Season 1 Episode 1
“Ufunde wena yezwa, yeses, hlezi ulele la maan swine", she said as she kicked the shack door open and going back to her friends to drink alcohol. Her words always broke my heart, I’d sit on my sponge and just cry as a I held a book in my hands.
Hey, my name is Sibusiso, which means blessing, it was hard to believe that while growing up, I felt like a curse, every time my mom looked at me, It was like she was looking at my dad and she would hate me for that.
I grew up in a small “Kasi" called Barcelona in Springs, Kwa Thema, I was raised by a single mom, who was my best friend from time to time until alcohol took my spot. Let me take you down memory lane.
I woke up early one morning to prepare for school, at that time I had already gotten used to the idea of doing things on my own, I was only 10 and I would wake up, prepare my lunch box(if there was one), iron my clothes and head out.
Mom: Sbusiso, cela before uhamba uthathe amabhodlela ay2 lapho uyong'thengela ama Lion kibo Sbongile.
Me: ai mama ngizoba late.
Mom: yekela, yazin hamba, awumameli wena, uyadelela, uyinja yaz, yeses!
I just walked out of the house and walked to straight to school, for me there was no place of joy in the whole earth, I had no friends at school(obviously because I was poor) and also, going back home was always a battle because I would be told that I am useless.
I would walk in class sometimes and my classmates would make fun of me, except for one person, Thando, though her friends didn’t like me, she still shared her food with me at times and sometimes she would share a desk with me.
Thando: (as I walked into class) Sbu, izohlala la.
We were still kids by then, I just knew I liked her, she was beautiful and she had a beautiful and humbled heart. One class clown who wanted her walked in with that “ugezile Sbu?” and the whole class laughed.
Thando: ubhalile?
Me: yaah ngcedile, wena?
Thando: Ang'cedanga, cela ungkopise.
I gave her my book to write, EMS was my favorite subject, I loved it so much whereas on the other hand the teacher of the subject didn’t really love me, maybe it was because of where I come from, I don’t know.
Okay, we had school for the day and all was fine, it was time to go back home, back to that which breaks me on a daily basis. I walked back home very slow, like I do everyday.
I got there and found my mom sitting outside with her friends, they were drinking as usual. We exchanged greetings as I went into the house to get something to eat and there was nothing.
Me: (stepping outside) Mama, ngilambile.
Mom: Sbusiso idla mina ke, ngidle Sbusiso, uyihlo akekho, anginamali, ngenzeni ye? Ngizezenzeni kodwa Sbusiso?
[To be continued]
Edgar Thapelo Mashaba is the name ladies and gents.
Poetry and MC bookings: mashababookings@gmail.com
Dankie Bafethuu
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