It was a sweet summer in Soweto in Johannesburg. It was 1994 around the time apartheid laws were dropped and the ANC came into power. In a little area called Pimville lived a young man called Ryan. He was a reporter at a local news station. He was assigned to release a story about the new age South Africa was about to venture into. He went to the downtown train station to get information and comments from the people there to find out how they felt about this newly found freedom.
It hit 5 o’clock and the station started to quieten down. It became so quiet he could hear rats running around in the stinky rubbish bins and could feel the vibrations of an incoming train. He could also see the smoke the train was releasing. It was pitch black and so thick that you could cut through it with a knife. As he was about to leave he dropped his wallet and as he bent down to pick it up another hand got it first. He looked up to see who had taken his wallet. He saw a beautiful girl with a nice afro, white dress and a little brown leather purse. Ryan felt the words run out of his mouth leaving him speechless while gazing at her. He stood up and the girl said, “You dropped this. My name is Martha.”
He heard her voice and it paralysed every muscle in his body.
He said, “Thanks, my name is Ryan.”
She giggled. “Well Ryan, guessing from your camera I would say you’re a journalist.”
Ryan replied. “Yes, I’m doing a story about the country’s new found freedom. What is your occupation?”
“I am a nurse at Baragwanath hospital. I just started four months ago.”
“That’s nice Martha… so where do you stay?”
“In Pimville,” said Martha, smiling.
Ryan looked puzzled. “Me too. I have never seen you before.”
“I just moved here. Well Ryan, I will see you around then. Bye.”
“Goodbye,” said Ryan.
Ryan knew that Martha was the girl for him because she made him feel happy. The next day Ryan bumped into Martha and started smiling when he saw her.
“Hey, Martha,” Ryan said.
“Hi,” Martha smiled.
“What’s with the bags? Are you leaving?”
“Yes, I have to go back home. My grandma is sick.”
“I guess this is a goodbye.”
“I guess it is and I don’t know how long I will be gone.”
Ryan frowned. “I’ll wait for you.”
“Please do,” said Martha.
They bid each other goodbye and that was the time that Ryan realised he was in love.
