Sanity

Love and Hate

Mduduzi slumped on the bed next to Mavis his mind racing on the past week's events. He'd been a plumber, an electricuted electrician, a mud boy, a car washer, a painter and ,smelliest of all, a fish sorter at the harbour. That Wednesday he'd had to buy soap to bath and wash his clothes at the beach before heading home. If Mavis had smelt anything she hadn't let on. He was glad to finally get a chance to rest and be besides the love of his life.

The subtle rose smell of her skin was alluring, tempting him to wake her up from her nap. He kissed her arm and she cradled into his lap as her snore grew louder. It was odd that she was asleep during the day, fully dressed with shoes on. The back of her ankles were covered with a film of dust and her hand bag sat beside her on the bed. Mduduzi didn't mind her going out, infact he encouraged it, but he wondered whether she'd found his money stash and bought the blanket they were lying on. It certainly was a beautiful soft blanket (even though it had a weird smell) but a purchase like that wouldn't allow him ample time to pay the rent.

Anxiety mounted his already droopy shoulders and hammered in a headache. He wanted to spend time with Mavis as he'd always done on weekends but not being able to secure a permanent job was threatening to push him out the door the next day. He lay face up now with his knees up, tenting the sheet he'd lay on himself and Mavis. The scratch of birds on the tin roof scattered his thoughts but held him firmly imprisoned in worry.

" Mduduzi put your legs down you're making me cold." Mavis rasped in annoyance.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Mduduzi lay straight for a beat.

"Why are you fidgeting so much?" 

" I'm sorry my love." He turned to embrace her and she stood up leaving him empty.

"You don't have to cook, I bought burgers. It's Friday remember." He spoke over the clanging of the pots.

"Did you hear me?" 

She stopped, breathing through her flared nostrils with her eyes shut. 

"Are you-"

"When were you going to tell me you lost your job Mduduzi?"

His heart skipped a beat then ravaged his chest threatening to tell on him.

"I didn't lose my job." He smirked at his hands as he always did when he lied.

"Right. So how come on Tuesday your clothes were stained with paint then on Wednesday you smelt like you'd been baptized in rotten fish?" She gagged as she said the latter.

"Ian asked me to paint his office and I...Dorathy Spiller her fish on me when she cames to sell at work. I always tell her, 'Dorathy don't put that whole container on your head one day it will fall.' And you see this time it fell all over me. I was covered in oil my love, you should feel sorry for me." His eyes were glued to his hands as though reading a script.

Mavis couldn't help but laugh at his sad attempt to cover up his lie. 

"I was at your old job today. Ian told me he had to fire you."

He looked at her like a child in trouble about to get a beating. The lines that had highlighted the twinkle in his eyes when he laughed had relocated to surround the sadness of his mouth. Her once strong armed man's shoulders drooped in defeat melting her heart and she just had to cradle him to her bossom.

"All this and you still managed to get me a burger." She punched his arm playfully.  "You really know how to take care of your woman."

***********

Mduduzi woke up tired and stiff from sleeping on the floor for the second week. With the limited space of living in a one room with only a bed and a chair his only escape from Mavis' recent temper was the cold floor. She looked so peaceful now sleeping in his t-shirt and the fluffy pyjama pants he'd bought her. She'd become so angry lately that he really did not know what to do anymore.