Why we should all sweat the small stuff - even amongst the vegetables

On Monday, I was paying for some groceries at a Fruit and Vegetable City store in Cape Town, when there was suddenly a drama behind me. A youngish man was loudly berating an older security guard for allegedly jumping the queue.

Now, anybody who has ever shopped at Fruit and Veg will know that it is a bit chaotic at the best of times. None of those orderly snaking lines that you will find at Woollies. Throw in a bit of load shedding at lunch time and it is frankly very difficult to figure out where the queues start or end.

The security guard tried to explain that he thought that there were two lines, (so did I), but young guy was having none of it.

Loudly he announced that he shopped there every day and that he knew that there was only one line and that this security guy was just trying to push in and should know better.

I was ready to intervene, but the security guard seemed to hold his own and despite the loud protests of the other man went ahead to pay for his one lunch item.

Outside the shop I spotted the security guard and the man again. The complaining guy, with a big grimace on his face, was photographing the bewildered looking security guard from all angles as he tried to walk away.

Well, I had had enough by then.

I first told Mr. Photographer nicely that he had made his point and to let it go.

However, he laughed and kept on taking photographs. I then let him have it. I told him in my "best" Irish vocabulary to get out of there and that he could see that the security guard was only trying to get lunch before rushing back to work.

I also told him that guys like him cause so much of the racial discord that exists in this country. (I’m sure that you have deducted by now that complaining man was white and security guard black).

Clearly taken aback by my fury, the guy made a beeline across the road. I turned around to apologise to the the security guard who movingly folded his hands together in a gesture of thanks without saying a word.

The far more vocal parking attendants clapped their hands and had a lot to say - as only they can in Cape Town.

I'm asked almost every day, how people can contribute to make South Africa a better place. So here is my answer: sweat the small stuff - especially if you are white.