2. Policeman in my face

"Nobody can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own." ~ Sydney Harris

-

Leonardo Le Roux.

"I will be back before you know it babe." I kissed her, biting on her bottom lip.

"I know but will you be okay ?" She said in a worried tone. Grace always cared about me, we had been dating for a year now. The longest relationship, i have ever been in besides it doesn't mean in that whole year i was faithful...

"Sir, it's time to go." My chauffeur, Thomas interrupted before I could respond I was pulled into a hug. I hugged Grace back smelling the faint lavender from her blonde hair.

"I will miss you, please call when you can ?" She whispered almost breaking into tears.

"I know, i will." I gave her a soothing kiss before pulling away.

-

I went to take a seat inside business class, right next to my father who was focused on his news paper. My father wanted me to see a different view of life, i had recently graduated from four years of law school at twenty four, i have my whole life ahead of me.

"Your girlfriend is quite clingy." My father said his eyes still fixated on his newspaper.

"Grace is lovely, Father." I replied.

"I didn't disagree to any of that." He muttered as a matter of fact.

"Father ?" I called him and then he finally faced up. "Why are we going to South Africa and why are you taking me ? Why didn't you take Daniel or Nicolaas there ?"

He chuckled lightly turning to the next page. "You never fail to amaze me, Leo."

"But Father-" i was cut off by a hostess. "Gentleman, may I offer you anything to drink ?"

"Your finest white whine please." My father curtly replied. She wrote down and looked at me...

"Nothing for me." I said with haste waiting for her to go away.

"Daniel is a doctor..." My father said out of the blew. "Nicolaas is a mechanical engineer." He paused. "You are a lawyer and by far my favourite son. I want to show you a different side of this world...There are alot of opportunities in Africa especially in South Africa because it's a Dutch colony, we have an advantage. Black Americans freed themselves from oppression but the South Africans haven't because we have a tight leash on them. This is the time to drain all the resource from South Africa before they wake up from their slumber."

"I want to earn an honest living, i don't want anything to do with slavery." I deadpanned.

"Slavery ?" He chuckled. "Who said anything about Slavery this is the nineteenth century, Leo."

"So what do you call it then ? Racism."

"You are so innocent, son. So innocent ..." He muttered under his breath.

"Please put on your seat belts the flight will be taking off soon." The intercom bellowed in less than ten minutes the flight took off. One thing I know for sure is this is going to be a long flight.

-

Tsholofelo Mofokeng.

"I'm going to beat that boer (Dutch Man) up." My brother Samkelo said in an angry tone. " How dare he throw his coffee in your face !"

"Sam, calm down. I'm okay besides have you heard anything about Baba (father)?" I asked feeling horrible. Mr. De Ruiter was the least of my worries right now, my father was still missing.

"Tsholo, why do you care ? it's not like he cares about us." Sam didn't like talking about our alcoholic father, he hated him. We were currently walked down the street in the white surbubia in Roordeport, on my way to work after a Tiring weekend at home. On Friday, i cooked a feast and cleaned up only for Ruiter to tell me..."I just wanted to see how you would do, they arrive on Maandag (Monday) let me taste the food."

I was fuming with anger, i mean who does that. "Sam don't be like that." I looked up to my brother, he was taller than me and his dark brown skin that made girls in Soweto go crazy. I honestly can't picture my brother as a Shisa (hot guy.)

"Anyways, how are you gonna go back home ? You don't have a Pass ?" Because I'm so unfortunate I immediately saw a white policeman with a dog coming towards us. If they arrest Sam, oh God what will I do ?

"Don't panic. ." He whispered as the intimidating man approached us, the dog started barking at my brother and sniffing him. Goodness don't tell me he was smoking.

"Kaefers (what whites call blacks eg. Nigro), Can I see your Dom-Pass? " He yelled making me yelp.

"Ja (yes), Meneer (Sir.)..." I took out my pass giving it to him my hand shaking.

"You work for Mr. De Ruiter huh Kaefer ?" I nodded my head more than I could count.

"And you Kaefer, where is your Dom-Pass?" He said looking at my brother who didn't seem to care. If there was anyone who didn't have a care in the World is my brother. Before he could answer, i saw Mr. De Ruiter on the balcony having his coffee while watching us like a hawk.

"Goeie Morè (Good Morning), Meneer (Sir) ?" The policeman suddenly had respect after he called us Kaefers.

"Morning Randy." Mr. De Ruiter said taking another sip.

"This young man doesn't have a pass, does he by any chance work for you ?" The so called Randy questioned. Mr. De Ruiter was evil enough to let my brother rot in jail but I was praying somewhere behind that hard rock he has a heart. I looked at him with pleading eyes so that he says yes.

"Yes, he's actually starting today."

Relief was clear on my face, as I silently thanked Ruiter but the dog kept barking at my brother until Randy handed me my pass then I went inside De Ruiter mansion.

"Why was the dog backing at you ?" I asked my brother fuming with anger, as I walked in front.

"Because I'm black." He said in a nonchalant tone, i just wanted to slap that grin off he's face.

"Sam, where you smoking ? Again." I demanded an answer.

"Just a little." He shrugged.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN ? JUST A LITTLE. SAM THOSE FRIENDS AIN'T GOOD FOR YOU...HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I TELL YOU." I yelled.

"I'm the older one here so stop treating me like a child." He looked anywhere else but me.

"You don't act like it njeh." I paused calming myself down. " You need a job, you know i make too little for both of us to survive." I muttered my tears on the edge.

"That's because you allow them to abuse you and pay you peanuts. Well sorry to burst your burble but I have bigger dreams besides South Africa. There is freedom out there, do you think everyone else is still under colonisation like South Africa haha you are so naive." He chuckled but it hurt.

"I want to go to America, England, Sweden and so many places. My dreams are bigger than working for a Mr. De Ruiter who pays you what ? R50 ($4) a week." He continued, i was hurt really hurt.

"FELOOOOOOOO IN MY OFFICE RIGHT THIS MINUTE !!!"

I slowly moved away from my brother, who looked at me with no sense of remorse after the awful words he had just said. On my way to Mr. De Ruiter's study, i tried to digest what Sam had just said. With everything I put up, he doesn't even appreciate it...does he really think I also don't have dreams and aspirations. He should be realistic for once.

I knocked softly on the door and opened when I was given approval.

"Yes, Meneer." I said in a low tone.

"You do understand, i had to lie for your filthy brother." I nodded.

"You won't be receiving this week's wage." Mr. De Ruiter was dead serious, i honestly felt like crying. My jaw dropped but nothing came out, i couldn't protest maybe Sam was right. This is a shitty job.

"You may leave and Aldo went to pick up the guests at the airport so escort your brother out and prepare lunch while Thembi sets their rooms." He instructed me putting back his spectacles.

"Close the door on your way out." He snapped me out of my thoughts, i didn't know why i just kept standing there. I felt so heavy probably the burdens that I have to carry on my shoulders.

I made my way to the green lawn, where my brother had his hands in his pocket with his worn out converse.

"I will see this weekend.." I muttered.

"What's wrong Tsholo ? What did he say ?" He asked in an worried tone.

"Nothing, i won't be receiving this week's pay." My lips were quivering as I wanted to cry but I couldn't.

"WHAT WHY ?? TSHOLO HE CANNOT DO THAT !" My brother yelled.

"It's fine just go before you cause anymore trouble." I gestured for him to go towards the big silver gates.

"Tsholo.." He called when I was about to walk away.

"Yes." I sighed.

"Can I please have money for taxi ?" He said in a low voice. I hate my life nothing ever goes well for me. I took out a R10 ($1) hopefully it would sustain him for a week but knowing my brother he would spend it all on gambling.

"I love you Tsholo." He cooed when I handed him the R10 note.

"I know." I smiled weakly.

-

"They are here, they are here." Thembi shook me by my shoulders, i was so annoyed.

"Stop stop, i get it." I yelled and continued wiping the kitchen island.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Thembi sneered but I waved it off, i did not want to talk.

"FELOOOOOOOO..."

Here we go again I thought as I made my way to the living room. I bumped into Aldo who was struggling to carry the luggage up the stairs.

When I got there Mr. De Ruiter was sitting on one of his expensive leather couches opposite him were two other Boers (why do I sound so bitter). The man had wrinkles on his face but was dressed in a formal suit that looked like it could buy my life. He was laughing at something Ruiter said. He actually has a sense of humour.

Beside him was a.... I need to breath. He had brown hair and his eyes were crystal blue, my breath hitched when he noticed me undressing him in my mind.

"Felo, get us some wine the finest from Cape gardens." I nodded.

What just happened ? I think I'm losing it. I'm supposed to be angry. I hate my life remember.