day, we decided to cut through the Woolworth’s store which was located nearby the movie theater. Lo and behold, there in the center of the store was the largest candy counter we’d ever seen! We stopped in our tracks, [READ MORE]