Foreword
A Note from the Author
To my dad,
I owe a great deal of my sense of humour to you. I think you would have thoroughly enjoyed this story, even if your only review would have been, “Nee Boeta, jy’s nie fokken reg nie.” Sorry I killed you off with HIV in the story—we both know it was Covid that eventually got you.
To my mom and sister,
My sincerest apologies that you both lived long enough to see this nonsense finally materialise.
To my wife,
Thank you for patiently listening to years of rambling about this story, its characters, and the countless ideas that appeared at the most inconvenient times. Your support, encouragement, and willingness to humour me never went unnoticed. I love you, and I appreciate you more than words can say.
To my friends,
This is less a thank-you and more a disclaimer.
At some point while reading, you will probably recognise yourself. Most of the characters are, to varying degrees, inspired by people I know and care about. You may not particularly enjoy how you’ve been portrayed, and for that, I apologise in advance.
Please know that these characters are not reflections of how I see you. They are exaggerated, tongue-in-cheek versions of personality traits I’ve noticed over the years—because exaggeration tends to make for better stories than reality.
I hope you’ll look past any perceived offence and appreciate the humour behind it. If nothing else, take comfort in knowing that I liked you enough to immortalise you in a work of fiction.
Whether that was a compliment or a warning... I’ll let you decide.
