When my friend told me about his new pretty female friend I knew that it meant trouble. These stories have a different take, but all of them share a common ending. Provided that in this era of rapid communication a lot can go down on the phone. I hoped Keketso new that and could stay weary of that fact.

It’s not a big deal to make friends. But for a guy in his mid-twenties, and married at that, I believe young charismatic and friendly women are supposed to be out of the equation. He met her at the mall and there and then they just clicked or something like that. But a single guy, with nothing happening like me, opinion was of no concern. But either way what I said was, “Be careful”. It was a premonition I had that this was not a good thing.

The friendship went on for some time, a month or two, then three months then we forgot about it or we did not discuss it who knows; until one Friday when we where babysitting or should I say when Keketso was babysitting. His wife was at a stokvel meeting with my sister. His phone rang and it was her, the beautiful friend from the mall. For Christ sake, a call from a woman to a married man at 9pm, 9 good ole pm. I advised him not to take it.

But being the difficult fellow he has always been he took the call anyway. From the background I eavesdropped on the conversation. “Koki can you come over please,” in tears, “I don’t know what to do,” said the lady on call. We were just babysitting. Keketso’s wife would not be around until at least who knows when. So I had to babysit their daughter for him.

Imagine the reckless behavior, this by a father. In this days of pedophilia and sexual abuse who still leaves their six year old daughter with some guy? A negligent parent I guess. Maybe I lost my trust in all humanity or I just watched a lot of news. So there I was left babysitting, how ungrateful.

We watched some Disneyland Channel shows until the poor little thing went to sleep. Man the poor little girl was an angel; she did not give uncle Gomo an ounce of trouble. I tried calling the father but all his three phones went to voicemail. He called around half-past eleven short of breath and said to me, “Boy tell Kea that I had to go to work, will be back tomorrow 9am”.

So my friend was asking me to lie in broad daylight. Wait it was at night, so my friend was asking me to lie in the dark dim light – imagine.

So I waited until Kea returned from the meeting because I could not leave the poor little Reneilwe in the house alone — after all I was a good guy. So Kea eventually came back. I told her the biggest fattest lie I have ever mustered in my life.

“Um Neo it was short staffed at the hospital so Keketso had to take up a seven-hour shift. He will be back tomorrow at 9am”.

My heart raised wilder than a horse but I bet she believed me. I was well on my way when Kea offered me a drink. I sat down and she had a glass of wine whilst I had juice because with my condition when I was drunk, I would be prefer not to take alcohol.

Then after the glass of juice I said bye-bye. But as I was about to leave the house Kea closed the door behind me. She locked it, leaned in and kissed me. I was going to resist because she was Keketso’s wife, but good ole Keketso was out at some woman’s place.

So I convinced myself that I was doing a good thing. Just filling in his absence.

In the morning I woke up and went on my way. On the way I asked myself, so two people married to each other were both cheating? But who was I to judge.

So I was caught in a four-way lie. But I still convinced myself that I was not the bad guy.

***

Tell us: What do you think of Gomo’s decision to be intimate with his best friend’s wife?