Scattered Stars

Chapter 3

Naledi

After school I had to do some shopping, Mama gave me a list of all the things I need to buy including maize meal and some sanitary pads. The worrying thing is maize meal is really heavy, I would have bought it back in the township by the tuck shops but mama doesn't trust the Somalians who sell it; apparently they are manufacturing their own products instead of properly buying them and some of their food has expired or doesn't have an expiration date. Rumor has it someone found fish inside their coca-cola bottle, so I was not taking any chances.

I had to get off the train at the next stop, I could have bought the grocery in Hawe (that's the name of the town) but things are crazy expensive and considering the small amount of money I had with me, it wouldn't be enough to buy all the things on the list.

Getting off at the station I notice some veggies being sold on the side of the road and I make a note to save some money to buy them. After 45 minutes of walking, I finally arrive at the shops, first on the list, soap.

After an hour of shopping, I came across a bar of chocolate worth R10 and I immediately thought of Lethabo and Lesedi but I also thought back to the sack of small potatoes worth R10 I saw at the train station. I sigh heavily slightly frustrated at my decision of leaving the chocolate on the shelve ...' one day I'll be able to buy them as much chocolate as I want.'

I make my way to the till and smile at the lady, her name tag reads Sarah, she doesn't bother to smile back at me, she must be feeling grumpy today, I empty the trolley at the till while Sarah is scanning the products, she constantly scratches her head and pats weave.

"Sorry ousi [sister], could you please stop scratching your hair because some of your dandruff is going to end up in my food." She looks up at me and rolls her eyes and scratches her weave again while looking at me. Is she being serious? She doesn't know I've dealt with way worse skanks than her and her lice filled weave.

I turn around and I see a young man in their shop uniform so I stop him; "excuse me could I please speak to a manger."

"Yes mam, but if I may ask what's the problem?"

"I would like to put in a complaint against this cashier." I turned around to face her and her finger was still in her weave but she looked like she had momentarily been frozen, her drawn eyebrows raised high in surprise.

The nice gentleman worker or whatever asked, "what would you like to report her for?"

"Are you the manager?"

"No."

The cashier lady stood up, "what's your problem wena?[you]"

I ignored her and turned back to the man." I asked to see the manager, I don't want to repeat myself."

He nodded frantically and left. Now the people who were behind me were curiously glancing at me, and the cashier lady looked like she was ready to jump me, oh I wish she would. If she's feeling jumpy that frog better leap.
After attending Hoerskool Hawe you learn to be assertive, doesn't matter who you are but you never ever let any Homo Saipan walk all over you and disrespect you.

The manager arrives a few minutes later. He was an Indian man wearing their red and blue uniform but with a different colored tie.

"Hello I'm Keith the manager of Goodwin Supermarket, you asked to see me."

"Well Keith, you see my name is Naledi and I am a devoted loyal customer to your store and you normally provide me with excellent service, but today your service wasn't exactly excellent," I said referring to the cashier Sarah.