(Tshepo walks to Thabo’s home and knocks on the door)

Phumzile: Don’t break my door, whoever you are! You have no right to, only me! Goodness, I am coming! Exercise patience!

(The door opens)

Tshepo: Good evening Ma’am.

Phumzile: Evening Police Officer. How can I help you?

Tshepo: Ow, sorry about the door. I just thought that… it’s not important. I am Tshepo Malope. I am here to see…

Phumzile: He’s not home yet. He is out with his friends, at a club. I tried to stop him, but he just went anyway, saying he had finished his schoolwork. So, go to KwaLefa bar and you’ll find him there.

Tshepo: How do you know who I want to see?

Phumzile: What are you trying to tell me? That you’re here to see my daughter? How dare you? You were raised by…

Tshepo: Please, don’t get carried away! It was just a question that needed a simple answer. I didn’t mean to get you all worked up. It’s just that Thabo doesn’t do booze, at least that’s how I know him. Besides, he should be home by now. It’s very late.

Phumzile: He does, but only when he is angry. He drowns all his anger with alcohol.

Tshepo: Was he angry? You should’ve talked to him.

Phumzile: He was fuming. I never asked him the reason he was that way. Why are you asking me all this about him?

Tshepo: I think Thabo would be the best case study for my Life Orientation assignment. I am writing about Anger Management. You know… how teenagers deal with their anger and stuff.

Phumzile: If you say so. Why do I have this feeling that you’re lying? You haven’t even told me why you want to see my son this late. I hope you’re not selling him drugs, because if you’re….

Tshepo: I am not! I should get going. Have a good night.

Phumzile: Okay. Be safe out there.

Thabo: (calling from other room) Mom, what’s taking you so long? We’re waiting for you here. Who’s at the door?

Phumzile: (calling back) I am coming now! It’s insurance people. They have very bad timing these days.

Tshepo: (Turning back) Isn’t that Thabo’s voice?

Phumzile: It is. Now, leave. You’ll see him tomorrow at school. It’s now family time. We bond in this family and it’d be very rude of you to ruin that. Bye.

(Thabo comes to the door)

Thabo: Mom, shouldn’t you be…Tshepo!

(Silence)

Phumzile: I’ll leave you to it then, boys. You might want to get inside and have a cup of coffee. It’s freezing out here.

Thabo: We’ll be fine mom, thanks. We have excess Vitamin D.

Phumzile: Okay. Don’t fight… (eyeing them)

Tshepo: Your mom is overprotective.

Thabo: Wouldn’t you be?

Tshepo: I would, but only to a certain extent. I wouldn’t want my kids to be softies.

Thabo: Why are you here? Or should I guess?

Tshepo: Look, I was a jerk earlier at school. I regret every word I said to you. I am terribly sorry.

Thabo: Is that your killer sentence? Huh?

Tshepo: I don’t quite follow.

Thabo: What were you expecting Tshepo? That you’d come here, apologise, and everything would be fine?

Tshepo: No, but I was hoping that it would be a start.

Thabo: What start?

Tshepo: Between us, you know. Anyway, can we start extra classes tomorrow after school?

Thabo: I asked someone else to help you, since you don’t want my help. Sihle will meet you after school in the science class. You’ll be doing Algebra with her.

Tshepo: No! I want you, not her. Please. You’re a guy and your home is close to mine. You’re my last chance.

Thabo: It’s fine. I will see you at school.

***

(It is after school, in the science class)

Tshepo: Thanks for agreeing to help me.

Thabo: Don’t thank me yet. We haven’t even started, and your grades haven’t woken up on time! (laughing)

Tshepo: Hey, I am so offended. (touching his heart)

Thabo: Such an actor!

Tshepo: You like?

Thabo: Like what?

Tshepo: My acting skills.

Thabo: Shall we start? I am beginning to feel ready to get going.

Tshepo: Sure, we can.

Thabo: Right. Firstly, in Algebra, you have to know how to factorise, rationalise and work with radicals and inequalities before actually solving the unknowns; which I think you already know.

Tshepo: I know all that. My problem comes when I have to solve an actual equation. I mix up stuff, so much so that I end up losing all the marks assigned for that question.

Thabo: Okay. Let’s look at this first problem. (x+2)(x-5)=0. Here the equation is already factored. The only thing you have to do is to equate each factor in to zero, then solve each equation separately. So, what will be the answer?

Tshepo: That’ll be x=-2 or x=5.

Thabo: That’s correct. Let’s look at the other problems.

(They continue until it is dark outside)

Thabo: It’s already dark. We have to dismiss now, but we’ll continue tomorrow. Don’t forget to practice at least ten problems before you sleep.

Tshepo: Sure, sir! Hey, aren’t we walking together?

Thabo: I don’t know. Your girlfriend isn’t here to pick you up?

Tshepo: No. I told her that she wouldn’t have to. So, it’s set. We are going to walk together. I can’t believe we’ve never walked together from school and our homes are so close to each other.

Thabo: You never had time for boys, not even your friends. You are always chasing one skirt after the other.

Tshepo: What can I say? Girls dig me. You look rather cold. You even have chicken skin. Here, please use my jersey. I have one in my bag.

Thabo; Thank you. Why do you have two jerseys?

Tshepo: It was a coincidence.

Thabo: Why don’t you have a sleep over at my place tonight? I can help you with the homework I gave you, then we can watch a movie afterwards.

Tshepo: It’s the middle of the week. My folks won’t understand.

Thabo: I never thought about that, you know. We’re here. You can have your jersey back now, thanks.

Tshepo: I’ll take it some other day. Keep it for now.

Thabo: O-ka-y! I’ll leave you then. See you tomorrow.

(They walk in different directions. Tshepo arrives at his home to his waiting parents)

Mandla: Finally, you decided to come back! Where have you been? I know you didn’t have any sport practice today.

Tshepo: I was trying to save my Maths grade, dad. I had a tutorial session with Thabo.

Mandla: Very good, now you’re starting to be responsible. Now, go and tell your mother that you’re home. She was sickly worried about you, that maybe something awful had happened to you. You didn’t even answer her calls!

Tshepo: (fishing for his phone) Sorry, it was on Silent. Fifty-six missed calls, all from mom. Where is she?

Mandla: In our room, probably soaking in the tub.

Tshepo: Let me go to her, then.

Mandla: Empty handed?

Tshepo: Yes, why?

Mandla: You’re incredible! You’re not even observant. What do I usually do to calm your mother? Or when I apologise?

Tshepo: You make her hot chocolate and serve it in bed.

Mandla: And?

Tshepo: And what dad? I’m not her husband, you are. Mom will light up like a birthday candle if she sees me safe and sound. All she needs now is to know that I am fine. I’ll do the explaining part.

Mandla: I won’t allow you to go there without a cup of hot chocolate. It’s on the table top in the kitchen, ready to be served, by you. Now, off you go.

Tshepo: Okay, okay.

(Tshepo goes to the kitchen, takes the cup and climbs the staircase to his parents’ room)

Tshepo: Mom! Can I come in?

Thembi: Don’t you ever do this to me again! Since when do you come back at this time of night without telling us? You might be eighteen, but you’re still my son. I was terrified that something might have…I don’t want to think about that now. Where have you been?

Tshepo: Dad will tell you. Can I ask you something?

Thembi: Ask right away.

Tshepo: May I sleep at Thabo’s house tonight? He is helping me with Maths, and I need extra classes to pass it.

Thembi: So, you were not out boozing?

Tshepo: You’re unbelievable. Have some faith in me, please. You’re my mother, you’re bound to. So, may I sleep at his house?

Thembi: Okay, if you’re really going to study.

Tshepo: Thanks. Here is your hot chocolate. Enjoy!

Thembi: How did you know? …your father told you!

Tshepo: Yes, he did. He knows you like the back of his hand!

Thembi: Go, before I change my mind.

Tshepo: Ek is lief vir jou, ma.

(Tshepo goes downstairs to his father)

Mandla: Where are you going to, young man?

Tshepo: To Thabo’s. See you in the morning, dad.

***

Tell us: Shouldn’t Tshepo wait for the next day to sleep over?