My grandfather arrived at last and I acted like I wasn’t a naughty boy when he was away and unfortunately for me the neighbours already when I came from school and his annoying wife was on my case like a fly but anyway we have the lying disease and it saved me. I remember I told my grandfather I was wasn’t a bad boy and if he doesn’t believe me he can ask my uncle. What my grandfather didn’t know my uncle will stand with me it’s not that bad so he had no choice but to let it go because the neighbours also had no evidence that I was messing around in his house. However, I knew as long as I kept the house and the yard nice and firm. Of course there was no problem at all. So I entered the house from school as usually and I greet as well so as I was passing the lounge straight to my room I was crossing my finger that he noticed nothing because I would be in the corner and to save myself I didn’t think that I would have that one but luckily nothing happed.
My worry at the moment was that what if Zusiphe wants to come over and what would I do but as a guy I already had a plan for that and definitely I was going to work. And as I was at my room changing my school uniform wearing my usually clothes and which I did then I went to the kitchen with the technique I’m famous of. The technique is known as food killing to those you didn’t know as I entered the kitchen I got bumped to my boring grandfather’s wife (Liz’bhedi) and I acted like I didn’t see her because I wasn’t paying attention to her. I wished I was hearing headphones so that I don’t even hear what she was going to say but luckily for her I wasn’t hearing headsets. The funny part is looking like I was looking for something the whole kitchen because I was trying to chase her away or maybe she doesn’t interrupt at all perhaps something like that. Unfortunately, she didn’t even move a little but she got curious about what I was looking for and she wanted to help me find it then I gave up my little pride immediately.
“What are you looking for Aziwe?” Mam’Lizi asked.
“I was looking for my tekkie cleaner Mam’Lizi” I said.
“When the last time you place it?” Mam’Lizi asked again.
“Right here under this drawer.” I said.
What she didn’t know I was lying to her from the start because I thought she would not mind me and go to the lounge or something but she insisted to look for it with me. And I let her look for something I know exactly that it’s in my room. Anyway since she was curious about what I was looking for and she was all over the kitchen helping to look for nothing. According to how I saw her she was so serious and focused and I wanted to laugh but I remember I had to go with the plan and she would finally give up and left the kitchen. However, she made that she will stop looking until I got it but I was tired playing her so I told her that I will try and look for it later on.
“Let’s look it later Mam’Lizi” I said.
“Okay. What changed your mind?’ Mam’Lizi asked politely and concerned.
“Don’t worry Mam’Lizi about what changed my mind anyway maybe I did misplace it somewhere” said Mam’Lizi.
“Okay my child. Go make yourself something to eat by the way I’m glad that I could help where I can” said Mam’Lizi”
“Only the pleasure Mam’Lizi” I said.
“I will be at lounge if you need anything” said Mam’Lizi.
Finally, she did exactly what I wanted her to do from the very first place and as she was going to the lounge I was dancing at the kitchen and inner sayings where I was saying “finally, the old lady is running away”. So I made fried eggs with white bread for me and it was lot of food as I was in the kitchen I wasn’t in the mood of talking because I was dying of hunger. However, my grandfather on the other side was calling my name when I went to the lounge to listen on whatever he was going to say, my mouth was full of food I couldn’t even talk properly because food pieces were coming out of my mouth as I was talking. Anyway I did that on purpose because really hated being called while I’m having something will give me energy so that I will be able to do other things well like my home works, be able to study for my exams. June exams were right next to the corner and it was the time I prepare for every exam paper and I remember after my grandfather told me to back at the kitchen to finish up so as I was going back to kitchen I wanted to eat slow so that my grandfather would that he asked me. But then I realise he must have called me for something so important or else the neighbours already told him about what is been happening in his house. So I finished whatever I was doing in the kitchen I went to my grandfather to listen to what he called me for.
“Grandfather, you called me. What can I do for you?” I asked my grandfather.
“I have been looking at the house and the whole yard checking the damages but I saw nothing wrong so I called you to thank you for the good work” said my grandfather with a satisfied smile on his face.
“It’s a pleasure and honour to see that I have grown up and what is important is that I like the fact that I am useful to the house” I said to my grandfather with a feeling of important.
“To be honest I wasn’t trusting you that you will keep my house clean and fresh as always” said my grandfather.
“I think its time now you learn to trust me sometimes” I said.
“Consider it done” said my grandfather.
“Of course” I said that politely with the big smile on my face.
“In that case I give you all my trust then” said my grandfather.
“Thank you” I said to my grandfather with a smile.
“So how was school today?” my grandfather asked and he seemed so curious about my day at school. Of course it was something I wasn’t expecting but then I was honest to him.
“School is as good as the new year” I said.
“Are you a comedian now?” my grandfather asked.
“Not at all. Why are you asking that?” I asked
“You sound like one of them” said my grandfather.
“I didn’t realise I guess I was just being honest about how was school” I said.
“Anyway I’m glad that you didn’t make my house a house party” said my grandfather while softly smiling.
“I will never do that at all” I said.
“Excuse us son I think we’re don for the moment since I don’t see nothing wrong at all” said my grandfather.
As soon as I was done having a conversation with my grandfather I remember I went outside to clear my mind and I was thinking about taking a walk to the shop too. I thought maybe I was going to meet at least my friends there but then I guess that won’t be necessary because the time was already out and all I needed was just a walk at the yard then go to my room to study for June exams. I don’t want to lie I wasn’t a best student in the classroom but I knew how to my studies even though I never took my book so seriously. But I was doing exceptionally well academically and one of the thing I like about me in high school I was just any other children, not even a second I never took myself higher than others because I knew one thing and that was every student is the same as the other student regardless of how they are doing in books.
I really loved English classes at high school because my English teacher was the best thing I ever had and on top of that she was down on earth and what I liked about her. She wasn’t like a teacher sometimes she was a parent and we all know mothers are when it comes to children. I would wish sometimes that if I could turn back the years I would bring back those great moments with my English teacher in high school, in fact Mrs Faniswa treated each and every student of hers so equally and most of the student in high school liked her and they liked her because of her sense of humour. However, sometimes I miss the high school days and I must say high school life is the best life to every student that is in high school I mean like to be honest many things of we learn about them in high school like the young love and all the life lessons things like when the teachers prepared us to be the best mothers and fathers of the future. To those who didn’t learn from the teachers they must have learnt to students you know and its truth that life in high school is better than life after matric everything seems simple and easy as 123.
As I was preparing for June exams in my room and there was a paper on the door of my room saying “I’m busy please do not disturb me” even though there was a note on my room my grandfather was knocking every thirty minutes to ask me to help him with something. I remember I came when he wanted me to change the bulb and when he sent me to the shop to buy him airtime because he hated to stay without no airtime. I decided to finish off studying at night when everybody was sleeping because I realise that I was staying with old people and some of the thing they do themselves they will need my help and I was living at my grandfather’s house for that. Besides it was funny living with my grandfather because he was the person who loved isicathamiya and sometimes I would listen to him when he sings the songs and dancing. My grandfather had a special relationship with God and the way he believed in God, he would go to the near dams to pray for rain and God would answer his prayers immediately and bring the rain to the people. Many people from the village who come by our house on Sunday afternoon maybe twice or once a month to ask accompany them when they are going to ask the rain from the God. I remember one time when my grandfather went to ask for rain and the rain wasn’t humble to the people and it was raining cats and dogs I will never forgot the ices that were falling from sky. The weather outside was so windy and harsh many roof tops were destroyed by the windy I remember many families were slept with no roof tops others had to go to friends and extended family to sleep. Our house was surrounded by water everywhere like there no way to go and we had no choice but to walk on the waters to go outside, nothing was easy because even outside there was a scary thunder lightning. To be honest I’m the type of guy who is scared of lightning because of the things I had about lightning. I know about what they say but then I realise nobody just gets strike by lightning with no reason, what I learnt is that never wear bright clothes when it’s lightning.
However, my grandfather used to pray for me every time I was going to write exams because as I grew in a Christian home on the other side my grandfather was a pastor and he did go to school and went to college to be a pastor. His part of being a pastor he didn’t just woke up and he decides to be a pastor because he worked for every tears, sweat and blood to get where he was. I remember one time when I started exams without going to him to pray for me I experience the weird things in the exams room and most of my fellow classmates where using umuti when they were going to write any exam paper. The thing is I never understand they used umuti maybe they wanted to pass more than others or they wanted to chase away the evil forces and some of my fellow students were taking their books to the Sangomas to do the magic. What they didn’t know was that nobody passes exams by magic or umuti because it takes hard work to pass the exams so I looked everything well and I realise that when you are desperate to pass there is nothing you don’t do to make sure that you pass the exams even if somebody came to you and say I have an idea. Some students were not aware or asking the risks of using these super magic to pass their matric. You know it’s weird on how they believe that you pass even if you didn’t study, some said the teachers will fall asleep and mark you to the total. You know students do funny thing to make sure they get what they want and to be honest with you nothing is as good as the dedication of your work. Months went by and the next thing I remember it was the end of the year and I had to go to Port Elizabeth perhaps I spent a year doing nothing so I took a year and I left Idutywa already there was no sign of me thinking that I will go back to Idutywa but I was sure about is that I was in love with Zusiphe because I wanted nothing to come between us and I made sure that nothing came between us even the long distance between us meant nothing. However, I made a promise to myself that no matter what I will never ever not even single moment that I will forget about her. I remember the communication between wasn’t cut in between because it takes only communication, loyalty and attention to make sure love still burning between us. Anyway Zusiphe was a kind of one-man woman and I remember the other I called her and she told me that no matter how far I may be but she will always love me and love me alone until the day I want to cut ties between us just because she thought maybe since I was in Port Elizabeth I will drop her and find myself another girlfriend. But what she didn’t know I wasn’t ready to start to a new relationship and even if I was ready to move on. Will it be necessary? I don’t think so because my heart was already with her I know somebody would have move on and get a new girlfriend but then as for me I wanted to be with her alone so I chose to stay in a relationship with her. I also wished maybe I will see her again and I hoped that she never got the change of heart or kind of replacing me with the other guy that might win her heart while I was away from her. Of course I trusted her so much and it’s kind rare and hard for me to trust a somebody but when it comes to her I don’t know but it was easy to trust her and it always felt comfortable to trust her. So as I moved to Port Elizabeth after my matric year I left my grandfather behind with his wife so when I arrived to Port Elizabeth I don’t want to lie I got tempted and I started to go to the club with friends and I met new people some of them were females. Honestly, my mistake was making a move on them because I started giving Zusiphe less attention and I also stopped calling her every night which was something we used to do and suddenly I started not to have time for her also she was always started the conversations on Facebook and WhatsApp. One night three months later while I was still in Port Elizabeth and I was with the girl called Asemahle we were at the club together with her friends and my friends I don’t know how we ended up in home but we were both naked in the bed when Zusiphe called me. I remember I saved her number “Love of my life” luckily the girl I spent a night with was still sleeping so I sneaked out of the room to the toilet where I answered the phone and what was suspicious is that I was lowering my mouth more like whispering at the phone.
“Why are you whispering?” Zusiphe asked through the call.
“Nothing babe I just lose my voice” I said and what she didn’t know I was lying to her because I was cheating on her.
“Then why were you not answering my text?” Zusiphe asked again.
“Sorry I was busy with something” I said.
“Ever since you have been in Port Elizabeth babe you hardly call or text me and I don’t know why” said Zusiphe and I could hear through the phone that she was upset on me.
“Don’t have to be mad at me babe I know I hardly text you but I haven’t getting a chance to touch my phone lately and I am kind of busy at the moment” I said.
“Oh now you are busy for me with those cheap girls from Port Elizabeth” said Zusiphe and she was getting furious as if she knew that I was stabbing her at the back.
“I know babe you have every right to be mad with me but I am not cheating on you” I said and what she didn’t know I was lying to her for the first time we dated.
“Okay then if you say so I believe you” said Zusiphe.
“And you have to believe because I am not lying to you” I said.
“I heard you my love and you know I love you right” said Zusiphe.
“And I love you too babe” I said.
“Have a good night and please call me in the morning” said Zusiphe.
“Good night to you too sleep well and dream about me” I said.
As I was done she dropped the phone immediately I went back to my room and the girl I came with at the club was still sleeping so I jumped nothing happened. However, as soon as she realise she hears me get into bed she came closer to me I believe she wanted us to do it again but I wasn’t really in the mood because my mind was trying refresh what happened and how we ended up in bed but what I remember the time when with her friends then the rest was like something that never existed. Perhaps we left earlier at the club because when I checked the time after Zusiphe’s call was past eleven at night and I spent the rest of the hours sleepless, speaking of my head felt like I was going to explode because I was in deep thoughts as hell.

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© Makaziwe Gotyana