by Haden, Ross;
“No, it’s for my husband’s birthday. It’s tomorrow, and I want to surprise him.”
Oh no, he thought. That means I won’t be able to go to the party with Karabo. She isn’t going to understand if I’m late. But I need to sell Perry. “Yes, Ma’am,” he said. “You can come. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Just as he thought, Karabo was furious when she arrived at five-thirty. She stormed out of the pet shop, shouting, “Whenever I ask you to do something you always make an excuse. I’m sick of it. Don’t bother to come. You obviously don’t want to be with me!”
~•~
It was the first of February and at last Sipho had all the money to buy the necklace. He was just waiting till lunchtime so he could draw the last thousand rand needed from his salary, and then he’d run into Starlight Diamonds and pay the full amount he owed. He felt on top of the world. He couldn’t wait to see Karabo’s face when she opened the box and saw what he’d been saving for. She would know how much he loved her, and that he hoped to spend the rest of his life with her.
Karabo had been very cross with him for a few days after the party, snapping at everything he said. He couldn’t do anything right. But they’d spent this last weekend together. He’d taken her to the movies, and he let her choose a romantic chick flick, and he’d bought her a Coke and a slab and a big tub of popcorn. She had laughed at his jokes and been happy. The old fun-loving Karabo, who loved him, was back.
It was less than two weeks till Valentine’s Day. There was going to be a special celebration – a dance at their church hall. He’d bought tickets and he couldn’t wait to see her in her sexy, black, low-necked dress, with the necklace shining on her glistening skin. When she saw it she was going to know how deeply he loved her. The other girls would all be jealous when they saw how well her boyfriend treated her.
At one o’clock he was about to ask Mr Mahomed if he could take lunch when he saw the Gumtree lady come into the shop, carrying the cage. His heart sank. There in the cage was Perry, chirping away.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Sorry, man,” the woman said. “I have to return the parrot. My husband is allergic to birds and we only found out just now. He’s had asthma since the day I bought him, and the doctor says we can’t have birds around the house. I’m sorry, hey.”
In disbelief, he stared at her. No, this couldn’t be happening. But it was.
He opened his wallet and gave her back the money he was about to spend on the necklace. He was back to square one.
There was only one thing to do – to repost the advertisement on Gumtree. Then he decided to advertise on Facebook too. None of his friends had that much money, but maybe they might know someone who would want to buy it.
It was ten days since he’d been on Facebook. The shop was quiet after lunch, so he spent a little while checking out his friends’ posts. Sim was having problems with his car again. Mzi had won two thousand on the Lotto, and he’d spent it all on clothes at Markham. Sira and Saida went to the Justin Bieber concert, and had their photos taken with him. And Motso had uploaded hundreds of photos from Thabi’s party.
He wished he could have been there. The house was awesome, and Thabi had gone to town with the food. She loved cooking. There were so many people there, dancing, and drinking and chatting around the little pool. Sim was braaing in the garden, which had a big tree and a swing. Wait – was that Karabo on the swing? But who was she cuddled up with?
He took another good look at it. The guy was Dominic. The gears of Sipho’s heart changed in a sudden jolt, and a rush of adrenalin ran through his veins. He flipped through all the photos. The rest were worse. They were dancing together, and he had his hand on her backside. Sipho felt sick. What was he going to do? The girl he loved the best in the world was slipping away from him, and there seemed to be nothing he could do.
~•~
It was three days until Valentine’s Day and Sipho was in the back room, washing the birds’ dishes. Perry was perched on his shoulder. “You’re growing up. Soon you’ll be learning to fly,” he said to the bird. “It’s a pity that I have to sell you, otherwise I would have loved to be the one to teach you how to fly. I’d have loved to keep you until you and me and Karabo are all old together. You could tell her every day how much we love her. But I have to sell you. I have to do it for Karabo. She means the world to me …”
He felt a sharp pain as he remembered the pictures that he had seen on Facebook. “What does Dominic have that I don’t?” he asked Perry. “I’m much better than that cheap bastard. Always showing off, and breaking girls’ hearts. And he’s always hanging around the bank flirting with her. Why can’t she see what he is really like?”
He finished the last dish, and opened the back door to throw the rubbish in the outside bin. It was one of those unusual summer evenings with dark grey skies.
A thunderous grumble broke out from the clouds. Perry gave a loud squawk and flapped his wings. Sipho tried to grab him, but the bird slipped out of his hand and flew out of the open door into the loading area.
“Perry!” Sipho shouted. “Perry!” He ran out into the loading zone. Big drops of rain were thundering onto the delivery lorries. People were rushing across the tar looking for shelter. A horn blared and he jumped out of the way of a lorry just in time. “Perry, Perry, come here. Perry …”
But the bird was gone.
He couldn’t chase after him now. First he had to lock up the shop. He hurried back inside. He took out his phone and dialled Karabo. “Babe, I’ve got a problem. Perry’s escaped. Can you come over?”
“Of course. I’ll just ask my boss if I can come and help you.”
He was desperate by the time Karabo arrived. Perry could be dead by now. Or stolen. They hurried out of the mall. “I think you should go and look in the park opposite,” she said. “There are so many trees there. He’s probably sitting in one. I’ll go inside and find some more people to come help us look.”
Sipho ran across the road, and began shouting again, “Perry, Perry! Where are you?” The park was full of huge ficus trees with thick, leafy branches. Perry could be hiding in any of them. The rain was pelting down, and the wind was getting stronger.
Karabo came running up behind him. “Babe, babe, did you find him yet?” She put her arms around him.
Sipho brushed her away. All he could think about was Perry getting cold and wet. He was just a baby. If he stayed out all night he’d probably die.
“Hey,” Karabo snapped. “Why did you push me away?”
“There’s no time to play lovey-dovey now. We have to find Perry.”
“It’s like you never have time for me any more. You’ve changed in recent days. If you don’t love me you should tell me.”
“Oh for God’s sake, Karabo, you know that I love you more than anything. But we have to find my bird now.” He couldn’t tell her he’d seen the photos of her and Dom together.
“Bird, bird, bird, bird. That’s all you think about. I may as well be invisible!” she shouted, then burst into tears.
Sipho was too busy peering into the trees to see her tears. He didn’t see Dom’s black Skyline come cruising past. And he didn’t see Karabo get into the car and drive off with him. By the time he looked around again, she was gone.
~•~
It was Valentine’s Day and Sipho was in the park again, searching for Perry. I’m never going to find him, he thought, searching each tree in turn. It was here, last summer, that he first met Karabo. She was sitting alone under the biggest ficus tree, wearing a bright pink floaty dress and he thought she looked like a rose, she was so pretty. He’d seen a guy selling ice creams, and he’d run up to him and bought two Magnums. He had felt a bit shy as he went up to her. Would she think he was a weird geek? But she hadn’t. He’d asked her out then and there. But that was long ago.
He still needed three thousand
for the necklace, and he was prepared to do anything to show her how much he loved her.
At eight-thirty that morning Sipho was at Cash Converters. “This PlayStation is worth R2000,” Sipho said, pulling out the receipt from his carrier bag. He put the PlayStation on the counter. “And this wristwatch with a leather strap is worth R500, excluding the custom-make,” he added. “As for this painting … mxim, I don’t want to talk … the detail says it all.” His heart raced as he added them to the pile. Karabo had given him the watch for his birthday in November, and the painting had been her Christmas present to him. She’d asked an artist to paint it for him – it was a portrait of a Yellow Naped Amazon parrot in the Amazon forest, and he loved it. But he loved her more.
“R1500. For all,” the assistant said.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Next!” the man shouted.
“OK, just hold on,” Sipho said. “And with this customised slim leather folio case for a Lumia phone, as well as this Lumia Touch. How much?”
“R2500.”
“I’ll take it,” Sipho said, downhearted. It really hurt to let the painting go. The painting had been specially made for him, and there wasn’t another one like it in the world.
He still needed R500 – and a bit to live on. There was only one person who could help him.
Sipho turned to a public phone that was just around the corner from Cash Converters. He dialled Thabi’s number. “Hey, Thabi, it’s me, Sipho.”
“Hey. What a surprise.”
“I know,” Sipho said. “Eish, girl I need help … I’m desperate. Mr Mohamed is out on a sick leave and I am a bit low on cash … Could you please lend me a thousand?” Sipho felt bad phoning Thabi. He didn’t want Thabi to think he was a parasite. But she was the only person he could turn to.
“Shame. It’s hard to get over those Christmas debts, hey?” Thabi said. “Send me your banking details.”
“Thanks, Thabi,” Sipho said with tears standing in his eyes. “You’ve just proved to be my oxygen, again.”
At twelve-thirty Sipho was at the pet store. He just couldn’t wait for Karabo to arrive. The necklace was nestled in the heart-shaped velvet box, and he had bought a bunch of red roses too. He was so excited. After all the weeks of drama she was finally going to know that he loved her. She was going to be thrilled.
He hid behind the store-room door, peeping out, so he could jump out and surprise her.
Next moment, Karabo stormed in, shouting, “Sipho! Sipho! Come out, uphi? Damn it! What did I just see in Cash Converters?”
“What?” Sipho exclaimed, hiding the box behind his back.
“Your birthday gift!” Karabo said. “I was looking for a game for Lesego, and there was the watch I gave you. Do you have any idea how much that watch cost? And the painting? You just sold them, like you don’t care? Huh?”
“Ka-Ka-Karabo …” Sipho stuttered. Then something caught his eye.
What was she wearing? What the hell?! “That necklace – where did you get it?” Sipho pointed at the red necklace hanging round her neck.
“Dominic,” Karabo said. “Dominic bought it for me while you were busy looking for your stupid bird.”
Sipho gaped like a fish in a tank. He choked. But before he could say anything, Karabo had stormed out.
~•~
It was late afternoon. The shop was quiet. Sipho opened the red box. The necklace lay on the velvet in the shape of a heart, and he felt like he’d lost everything. He’d lost Perry, he was platsak, and the love of his life was going out with the world’s biggest loser.
He took a photo of the red necklace with Mr Mohamed’s iPad, and posted it on Gumtree.
For Sale. Paid R4500. Unworn, for sale R3000. Contact Sipho at Liesbeek Pet Store, Liesbeek Mall.
Hopefully I’ll be able to buy two parrots, Sipho thought. R3000 should be enough for two African Grey chicks to breed and sell.
He was in the back washing the bird dishes when he heard a voice shouting, “Service.”
“That can’t be Dominic,” Sipho mumbled under his breath. “He wouldn’t dare …”
“Godammit. Service!”
Sipho hurried into the shop. “Damn you, Dominic. Damn!” Sipho cursed. “You bastard! You still have the balls to show up here.”
“Ey yo, man, wad up?” Dominic wouldn’t look him in the face. “Yo, dude, get over it, you ain’t getting her back. It has been written in the stars – me and Karabo – dope forever.”
Sipho’s face turned blood red instantly. He glared at Dominic. “I’m warning you, bastard. Leave before I grind you to dust!”
“Ha! Ha! Ha! What damage can a feather like you do to me?” Dominic said, pushing Sipho with his shoulder. “You should consider stand-up comedy coz you freakin’ hilarious.”
I can’t hit him, Sipho thought. I’d give anything to smash his ugly face, but if I’m caught fighting here Mr Mohamed will fire me. Then I’ll have nothing.
“Look, it’s been a long day for me,” he said. “Please leave.”
“Why, dude? I’ve got the right to buy Karabo a bird in a store of my choice. Hoping they haven’t flapped away from you like Karabo did.”
Sipho exploded in rage. “You disgust me. Just leave! You ain’t buying shit here.” He grabbed the front of Dominic’s leather jacket.
“Why?” Dominic sneered. “You’re nothing. Just this morning Karabo told me I satisfy her in bed, and that you’ve got a pinkie-sized dick.”
Sipho grabbed Dom’s neck and choked him. Dominic jabbed him in the ribs. They fell against the row of bird cages, which clattered to the floor.
“I’m going to freakin’ kill you!” Sipho yelled. Dominic’s eyes were bulging and his veins were sticking out on his forehead.
“What exactly is going on here? You are behaving like animals. Let him go, Sipho!” Karabo’s hands were tugging at him.
Dominic thrashed out again. His hand caught Karabo’s necklace. The red flowers fell apart and clattered to the floor, leaving nothing but an empty chain on her neck.
“Now look what you’ve done!” she yelled.
Sipho let go of Dominic’s neck. He bent over to collect up the beads. He picked up one of the flowers. The paint was chipping off it. Underneath it was just plastic. Karabo saw it too.
“Hey, you told me this was real. You told me you paid six thousand for it at Starlight. It’s fong-kong rubbish.”
Dominic stood rubbing his neck. “So what? It looks real.”
“You don’t really care, right?” Karabo said. “Just get out.”
As Dominic wandered out, still rubbing his neck, the phone rang. “Liesbeek Pet Store,” Sipho said, picking up the receiver.
“Is that Sipho? This is Mrs Malleson from the vet. We have found your bird – one of our clients brought him in. She found him in a tree in her garden.”
Sipho couldn’t believe his ears. He did a little dance behind the counter. He gave a thumbs up to Karabo.
She squeezed behind the counter to give him a hug. Then she saw the Gumtree ad.
“You spent R4500 on my Valentine’s present?” she asked, amazed. “Have you still got it?”
“Sure.” He opened the desk drawer and pulled out the box.
“You’ve already broken one necklace today,” he said sternly. “Are you going to break this one too? I don’t know if you deserve an expensive present like this.”
“Shhh. Baby, I’m sorry,” Karabo said, putting her arms around him. “I was only flirting … to get your attention … You were so busy with your parrot all the time …”
“I’m sorry, baby. I was so busy trying to make the money that I forgot what really matters.” Sipho opened the box, and put the red coral necklace around her neck. Then he kissed her. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Sipho’sam,” Karabo said. “You
are the greatest gift of all.”
Discussion questions
•Do you think Sipho was right to try to buy Karabo the necklace? Why or why not?
•What are the differences between Sipho and Dominic?
About the author
Mzimkhulu Mackenzie is 22 and lives in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. His poetry has been published on the FunDza Fanz section of the FunDza mobi network. Mzi worked intensively with his mentor, Helen Brain, to write ‘The red necklace’ and loved the process. It has inspired him to continue writing both fiction and non-fiction. Mzi’s dream is to study journalism.
Being a mentee …
I thought the process was fun. I really learned a lot from Helen about writing. I realised why we should encourage young people to read, and how it helps to develop your writing as well. The more I read the more ideas for writing I get.
4
SISTER TROUBLE
Helen Brain
“Eish, that was a good meal!” Mrs Malebane patted her stomach as she lay back in her new red leather armchair and turned on the new TV. “And this chair is so comfortable. How can I say thank you enough, Thabi, my darling?”
Thabi Malebane finished drying the plates of the new dinner service she had bought her mother. She’d only been home in Cofimvaba for ten days, but in that time they’d driven through to Queenstown four times so she could take her mother shopping. They’d bought a new lounge suite, a bedroom suite, new AMC pots for the kitchen, new appliances, a whole car full of linen, curtains and new clothes for her mother and her fifteen-year-old sister, Lusi, and she’d even stocked the new freezer with enough food to last six months. And now she had to get ready for the long drive back to Cape Town.
“After all you’ve done for me, Mama,” she said, packing the serving dishes away in the new kitchen cabinet. “You gave up so much to raise Lusi and me. It wasn’t easy as a single parent. That’s why ndik’role.”
“You’ve always been a good girl,” Mrs Malebane said, wiping her eyes. “That’s why the Lord has blessed you. Old Mr Katz could see into your heart. That’s why he left you his house and all his money.”