(English text below)

Eendag nie so lank gelede nie, het Danie Odendaal in ‘n koffiewinkel in Melville gesit waar hy ‘n vriend vir ontbyt sou ontmoet. Sy vriend was laat en om die tyd te verwyl het hy die mense rondom hom begin dophou.

‘n Funky jong kelnerin in ‘n eina-mini het haar klante geïgnoreer en met haar kêrel oor die foon flanker. Die streng bestuurderes was op die punt om haar kort te vat toe ‘n formidabele dame daar ingestap kom asof die plek aan haar behoort. Die bestuurderes het haar vinnig na die beste tafel geneem en toe het die twee soos ou vriende oor hulle kinders begin gesels.

Deur die venster van die koffiewinkel het hy ‘n jong meisie en haar kêrel met armsvol pakkies by ‘n klerewinkel sien uitkom. Oomblikke later word hulle deur ‘n jong man met ‘n chef baadjie aan ontmoet wat hulle van die bakery op die hoek dopgehou het. Selfs vanuit die koffiewinkel kon mens hulle hoor lag en gesels.

Oorkant Danie het ‘n oujongnooi in ‘n geblomde rok en ‘n vrolike serpie aan ‘n snytjie anchovy roosterbrood sit en knibbel terwyl sy haar inkopielys uitgeskryf het. Die kelner wat haar bedien, het haar op haar naam aangespreek; sy was duidelik ‘n gereelde klant en ‘n bekende gesig in die laan.

Danie het begin om stories rondom al hierdie mense uit te dink. Sê-nou net die formidabele dame gaan vanaand huis toe om uit te vind dat haar seun verloof geraak het aan ‘n meisie wat sy gehoop het net ‘n ligte flirtasie sou wees.

Stel jou voor, die ou met wie die kelnerin gesels, is net een van ‘n spul mansmense wat sy aan die neus rondlei. En wat van die oujongnooi met die serp? Dalk is sy besig met ‘n lys bestanddele vir ‘n piesang broodjie wat sy vir haar baas wil bak. Die probleem is net, sy is ‘n gevaar in die kombuis! En so het die idee van 7de Laan stadig begin vorm aanneem…

Sedert die eerste episode in April 2000 uitgesaai is, was daar heelwat redes waarom 7de Laan ons gunsteling sepie geword het. Wonderlike oomblikke op die kassie wat ons almal laat glimlag, giggel, grinnik en selfs uit die maag laat lag. Onvergeetlike oomblikke waar ons vasgenael voor die TV sit of huis toe jaag om seker te maak dat ons nie mis wat volgende gebeur nie. Romantiese oomblikke wat ons hoendervleis gee en natuurlik dié wat die trane laat loop.

Selfs al kom en gaan sommige van die inwoners, bestaan daar min twyfel dat Hillside almal se gunsteling gemeenskap is, en wanneer daardie bekende deuntjie saans begin speel, sal ons almal vir eindelose ure regskuif om te sien wat volgende gebeur.

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Once upon a time Danie Odendaal sat in a Melville coffee shop waiting for a friend to join him for breakfast. His friend was running late and, having nothing to do he whiled away the time by looking at the people around him.

A funky young waitress in a micro mini was ignoring her customers and flirting with her boyfriend on the phone. The stern manageress was about to confront her when a formidable lady walked in as though she owned the place. The manageress quickly escorted her to the nicest table available, and then they started chatting like old friends about their children.

Through the window of the coffee shop he saw a young girl and her friend come out of a dress shop, arms laden with bags. They were soon met by a young guy in a chef’s jacket, who’d been eyeing them from the corner bakery. You could hear their giggles and laughs in the coffee shop.

Across the way from Danie sat a spinster in a floral dress with a scarf around her neck, eating a slice of anchovy toast, ad writing a shopping list. The waiter serving her addressed her by name, she was obviously a regular and familiar face.

Danie began to make up stories around each person he saw. Imagine if the formidable lady went home tonight to find out her young son was engaged to the girl she was hoping was just a fling, what if that guy the waitress is talking to is just one of many guys she keeps on string. And what about the spinster in the scarf? Maybe she is writing up a list of ingredients she needs for a banana loaf she plans to make for her boss. The only trouble is, she’s a terrible cook! And so began the idea of 7de Laan…

Since episode one was screened on SABC 2 in April 2000, there have been many reasons to make 7de Laan our favourite soap. Wonderful moments on screen that made us smile, giggle, chuckle and even laugh out loud. Unforgettable moments where we were glued to our seats and we raced home to make sure we did not miss what happened next. Romantic moments which gave us goose bumps and then of course, the moments that made us cry.

Even though some of the residents come and go, there can be little doubt that Hillside is everyone’s favourite community and when that familiar tune starts to play we’ll all be glued to our television screens for endless hours to come!