Black & White

- 05 -

C H A P T E R   F I V E

"Uqambe amanga kimi," (You lied to me) Mama's voice was sharp, her eyes burning with disappointment.

"Mama, ngiyaxolisa, kodwa bekumele ngenze njalo," (I'm sorry Mama, but I had to) I replied softly, my head bowed. The weight of her eyes was too much.

"You really thought I wouldn't find out? Mrs. Bosman called me."

"I'm sorry, okay, but with you like this... you won't be going back to work anytime soon. If I don't take that job, Mama, we're going to starve."

Mama's voice rose, quivering with anger. "Out of all the work you could do here in Soweto, you choose to be a domestic worker? Do you honestly think scrubbing their floors and washing their filthy clothes is what I raised you for?!"

"No, Mama, but it pays the bills."

"You are not going back to that house!" Her command was final, but it did not move me.

I approached her bed, bending down to kiss her forehead. "I'm sorry, Mama. I have to. I love you."---I had been at the Bosmans' house nearly a week now. Mama was showing signs of recovery, but still, I rose early every morning to walk to work, returning before sunset to care for her. Mrs. Bosman was merciful enough to let me leave earlier than most, knowing Mama's condition. It wasn't easy. Nothing was easy, but I had no choice.

I was pinning the last of the laundry to the line when I heard a bark, sharp and sudden, slicing through my thoughts. I spun around, startled, and there it was: a small white dog, patches of black scattered across its fur.Before I could think, a scream escaped my lips as the creature barreled toward me. Instinct took over. "Voetsek! Voetsek!" I shouted, stepping back.

Norman's voice cut through the noise. "He won't hurt you!" he called, laughing. "He just wants to play!"

He whistled, and the dog stopped in its tracks, head cocked, before darting back to him, jumping into his arms and licking his face with wild affection.

Norman approached, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Meet Jackson. He's harmless, just a softie."I frowned, not amused. "Oh yeah? Are you sure he wasn't trained to bark at black people?"

His smile faltered, surprise flickering across his face. "No, no, not at all. My family isn't like that.""Not like what? Racist?" I shot back, my voice sharper than intended.

"You can't even say the word."

I turned away, grabbing the laundry basket, feeling the weight of more than just the day's work.

Voetsek
- an offensive South African expression of dismissal or rejection.