This Man

THIS MAN

#18

PRECIOUS ZIKHALI

I've been standing for God damn two hours. I'm tired and hungry, that's why i hate home affairs. There lines are very long. Atleast Nokwanda is here to keep me company. She claims she doesn't trust me one bit, i might cause a scene and embarrass her. Like really, i think I'm matured now.

"Next" finally we are called in, with these masks on our faces it's just making it hard for us to breathe. I don't know why Covid decided to visit South Africa. Who is this Covid kahle kahle, and they say his 19. We now live with unknown spieces.

"How can i help you?" The lady asked.

"I want my money." I tell her, this thing of going back and forth is really tiring and i can't take it any longer.

"Why would you want your money from home affairs sisi?" She's so polite and very professional and that made me notice how rude i was.

"I'm sorry, it's jsut that I'm frustrated," these bloddy tears decided to sneak out. I look up trying to push them back in but these monster pops decided to come out.

"It's oky take your time. I'll try by my all means to assist you." She tells me.

I took a deep breathe, "yesturday at the bank, they told me that my surname does not exist. The money in my account is all gone." I tell her and burst into tears, my heart is aching in an unbearable pain ever. She takes out a tissue from the tissue box and handed it to me. "Thank you" i say.

"Let me get this straight. Your bank account is empty, they say your surname does not exist, and you do not appear under their branch systems? So in other words you account was put on hold until you produce something tangible from the home affairs?" She asked me and i nodd my head countless times.

"Yes, that's what they said." I respond.

"Oky can i have your ID please" i wasted no time i gave it to her. She started abusing that keyboard countless times with an unreadable expression on her face and i just have a feeling that something is definatly wrong.

"Is everything okay?" I asked her.

"Uh-huh, yes mam. Excuse me for a moment i will be right back." She tells me, she stood up and disaperead into one of the office's.

"Don't panick they will help you" where the hell did Nokwanda come from.

"Which security did you bribe?" I look at her questionably.

"I sneaked in, they will just have to suck it in. I didn't bring Corona to this country, I'll be hell bent to follow those countless rules, already these masks are giving me a headache." She says, sitting next to me.

"Social distance please" i reminded her, she just laughed at me and i believe this child is sick in the head.

At the back office

"Are you sure it's her?" The supervisor asked.

"Yes Miss Wolf" the worker answered back.

"You know the procedure of applying for a new ID. She has to go down that route to avoid any question and suspicions. She's already legally added to the system. After everything advise her that she should fetch her ID after two weeks, but a notification will be sent to her." The supervisor tell the worker who listened carefully. She went back to her working station finding Precious reading a broucher.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, my system was having a technical glitch. Was just asking one of the technical guys to fix if for me at the back." She says.

"No worries, as long i will be assisted" she looks at me and she smiles warmly. It's suprisingly how i was written off the system. But i understand, they say green books are now being unrecognized  in the South African system. That's why people are forced to have a smart card.

Doing this whole process is tiring, imagine starting the whole process all over again. From taking pictures, to fingerprints. I didn't know you know pay R140 for an ID, the green book was for free.

"Finally we done, atleast i will have to wait for two weeks only." I tell Nokwanda as we stepped out of the home affairs.

"Atleast hy, are you attending any driving lessons today?" She asked me, she looks pretty tired.

"No, I'll….." my phone beeped indicating there's a message.

"What is it?"

"It's Mr Lawyer, he just told me where i will find the money. Finally i will be able to register him tomorrow." I respond.

"Okay, I'm tired an hungry." She whines, she has been by my side all day

"Let's go to Westville to take that money, rest a bit than go home."

The house is a little bit stuffy, it does show no one was here for a couple of day's. Next Monday is Hendry's court case and I'm nervous. Nokwanda went to the guestroom to rest a bit. She's pretty tired and i wouldn't blame her. I decided to clean around this huge house until i was satisfied. It now smells fresh in coconut aroma.

I was in Hendry's room looking at the brown envelope written Mr and Mrs Lucas Vacation. I took it and placed it aside. All of these paper's look important the this man decideds to squash them all in at once. I continued to clean the safe wiping the amount of dust i found inside. I stumbled across a small black box, cause curiosity killed a cat i opened it. And God damn it's a beautiful shinning diamond with a big heavy rock.

"Wait a minute, is this not the same ring that i showed him the day we were at the Pavillion mall.? I wanted this ring to be my wedding band. I took it and slid it in on my left hand and it fitted perfectly.

"What am i doing?" I ask myself. This must be the wife's ring and i just took her luck. I quickly took it off and place it back where it was. I found a stack of money but i won't be taking all of it. I counted it and it was close to thirty thousand.

"Who keeps such money in the house?" This one needs whipping so his mind will function properly.

I dispose the water i was cleaning the safe with. For some reason i found this weird. Why would his safe have my birthday date as a code? I find this disturbing as hell. I ended up taking fifteen thousand. I hope it's not too much. I picked up the brown envelope and glared at it for a couple of minutes. I opened the envelope slowly and pulled up the papers looking at the first part of it.

"Honeymoon trip to Amazon, blame it on Anacondas, who on earth would like that unexplainable awkward place?" I say to muself, damn my favourite place. My heart skipped a beat looking at the initials on the top Mr and Mrs P.H Lucas. I pulled the papers further up and my eyes popped out looking at the paper's in disbelief.

"What the hell!"