It's not often you see a politician awe-struck. Certainly not a seasoned Foreign Minister such as Mr David Andrews, writes Mary McCaughey, in Pretoria.
But there was no doubt the Madiba magic was at work again yesterday, and standing in glorious winter sunshine on the steps of the presidential residence with President Nelson Mandela, Mr Andrews seemed somewhat dwarfed by what he himself called "this great man".
In his own inimitable fashion, and togged out in a dapper new Madiba shirt, the President, however, went all out to put him at his ease. Indeed if the truth be known, the President doesn't usually see foreign ministers. But he was prepared to make an exception for this one.
In fact he was "honoured to receive" this man involved in the Irish peace process, he said, and looked forward to his trip to Ireland to see the results for himself.
"It is a great country," he enthused, and "we have taken many lessons from it," he went on, smiling, joking, touching the Minister's arm, easing him into a position of understanding, affably eliminating the gap in stature.
Jokingly he accused the Minister of intimidating him with his height and gently dismissed as "arrogant" any notion of having played a praiseworthy role in the Northern Ireland situation. There was no doubt about it, Mr Andrews was hooked.
Gone for a short time were the thoughts of political point-scoring. For a brief moment the desire faded for the coveted image boost a meeting with Mr Mandela brings.
Mr Mandela was being too humble when he refused to accept some role in the success of the process, said Mr Andrews, referring to the fact that South Africa was made available to both nationalists and unionists for gatherings at an earlier stage.