I have levitated at least three times in my long life, always under extreme stress. I have tried to levitate in normal conditions but it doesn’t work! I do have a witness for each of the times that I did rise up and forward.
The first time I levitated was many years ago in Africa. It was just before Christmas. We were looking for a particular prickly fern that grows in the bush. We used it as a Christmas decoration. The long tendrils draped nicely over pictures, doorways and window pelmets.
A few of the farm dogs were with us as we walked down the gravel track leading from the main road into the farm. Among the dogs was my mother’s fox terrier, Kleintjie. Roughly translated, Kleintjie is ‘little one’. In fact, all my mother’s foxies were called Kleintjie. As one departed this life another Kleintjie took her place.
Walking back to the Big House, Kath – who had recently learned to walk – ran a little way ahead perhaps thirty metres. I noticed movement next to her on the gravel. Dear god, my heart leapt into my mouth. The movement was a banded cobra rising up to strike directly into my daughter’s face. So, I levitated from where I was standing to Kath. As I landed, Kleintjie ran between the striking cobra and Kath drawing its attention away from her. Even as I write this I can feel the hairs on my neck prickle. Death was so close. Kleintjie evaded the snake, which then slithered off the track into the bush.
The second time I levitated was at Mana Pools, on the Zambezi. Once again it was Kath’s life in the balance. We were staying in the Ranger’s house with our dear friends. This is when my daughter had only recently tried walking – so it must’ve been before the Christmas episode. What happened? Well she suddenly stood up and took off, running at speed, down the embankment to the Zambezi where an enormous crocodile was waiting. I could see its eye fixed on my baby. Somehow, I found myself next to her and scooped her up in my arms. I ran back up the bank and into the house with her held close to my heart. I was shaking, absolutely shaking from head to toe.
The third time I levitated was in Cape Town. I think it was in 1977. We were living in a flat in Camp’s Bay on the side of the mountain. Because of the angle of the ground, the block of flats was perched atop tall pillars and we were on the top (third) floor. We were more or less level with the ground at the back but had the most astonishing views over Camp’s Bay and the ocean from the front windows.
Anyway, early one morning I was standing in the kitchen looking up at The Twelve Apostles through the kitchen window. I heard an extraordinary sound, like a massive pantechnicon that seemed to come from the street behind us. I couldn’t see one and wondered to myself what was a pantechnicon doing up on the mountain at this hour? Then I realised that the stove was moving and rattling. Objects were falling off the shelves. The floor was shaking too. Shit, an earthquake! So, without further ado, I levitated from the kitchen to the bedroom and into the bed. I pulled the blankets over my head although, under the circumstances, that may not have been the wisest thing to do.
If you don’t believe me, ask Roland!
thoughts and memories 