Chapter 8 — Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight
I didn’t tell Ayanda the truth after all. Big surprise, right? Look, I
wanted to. Really. But it was hard to mnd the right WoWent.
be played douMles, We with Ayanda and Vandla with vusi. Ve
and Ayanda wiped the coor with vusi and Vandla, to Wy surprise. I
guess I was a natural at tennis, despite always thinking it was Moring.
be had Vandla and vusi running all o–er the -ourt and falling o–er
theWsel–es to rea-h the Malls. It was hilarious. At one point T or WayMe
se–eral points T the Mall sWa-ked right into vusi’s head. I didn’t want
to laugh at Wy Moy, Mut Wan, it was funny.
After that there was no tiWe to talk to Ayanda. be got -hanged
and we all walked out together. Really, it was the Wost in-on–enient
setxup for Waking a -onfession, and despite Wy noMle intentions I
had to a--ept that the tiWing was all wrong. Besides, vusi was right.
boWen hated Meing lied to. Ayanda and I had really Monded o–er Wy
sad -hildhood, and I didn’t want to do anything to spoil it. jhat Weant
I had to keep playing the gaWe.
As we walked into the parking lot I pi-ked an e“pensi–e -ar at
randoW and lingered ne“t to it. vusi Soined We, and the two of us
dropped our Mags. vusi Ment o–er, pretending to do his la-es.
Ayanda turned to fa-e us. ”Jo we’re on for tonight, hey?O
I grinned. ”Ea. bhere aW I taking you?O

LCvK BA10 9HY
”Dow aMout...O Jhe sWiled. ”!ou know the -hisa nyaWa -lose to the
orphanage? I’–e always wanted to -he-k it out.O
Beautiful, sophisti-ated, sWart, kind and down to earth. Ayanda
was a keeper for sure. ”zeal* 1hisa nyaWa it is.O
Jhe leaned o–er to gi–e We a pe-k on the -heek.
”1an we go already?O said Vandla. jhe guy really didn’t like We. I
had Wade an eFort not to wear Mlue and Mrown again, Mut apparently
that wasn’t enough.
Ayanda and Vandla headed towards their -ar. be wat-hed, wa–ing
until the -ar peeled oF. A Murly Wan stepped out of the tennis -luM,
mddling with his -ar keys. jhe -ar we were lounging on unlo-ked with
a MeepxMeep, and we SuWped oF. jhe guy shot us a suspi-ious look,
and we pi-ked up our Mags and hurried away.
”jhat was -lose*O said vusi.
”Ea.O
I felt that unpleasant pang of guilt again. bhat was wrong with We?
K–er sin-e I found Ayanda I had suddenly de–eloped a -ons-ien-e, and
it was a serious pain in the Mutt. I needed to Me sharp, -arefree JenNo
again, the JenNo who hustled and got things done.
I pushed the guilt away. Life was hard for a guy like We, and there
was no tiWe to feel Mad. I had three -lients lined up for the day and
I had to do what I had to do. A -lear -ons-ien-e wasn’t going to put
food in Wy Melly or pay Wy rent, and it -ertainly wasn’t going to win
o–er the woWan of Wy dreaWs. I had to play the gaWe and win.
UUU

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jhat night Ayanda and I sat at one of the taMles outside the chisa nya-
ma. jhe sun was setting as we gaNed into ea-h other’s eyes, oMli–ious
of the laughter and -hatter around us.
”jhis is so -hilled,O said Ayanda, with a -ontented sigh. ”jhanks,
JenNo. Easper would ne–er Mring We here. De -an Me so pretentious
soWetiWes.O
”jhen why date hiW?O I asked. ”jhat’s if you are still dating hiW.O
”be’re on a Mreak,O she said. ”Easper is...-oWple“. De was –ery
-harWing at mrst. And –ery persistent. And Wy dad adores hiW. !ou
know, soWetiWes you mnd yourself in a situation that you -an’t get out
of,O she added -rypti-ally. ”And after a while it’s hard to lea–e Me-ause
it’s Me-oWe...well...O
”Like a haMit?O
Jhe sWiled at We. ”!es, e“a-tly. Better the de–il you know.O
”I get it.O
”zo you?O she asked in a teasing tone. ”!ou also ha–e a -oWpli-ated
lo–e life?O
”Life in general is -oWpli-ated,O I told her. ”be all do things we
-an’t e“plain to other people. !ou do what you -an to sur–i–e, right?O
”I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.O Jhe ate with her hands,
like a real woWan, enSoying her food. I liked wat-hing her eat. I liked
wat-hing her, full stop. Being with her took Wy Wind oF all the other
draWa in Wy life.
”!ou ne–er talk aMout your Wother,O I reWarked.
Ayanda shrugged. ”Jhe died when I was young. Vy dad tried hard
to Me there for We, Mut he was always working.O
”Jounds lonely. At least in the orphanage I had other kids around
We all the tiWe.O

LCvK BA10 999
”It was lonely.O Jhe looked sad for a Winute. ”I had to learn to Me
independent froW a young age. But Wy father is also the reason I ha–e
su-h a strong work ethi-. I knew that I had to Wake hiW proud.O
”And now you’re a Meautiful, su--essful, Mrilliant lawyer,O I said.
”De Wust Me –ery proud.O
Jhe sWiled. ”jhank you. !ou turned out pretty well yourself. It’s
aWaNing how far you’–e -oWe, -onsidering your -hildhood. If your
Wother knew you, she’d Me proud too.O
Vy heart sank. Ag, she Sust had to go and Mring that up, when we
were ha–ing su-h a great tiWe.
”Da–e you thought aMout Weeting her?O
”bhy should I?O I snapped, suddenly angry again. ”If she wanted
to know We she would -oWe looking for We. bhy should I go -hasing
soWeone who doesn’t -are?O
”!ou know it’s not that siWple, JenNo.O Ayanda ar-hed her Mrows.
”!ou -an’t tell We you ha–en’t wondered aMout her.O
I leaned Ma-k in the -hair. ”Cf -ourse I ha–e. Look, I want to know
a lot of things. I want to know why she aMandoned We, why she ne–er
-aWe Ma-k. VayMe one day I’ll go and mnd her, Mut I’W too angry with
her to do anything right now.O
Ayanda nodded. ”I understand. bell, whate–er you de-ide, I’W
here to support you.O Jhe sWiled, and I sWiled Ma-k. jhen her sWile
–anished. Jhe leaned her head to the left, staring past We. ”Kither the
light’s playing tri-ks on We or that guy’s naked.O
I -hu-kled, Mut didn’t Mother to turn around. ”jhat’s nothing. I’–e
seen worse around here.O
”jhere’s soWething faWiliar aMout hiW,O’ she persisted. ”De sort of
looks like Easper.O

99G 2IzKL PAVIJI, 1DKR!L J. Pj3V!
”jhen the light is playing tri-ks on you,O I assured her. I took her
hands in Wine. ”Ayanda, there’s soWething I’–e Meen Weaning to tell
you.O
I had her full attention on-e again. ”bhat?O
”I...I’W really happy that I Wet you and I...O I took a deep Mreath.
”!ou what?O Jhe was sWiling, and I knew she wanted We to Wake
a Wo–e.
jhe opportunity was right there, so I took it. I let the WoWent
linger, then leaned in for a kiss. Jhe leaned in too, -losing her eyes. Cur
lips were Sust aMout to tou-h when T
”zon’t kiss that guy*O
be sprang apart and turned to stare at the owner of the faWiliar
–oi-e. It was Easper. De stood a few steps away froW us, panting,
-lut-hing a newspaper and wearing nothing Mut his underwear. Jhit.
”EasxEasper?O Ayanda gasped. ”bhat happened?O
De pointed at We, his eyes wild with fury. ”De’s an iWpostor*O
Vy stoWa-h started to twist with fear. Ch, no. Pot now. Pot
when e–erything was going so well with Ayanda* jwo waiters appeared
instantly and Wo–ed towards Easper, like spe-ial agents -losing in on a
terrorist.
”bhat are you talking aMout?O I deWanded. I was proud of Wyself
T Wy –oi-e only treWMled slightly.
”!ou’re not a forWer e“ile,O Easper sneered.
”Jhe already knows that,O I told hiW sWugly. ”Jo if you’re here to
-ause trouMle TO
”!ou’re not wealthy, either,O he went on. ”And you’re demnitely not
a prophet*O
”:rophet?O Ayanda stared at Easper, then at We. ”bhat prophet?
bho said he’s a prophet?O

LCvK BA10 994
”Jir, I’W afraid we’re going to ha–e to ask you to lea–e,O said one of
the waiters, taking hold of Easper’s shoulder. By now he had attra-ted
sho-ked stares and giggles froW the other -ustoWers.
Easper shrugged the waiter oF. ”5et your hands oF of We* zo you
know who I aW?
”Jorry, sir,O said the se-ond waiter. ”be ha–e a dress -ode. !ou -an’t
Sust -oWe in here in your underwear.O jhe waiters lunged. jhere was
a Mrief tussle.
”jhese are designer undies*O Easper yelled. ”I’W going to sue all of
you* And I -an aFord it*O
”jhrow hiW out,O I -alled out. ”zesigner undies. Jies*O
”Jtop*O -ried Ayanda, with a disappro–ing glan-e in Wy dire-tion.
”I know hiW.O
jhe waiters Ma-ked oF. :anting, Easper handed Ayanda the newsx
paper.
”bhat’s this?O she asked.
I -losed Wy eyes, praying that the newspaper wasn’t what I thought
it was.
”!ou wanted inforWation on the false prophets in the township,O
he told her. ”bell, there’s the Miggest fraud of all. !our Moyfriend,
JenNo. If that’s e–en his real naWe.O
I opened Wy eyes again. Jo Wu-h for that prayer. Ayanda took
the newspaper and looked at the front page. It was the arti-le that
had e“posed the VaNinga s-aW o–er a year earlier, the handiwork of
a disgruntled -lient and his Sournalist -ousin. jhere was e–en a photo
of We, in Wy wig Mut without the shades, and vusi eWerging froW our
mrst -onsulting rooW and walking right into a -aWera. be Moth looked
sho-ked and –ery, –ery guilty.
I would ne–er forget the headlineZ ”2alse :rophet Busted... VaNinga
Jteals 2roW jhe :oorO. Cur -lients were not poor, they were Sust not

996 2IzKL PAVIJI, 1DKR!L J. Pj3V!
ri-h. jhe arti-le appeared in a -heap taMloid and the poli-e didn’t
Mother in–estigating, Mut We and vusi pa-ked up and Wo–ed shop
anyway. be didn’t work the s-aW for m–e Wonths, Sust to Me safe. 2orx
tunately s-andal had a short shelf life in EoNi, and soon enough people
forgot. Besides, there would always Me a Warket for what :rophet
VaNinga sold.
jhere was only one person I knew who would still ha–e a newspax
per froW o–er a year ago. Eaklas, an old kasi hoMo who liked to play di-e.
De kept piles and piles of newspapers. De wrapped theW -arefully
with plasti- as if they were his Wost –aluaMle Melongings, and no one
knew why. De would do anything for a gaWe of a di-e, e–en gi–e away
one of his pre-ious newspapers. jhat had to Me how Easper got it, and
Jweets Wust ha–e helped.
I looked at the horrimed e“pression on Ayanda’s fa-e, and I knew it
was all o–er.
”De’s Meen lying to you all along*O said Easper gleefully. ”De’s not
who he says he is. De’s a -onxWan froW the township. A false prophet*O
Ayanda looked up froW the newspaper and turned to We. ”Is it
true?O
”I -an e“plain...O I Megan, and I realised how si-k I was of all the lies.
It was tiWe for the truth. jhe whole truth. ”A-tually I -an’t. It’s true.
I’–e Meen lying to you all along.O
jears welled up in Ayanda’s eyes. I rea-hed for her hand. Jhe pulled
away and slapped We hard a-ross the fa-e, then pi-ked up her purse
and storWed oF towards her -ar. I sat there with Wy head Muried in
Wy hands, while Easper ran after Ayanda, Megging her to wait for hiW.
I sensed soWeone Meside We and looked up, hoping...Mut it was Sust
the waiter. De pla-ed a tall glass of Meer on the taMle in front of We,
ga–e We a pitying look and said, ”Cn the house.O

LCvK BA10 99q
After drinking Wy Meer I walked hoWe. A few people -alled out to
We Mut I didn’t answer. I was in no Wood to Me happy, -heerful JenNo
VaMiNela now that I had lost the woWan of Wy dreaWs. Cn the way
I passed the spot where Eaklas liked to sit and play di-e. De was still
there, sitting on an o–erturned -rate and -arefully putting fresh plasti-
o–er another sta-k of newspapers.
”Jure, Eaklas,O I said as I passed.
”VaMiNela* Jit down, sit down.O Eaklas patted the -rate ne“t to hiW.
”Let’s play.O
I wanted to refuse, Mut this was the pla-e where Easper had found
the newspaper that ruined Wy life. VayMe it would help to mnd out
e“a-tly what happened Metween hiW and Eaklas. Besides, what else did
I ha–e going on? vusi and (anele were proMaMly -urled up together at
the cat and the last thing I wanted was to Me around a happy -ouple.
”!ou go mrst,O I said, sitting on the -rate.
Eaklas pi-ked up his griWy di-e and rolled. Kight. De -hu-kled and
looked at We. I rolled ne“t. 2i–e. Eaklas laughed loudly.
”joo Mad, too Mad*O he shouted, rolling again.
By the tiWe I mnally s-ored higher than hiW I had lost thirty Mu-ks
and three -igarettes. De gruWMled under his Mreath when I got douMle
si“es. jhe guy was a sore loser, e–en though he only lost on-e in a Mlue
Woon.
De pi-ked up the pa-k of Wageu at his feet and opened it slowly
with long, dirty mngernails. ”Ea, mne. bhat do you want?O he deWandx
ed.
I leaned -lose and lowered Wy –oi-e. ”jhere was a guy here earlier.
A ri-h guy.O
Eaklas nodded. ”Ea. Pi-e shirt. Pi-e Melt. Pi-e shoes.O De -a-kled.
”bhat did he want?O
Eaklas pointed at his sta-k of newspapers.

99) 2IzKL PAVIJI, 1DKR!L J. Pj3V!
I nodded. ”Jo what happened? zid he ask you anything aMout
We? bas he with a woWan?O
Eaklas took a loud gulp of Wageu, wiped his lips on his slee–e and
ga–e We a sly look. ”:lay again.O
”Ag, -oWe on.O I eWptied Wy po-kets to show hiW I had nothing
Wore to gi–e e“-ept Wy phone and soWe -oins for transport. ”I’W
Mroke*O
”Broke se –oet,O he replied. ”Pew 7uestion, new gaWe.O
I weighed Wy options. I was still upset aMout the Woney he had
already won froW We and I didn’t feel like gi–ing hiW any Wore. I
already knew the iWportant fa-ts T Eaklas was the one who ga–e Easper
the paper with the arti-le on :rophet VaNinga T and I was sure I -ould
guess the rest. I started to get up.
”Ah, VaMiNela* !ou’re going?O
”Ea. I ha–e things to do.O
”Jit. Jit, sit. be play again.O De pi-ked up the di-e. ”Cne round,
neh? Cr three. Eust three.O
I shook Wy head.
”I’ll tell you what happened with your ri-h friend,O he proWised.
”Jit. 2i–e rounds only, and I’ll tell you.O
Duh, this guy thought I was a doWkop. Already we had gone froW
one Wore round to m–e. ”Eust m–e?O
”jen. jen rounds.O
I -ouldn’t help laughing. Ag, what did I ha–e to lose? It was Metter
than going hoWe to -ry into Wy pillow or soWething. 8Pot that I
would. I’W not a MaMy.(cid:75) jhe poor guy didn’t ha–e any faWily or friends,
and he was proMaMly Sust lonely. It wouldn’t hurt to sit and play with
hiW a while longer and let hiW tell We e“a-tly how he Wanaged to strip
Easper of all his designer -lothes.
I sat down.

LCvK BA10 99(cid:76)
”Ea, Mra, good*O De sWa-ked his lips with pleasure. ”Jtart.O
I rolled the di-e. jhree. Eaklas laughed loudly, slapping his knees
like it was the funniest thing in the world. 2or a Winute I thought he
Wight Ma-ktra-k and refuse to tell We aMout Easper T that would Me
so typi-al T Mut he didn’t. De told We the whole story, laughing like a
hyena throughout.
”Ah, your friend,O he said, shaking his head. ”Ri-h and stupid.
3p here,O he tapped his head, ”eWpty. jhat girl Mrings hiW. !ou know
the one?O De WiWed an hourglass mgure and wolf whistled for good
Weasure. ”jhen she goes. Lea–es hiW. De -oWes with his fan-y -lothes,
asking 7uestions. I Sust ignore. De sees the newspaper and he wants
to take it. Daxah* Eust like that* !ou know what I tell hiW? Ve, I say
we Wust play. De starts talking kak. I say hey, no gaWe no paper*O De
Murst out laughing. 0waxkwaxkwa, like soWe kind of freaky Mird.
I sWiled. ”And then?O
”Doo, he sits down, he thinks he’s Vr 1ool, neh? I say, hWW,
ni-e Sa-ket. I win, I take. De laughs. Ve, I say okay, we will see. And
I Meat hiW.O Eaklas snapped his mngers. ”De starts talking kak again. I
say okay, I Meat you again, I take that Sa-ket. be play. I win. I take it*
Dahahaha*O
I -ra-ked up, pi-turing Easper’s furious e“pression. De Wust ha–e
thought he was too sWart to get whipped My a hoMo. Da* I wish I had
Meen there to see it for Wyself.
”Jo now he’s angry, neh?O said Eaklas getting e“-ited at the WeWx
ory. ”De’s serious, wants to win Ma-k the Sa-ket. I say hWW, ni-e Melt.
Jo we play. I win.O
”And then you say hWW, ni-e pants,O I said. be laughed together,
enSoying the Soke.
”Ea* Dahaha* be play again. I still win* Doo* 3ntil he’s sitting in
his Mo“er shorts and so-ks. And then, last gaWe...O Eaklas sighed. ”De

99(cid:77) 2IzKL PAVIJI, 1DKR!L J. Pj3V!
wins. Jo I gi–e hiW the newspaper. De tries to take Wy -lothes and I
hit hiW with Wy sSaWMok. V“W* Jtupid ri-h Moy.O
be laughed soWe Wore, and then Eaklas started all o–er again, as if
he had ne–er told the story Mefore. And I listened. And I laughed. I
laughed so hard tears poured down Wy fa-e, like I hadn’t laughed in a
long, long tiWe. I guess I needed to do that after the day I had. I needed
to let loose and pretend I was still a -arefree kid with no real worries.
I looked at Eaklas and realised that WayMe I shouldn’t feel sorry for
hiW. Eaklas li–ed a siWple life. De had his pre-ious newspapers and
his shopping trolley mlled with -lothes and other iteWs. JoWehow he
always found food to eat and a pla-e to sleep. De had soWe tough
gangster friends who Mrought hiW old -lothes and -igarettes, and he
spent all day doing the only things he wanted to do T playing di-e and
telling stories. De had nothing -oWpared to Easper, Mut I was pretty
sure he was far happier than Easper would e–er Me.
After we had played Wore than twenty rounds and I -ouldn’t laugh
anyWore, I said Mye to Eaklas, ga–e hiW Wy transport Woney and took
a long walk hoWe.