Having been born in Rustenburg, to a stay-at-home-mom and dad who worked in the mine of Anglo platinum in Bokone Bophirima province, a childhood bliss. My family hails from Polokwane in Limpopo and my father moved to Rustenburg long before I was born. I’m the fourth out of five children, the second girl, a daddy’s girl to be precise and this is my Disneyland little fairy tale.

My parents never had much but they afforded me and my siblings what they could, the best they could. And with an unemployed mother who was devoted to her motherly duties and the breadwinner being dad, my mother often visited Rustenburg to be with my dad every now and then.

As a result, this is where I met Kelly, at age four-five. I have the fondest memories with Kelly, she was my age. Pity I don’t recall her last name, I was just Mookie to her and she was Kelly, my neighbour to me. I shared something special with her, we both loved reading. I hope she still does, wherever she is. She used to share bedtime story books with me.

Among many others that she managed to share with me, such as Tom Thumb, Goldilocks and my most favourite is Disney’s Mulan that I keep to this day. I have given most away to my baby cousins but Mulan is close to my heart because I still remember what transpired on the day she shared it with me.

It was a beautiful day and we had a reading date as usual. She had a tree house and that’s where our reading sessions took place. We would read until the sunsets. Her grandparents returned home and sent her packing because they were leaving Noord, Rustenburg for good.

Kelly was never allowed to give away her books but she made an exception with me, so she hid Mulan under her pink fluffy puppy like jersey and swiftly handed it to me, told me to hide it and run home. I did just that and I remember sliding into the avocado tree that was at the corner of our house and hid behind it so her grandparents could not see me. She said to me “geniet” as she ran back into her house, quickly as she could.

Mulan storybook is not in its greatest condition anymore, it has tape in between pages, this book has experienced rain, gathered large amounts of dust, it has been drawn upon with pencils and it has stayed with me for seventeen years however it remains special and close to my heart.

It is the greatest memory I have of my dear childhood friend, who has given me a taste of Disneyland and through her love for books that she shared with me, we both made our little dates, a Disney little fairy. Mulan is something special. With this piece, I wish my friend wherever she is health, peace, love and success