Soggy Chips Sometimes Makes for A Fuller Life. by Gershon Thomas

24th July 2004, in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Chatsworth, Nando’s Bayview…

My friends and I just got back from the local matinee (day party) and made our way to our local hangout Funsport Pub and Grill which is situated above the Nando’s, Bayview, having been booze infused and filled with liquid courage, I was nominated to go down to Nando’s to purchase the food that is likely/mostly consumed when you and your mates are severely intoxicated — NANDO’S LIVERS & GIBLETS(yes people back in the day Giblets were banging, not sure the reason for this item being removed of the menu? NANDOS please explain?)

It’s +7pm I make my way into the very full store BTW Indian People complain but they smaak a Nando’s span, there were Ballies, Stekkies, Couples, Lyties and a few other odd bodies in the store.

I place my order and stand towards the back of the store, in my drunken stupor observing the nights happenings while patiently waiting for my score, minding my own business (not) I notice an irate middle age lady walk into the store and approach the counter staff, furiously screaming and babbling on about something regarding her order.

I proceeded to make my way closer to the situation and eavesdrop, truly this was more exciting than watching odd people waiting for their NANDO’S. The irate lady proceeded to tell the young lady in a high-pitched voice “I DID NOT ORDER SOGGY CHIPS, I AM NOT PAYING FOR THIS etc etc etc” at this point the petite young lady being embarrassed, apologises and then turns around and grabs a fresh packet of chips from another packed order, ensuring that it was indeed crispy, decides to hand it to the irate lady…

Mid way through seeing this new transaction, my liquid courage kicked in, a small voice said, this is your moment dude, so I decided to step into the picture with the following words to the young lady,

“STOP! …You cannot do that!

If that is my order I do not want SOGGY CHIPS nor am I going to wait for a new one, at this moment all eyes were on me, I continued my statement with “This lady is rude and she should wait for her crispy chips, at that moment I saw the young ladies face get flustered and her eyes grew red with anger and embarrassment at me for intervening in a situation that had nothing to do with me.

(if I do say so myself … I thought I was an activist fighting for freedom or something…AMANDLA AWETU…FREE THE CHIPS, FREE THE CHICKEN!)

Shortly thereafter the situation is fixed, the irate middle age lady gets her crispy chips and calm is restored to Nando’s Bayview.

The young lady approaches requesting my receipt to sort my order out, she glances at the receipt and then with pent up fury says “YOU DID NOT ORDER CHIPS, WHY DID YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH???)

I proceeded to tell her I was merely defending her and the lady was rude to which she replied sarcastically “So you think you a knight or something? I was dumb! Thinking, seriously this chick got choons bra’

She handed me my order and it was at this magical moment that I asked for her number…. the saying hell has no fury like a woman scorned is true to the core…. she looked at me in utter disgust, ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Embarrassed, I took our GIBLETS & LIVERS and left the store returning to my friends but still thinking about the young lady for the rest of the night while downing a few more drinks, around +10pm I proceeded back to the store as I knew they would be closing soon and asked for the number, knowing good and well that I was adamant about getting the number and also being tired of seeing my face as well, she told me very calmly and politely that she was opening up the store on Sunday morning and if I wanted the number, I should be there before 8am sharp, in her mind she knew, based on my intoxication level and lateness of the party night, 8am was a far reach for me.

I arrived on Sunday morning after 9am, got the number, we went on our first date the following Wednesday 28 July 2004, got married 29 November 2008 and this year celebrate our 10-year anniversary, so Thank You Nando’s South Africa for arranging the best meal of my life, My wife, friend, soulmate and fellow Nando’s partaker.

Cos’ after all Soggy Chips sometimes makes for a fuller life.

Hope u enjoyed the story…not many people get to share one like this. Lol