Episode 7 In my shack; I’m supposed to stay with my mother but she is hardly home, my grandfather and Monde. We have a dull, dingy one room shack with one cupboard with two broken doors, double bed and a sponge for Monde, I sometimes sleep next to Monde or next to Tamkhulu. You would here Monde complaining in some mornings saying “Yerre tyma lentwana iyaphulukwa phakama, phakama Sandile hambo chama ungaphinde ulale apha”. Shame poor Mondes would woke up wet and change all those blankets sometimes he would use my grandpas Coat as a blanket due to blanket shortage. My grandfather wasn’t that Old but he suffered from Alzheimer’s, a memory loss disease that differs from one person to another person. Sometimes people with this condition would go blank altogether, sometimes they would remember certain things and sometimes would temporarily regain their memory. One can never be so sure about it, with my grandpa thou, he would go blank and you would hear him say “Nindigodusa nini kusihlwa nje? Andizolala apha mna, masenze sambeni”. We would all burst into laughter and you would hear him again saying “nobhunyu andihlekanga niks nilibele ngunyubula nivese izisini ezimnyama, ndawuske ndinishiye apha”. Mna: Tamkhulu akundazi ngoku, uSandile? Grandpa: Hayi kwedini andinamtana mbi kangaka mna. Mna: Mondes yena? (Pointing at Monde) Grandpa: Yhoooo inkothovu engaka? Andinaye mntana mdala kangaka. My grandpa was really funny, I enjoyed his company but because of his condition he would get irritated and stubborn. Sometimes would repeat statements and questions over and over, not realizing he asked them before he would say “Ungumni kanene” and a person would tell him. He would then continue and say “Mna ke ndinguMkhomazi, ugqugqugqu, uhaha,udukanamahlathi, ndizalwa nguMpinga usenzwa, intom mtana intombi yakwaSeti, ikhaya liseMnyameni. Within seconds the same conversation would start all over again. One night monde brought a girl over and my grandpa looked at her and said “umkhulu kangaka uzomcinenezela mtana wam. That was the only time I’ve everseen Monde a woman. Back in hospital with my doctor, as I was sitting with my mother Zuziwe, sisOlga, social worker, mamTakane and nurses in Livingstone Hospital in Korsten, Port Elizabeth. Dr Naidu: I have conducted the tests and they confirmed without a doubt that the victim was sodomized as I have mentioned to you before. The tests also revealed that it was a frequent occurrence. I have now referred the matter to the authorities to find a suitable child psychologist that can assist him to deal with his traumatic experience and also try to restore his normal behavior. It also came to my attention that there could be a language barrier given the fact that there aren’t many African psychologists and the logistics could be our shortcoming. In the meantime I suggest you guys handle this matter private and confidential because it could affect the confidence of the child. Please be gentle and be patient with him do not budge him with too many questions that would make him feel uncomfortable. Let me now leave you to it. Oh! Yes one more thing can I see you outside (referring to Zuziwe) They went out and the social worker immediately introduced a gentlemen called detective Mbanga who apparently wanted to ask me few questions but because I was a minor my mom, and the social worker needed to be there. Detective Mbanga quickly turned to mamTakane and sisOlga and said “bendicela nisikhwelele kancinci”. They left the ward with no hesitations he then said that he will begin with the process once my mother finishes with Dr.Naidu. I wonder what was the doctor saying to my mom I bet whatever he said to her was going to mess up with her schedule. She finally walked in and she wasn’t looking too pleased. Nobody could give a shit for once it wasn’t about her nor TaMzee it was about me, the six year old. Detective Mbanga: Sandile kandixelele boy uMalume ukwenzentoni? Mna: U.u.u..(I just cried) Social Worker: Sandile masambe mtanam ndifunu kuthengela cake neChocolate. The social worker and I went to the nearest fish and chips shop. She bought fish, chips, Cadbury lunch bar and a lamington. Guys you really don’t know they joys I felt, it was my first time in a restaurant and she said “yitya”. Haaaa ndaziphosa ekutyeni ndaxhapha, ndabila Oooh yes how can I forget iCababa the pineapple flavor? This woman was really spoiling me and I was about to spill the beans there and there. At Approximately ten minutes this woman started questioning me and she said: Social worker: Imnandi fish? Mna: ewe sisi, mnandi gqit gqit Social Worker: uyabonake nanko mtana kasisi omhle uyatya kamnandi. Sandile ndakuthanda uyeva mtanam, ungumtana okrelekrele. I gave a fake smile; my state of mind was in awe. Did she say that? I mean those little three words in English. In my entire life of six years nobody has ever said those words to me, let alone give me a hug. Even Monde would just pinch my cheeks andinike isigqala xandigeza. I was ecstatic in heaven. I really wanted that moment to last forever. I started thinking to myself that I so wish this woman could be my mother and bring me here every day and tell me how much she loves me, my mind was filling with images of having her as a mother and her husband as my father and the three of us living happily ever after. Her words were playing over and over in my head. For once I felt important and loved. For once I forgot about my miserably life. For once everything seemed possible in life. Alas it was all a dream. Social worker: U right? (I nod) xelelu sisi uMalume ukubambephi? I pointed and she said “wathini” and I said wandikhulula wandenzi zinto ezimdaka. You could tell she was emotional; she then precedes “wathini wena” mna, ndakhala. She then said “ukwenze kangaphi? I said kaninzi ninzi. She asked “kutheni ungaxelanga kumamakho? I said andiyazi. She said “ukuba ungambona umalume ungamolatha? I said ewe. We finished our meal and of course I couldnt eat all those things and so I packed them. We went back to hospital and detective Mbanga was now at least smiling as if he knows that I’m about to dish. You see I shouldn’t only tell the social worker what happened to me it is imperative for detective Mbanga to hear the matter from the horses mouth. He asked the same questions the social worker asked. I kept quite and my mom said “THETHA MAAN WENA” her voice sounds irritable. Detective turned to her and said “ sisi Ndim obuza imibuzo wena awuhlomli konke konke” I told him everything that I have already mentioned to the social worker, he wrote down everything and he said “okokugqibela ngubani igama likaMalume lamanyani nyani? My mom again jumped and said “nguMonde” and I said HAYI nguBhaca tshini.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 21:49:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015