Chapter 7 ‘letters from the postman’

It is the 13^th of October 2001, four woman stay in the same neighbourhood in two different houses. It is already heading towards 9am and there are no signs that they will be waking up anytime soon. Yesterday night was a very long one, Selina reunited with her daughter after a long week in the hospital while in the other house for the first in a very long time Ruth had a companion. They slept for another two hours before Ruth was awakened by a knock at the door. It was the post man. ‘A letter for me’ said Ruth in amusement. ‘Usually I deal with emails’ said jokingly to the post man as she said her thank you.

For fifteen years Ndumiso Gumede has been a postman. For the past years he has delivered over ten thousand letters. Ndumiso leaves his home every day at 3am. He gets to the office and puts the, to- be delivered mail in his mail bag and heads to the neighbourhood. His letters have brought joy and bad news at the same time. More often when he delivers at the door people read the letters to him through their expressions. One day a lady fainted in front of him when she received a letter while some time ago a man gave Ndumiso money just for delivering a small box. Usually Ndumiso does not care he is just doing his job. Today has been an easy day and he is left with one letter to deliver. He has to deliver the envelope in person so he heads towards the door and knocks. Anele opens the door and just like Ruth is surprised to see the postman. It is the end of the day for Ndumiso he bids farewell and leaves.

It did not take Anele time to open the letter. She tore it apart and started reading. Selina was awakened by the breaking of glasses and a loud scream. She quickly got into her wheelchair and went to see what was happening. Anele was crying and Selina tried to comfort her. After a while Anele was calm and she spoke. ‘My husband of thirty years whom I have been faithful to all these years has turned out not to be what he was’. 'I am finished' said Selina in her heart had Anele found out about her little secret? she wondered. ‘I am told that Raymond has a son with another woman, a long time ago when I was pregnant before I miscarried Raymond changed his will had made a vow to our son that if he makes it alive he will own everything.  I had experienced a lot of miscarriages that is why Raymond made such a foolish decision. When he died he never changed what he wrote. Now this woman wants everything to herself.’

Ruth had just finished eating when she set donw to open the letter.  Just like Anele none of the letters carried any good tidings. For Ruth crying was not her thing, she went upstairs to where Taka was sleeping and set next to her. Taka woke up and asked if everything was ok. She said ‘no’. ‘I just received a letter from the doctor, a couple of months ago I did a test to check if my body was cancer free. And the results have come'. She kept quiet for a while then blasted in tears 'I am gonna die, I have cancer’

Chapter 8 will follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

a saxjaz7 production

all rights reserved

follow me @hawulethu

Chapter 6 ‘home coming’

The iron lady, conqueror of all and indisputable champion of the courts Ruth Molemo had once again won. The case had just begun, step one was to get Taka out of prison through bail. There was lots of celebration in the office however this was short lived as it was heard that Taka did not have a place to sleep. Ruth worked for a NGO law firm; they helped out clients that could not afford a very good lawyer. The client had to take care of herself outside court. It did not take Ruth a lot of time to consider accommodating Taka, she had been alone for a very long time and needed company once in her life. 

At the hospital, Selina and Anele where busy preparing to leave. The doctors discharged Selina and gave her some medication to help her recover well. She could not walk properly so she used the aid of a wheel chair. ‘Do you mind if I call you Mrs Dladla?’ asked Selina. ‘No please call me Anele; I prefer it that way.’ ‘Ok’ agreed Selina. ‘I have not heard you mention any children; did you and your husband have children?’ She kept quiet for a while, and then answered. ‘We have been blessed with lots of riches, a beautiful home, nice cars and lots of money but children we never got’. ‘We tried and tried but it just did not work only God knows’. ‘We better be going now’ she said wanting to get away from the topic. They left the hospital.

Back at the law firm, Ruth asked for a half day at work. She wanted to take Taka home. They had to pass by the shops and buy groceries. Khumalo was told to come and wait for Ruth. One thing on Taka’s mind was her daughter. She was hoping she is alright. Some years ago, Taka met a lady who was a nurse. They became good friends, her name was nurse Dube. Nurse Dube was transferred to another hospital. It was a small town better than the previous village were Taka was living. She often wrote to Taka and Taka would reply. The last letter Taka wrote to nurse Dube was delivered by Namata Taka’s daughter.  She wrote ‘She is a grown girl now she said she wants to be a nurse please keep her safe for me. She is yours now. With love Taka . ‘I hope she is safe’ spoke Taka silently in her heart as tears fell. ‘No time to cry now, we are out on bail’ said Ruth trying to cheer her up.’ Come on take your bag lets go and enjoy freedom for now’

Four women where on their way home, two of them where coming from the hospital while the other two from the court. Of the two one was a murderer the other a lawyer and of the other two one was a prostitute the other was a rich widow.  Their lives were so different only fate would get them together.  This is the story of the four women.

Chapter 7 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

a saxjaz7 production

all rights reserved

Follow me @hawulethu

Chapter 5 ‘the widow’

The first thing she asked for when she woke up was her daughter. ‘She is safe; I managed to take her into my home’ said a lady who seemed to have been standing there for some time. ‘What happened to me’ asked Selina. ‘You were bumped by a car three days ago, you have been unconscious but the doctors said there is no bad injury. I am sorry to announce this to you but my name is Anele and I am the one that bumped into you’. ‘That is very kind of you a few people would have done such a, thank thing you for keeping my daughter safe’ said Selina in a grateful tone.

‘I have been speaking to the doctors they said that you will not be able to work for at least three months. They said you need rest and to be with someone who will look after you. I was wondering, if you do not mind I could bring you into my home and make sure you are fully recovered’. Selina did not have much of an option, she accepted the offer. ‘Well then the doctors said if you wake up you will be discharged after two days but for now you will have to lay there’ she said jokingly.

She seemed to be a very good woman one could tell by the look in her eyes, the tone of her speech and the colour of her skin that most of her life she had never lacked anything. Helping someone was not much of a good deed but just a means of building her resume as a philanthropist. She spoke very good English and wore a watch, carried a diary and she diaries every event of the day.  When lunch was served she took a long look at the food as if she would see germs and viruses. Maybe she forgot that this was a hospital, no it was not just a hospital it was a private clinic, all expense to be paid by her. After Selina had eaten and rested Anele broke the silence again.

‘So tell me about yourself what do you do’ Anele asked. She was never shy of what she was but in all her life she never told her daughter that she was a prostitute. All she wanted was her daughter to grow up and have a decent life. Be an accountant, a doctor of even a tennis player. She kept her profession at work and at home she was a mother. She cleared her throat then spoke ‘I work at a night club as a waiter, last night you bumped on me I was doing overtime, a girl has to eat right’ she said with a little smile on her face good enough to cover her guilty. ‘Yes I will not judge as long as you pay the bills’ said Anele.

‘So what do you do?' Asked Selina quick enough to divert attention away from her.  ‘I am business woman I was a teacher, so when my husband died I was left to run his business. I have a load of work in my hands but I can manage. We were married for thirty two years, he was a good man. It still hurts that he had to leave soon.  He never kept a secret from me and he loved me dearly’. ‘What was the cause of his passing’ spoke Selina. ‘It is suspected that he had an overdose of his medication, he was found dead in his office’.  ‘Am really sorry Anele, who did you say your husband’s name was by the way?’ ‘His name was Raymond, Raymond Dladla’. Selina’s world stopped for a while was this a dream or a night mare.

Chapter 6 to follow soon #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

all rights reserved

a saxjaz7 production

follow me @hawulethu

Chapter 4 ‘choices’

‘If a child tells you my story you will not wish to live another day. If a man tells you my story you will die the minute he finishes. But if a woman tells you my story everyone will live another day because it carries pain, abuse and hate but most of all love, courage and hope. I do not know how you look at me now, I hardly read but I have heard what the papers have written. Some call me a monster; they say I killed a man. I wish they could read at least four chapters of my story, and then they can judge’.

 ‘I am sorry about what happened and if they is anyone who understands it is me. I am here to stand by you in the dark and celebrate with you in the light’ said Ruth in a calm voice’. ‘Taka I want you to tell me everything about your life, your marriage and why you killed your husband, I am not here to judge you so tell me the truth’ spoke Ruth.

‘No matter how bad a man is no one deserves to die, yes I killed a man’. She broke in tears. After a long silence she spoke again. ‘Twelve years ago I was forced into marrying a man whom most of my childhood I looked at as a father. By then I had grown physically, my breast were pointed and my bums were big enough to scare any boy twice my age but still I was a young girl if not a child. What was my mother supposed to do? She had no right to interfere.  My first year as wife was ok I coped well having a man for the first time. However I was denied the right to engage with the outside world. I was told to be wife. And what does a wife do? She cooks, cleans and always provides sex for a man when he needs it. I was blessed with a child my joy and daughter Namata. She is a beautiful girl.

When life gives you lemons and you make lemonade we forget that they are still lemons and think they are sweet. I was abused often; I got used to it and accepted it as a way of life. However, there is always a limit even to the oceans. Two months ago, my daughter turned eleven, just like her mother she had a big body and looked seventeen but still she was a child. My husband approached me one night and told me that a very rich man from the south had arranged to pay lobola for my daughter. I refused and told him that Namata was very young and deserved a better life than mine. He told me he was not asking for my opinion. I decided to take my daughter away; so one night with savings I had made for her, I put her in bus to a village far away from us. I kept it a secret. I wanted her to go and have a life of her own. He looked for her and she was not found. Until two weeks ago a man came and told my husband that he saw my daughter and was willing to go and show him where she was. I did not know what to do. I did not have money to go after her and warn her. I was hurt, scared and hopeless. I had to do something. I had to end the life of one so that the other may be given a chance to live. I killed my husband, burnt his body so that he will not kill the life of my child.

Chapter 5 coming soon #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

all rights reserved

a saxjaz7 production

follow me @hawulethu

Chapter 3. 'the flame lilly'

He stood by the door and covered most of it. He was not a big man but  had a potbelly.  He slowly moved towards her and sat next to where she was sitting. She has known him for years now and without words she can tell what he craves for. She stood up and started undressing him. He closed his eyes and imagined heaven. For sure, this was heaven for him.  Who knows the way to a man’s heart? Is it the woman that cooks well and loves the children? Is it the one that performs the greatest sex or maybe the one that holds authority and has seven weaves? Maybe there is no way to a man’s heart. What if man does not have a heart, what if man was created to find the heart of a woman and keep it safe? 

Selina was a prostitute and she knew how to do her work. She had been with countless man. Some were rich, some poor and most of them just needed a good time. She never asked names or exchanged contacts with her clients she kept it all professional. 'Do not mix work with pleasure Selina’ she would say to herself although most of her work involved the latter. However in a bid not to, there are things that one cannot ignore. Raymond Dladla was her regular client. He drove a ML350 and always paid double for a single charge. He called Selina the ‘flame Lilly’.

 After a heaven on earth time with Selina Raymond paid his dues. He did not pay double but paid five times the amount. Selina did not dare to ask if he wanted change. It is always a pleasure doing business. He left and never came back. Two months passed Raymond was nowhere to be seen however business continued as usual. One day alone in her office bedroom Selina missed Raymond. In her fifteen year career Selina never had feelings for a man she slept with.  Raymond was twice her age however, feelings had grown for a man he could call father. She cried that day as she missed a man for the first time in fifteen years. She phoned her daughter and told her how much she loves her.

She did not want to work that evening. She took her bag and left. She had parked her car on the other side of the bridge so she had to cross the robots.  Red light on, its green on the other side, still red light on but it has turned amber on the other side, both lights are red now , we all have to stop and wait for the green light  again. Usually we do not wait for the green light we assume everyone knows that its closed on the other side and opening on the other. However it was not so, she crossed while it was red on both sides. Her life stopped for a second, a loud bang, and many lights a lot of people screaming then she passed out. She had been hit by a car.

Chapter 4 will follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

a saxjaz7 production

all rights reserved.

follow @hawulethu