“Daniel, I want to use the toilet.” he said shyly.

“Come.” he pulled him out.

There was a queue to the small, rectangular shack. Some were holding tissues and others newspapers. Michael assumed that that was the toilet which people were queuing to use. Daniel looked around then looked at Michael.

“We will use the one in town. Do you want to pee or…” Daniel said, laughing.

“Just a pee.” he answered.

Daniel pointed to the tree where some men were also peeing. Michael turned his back and relieved himself. They took a walk down the road which had plenty of people rushing to work. Daniel pushed a man and Michael saw it was on purpose, but didn’t know why he did it. He quickly apologised and the man ran off. When they stood by the corner, Daniel pulled out a fat wallet from his pocket.

“Today, I will have breakfast.” he chuckled.

“Did you…?” he asked puzzled.

“This is how we live.”

There were hundreds rand notes. He took them out and threw the wallet in a bin. Daniel bought breakfast; bread, fried eggs and viennas. He then asked which juice flavour Michael wanted. Michael fancied a Coke. They poured it in two paper cups and ate sitting on the benches.

Michael got taught how to steal without being noticed. Daniel said Musa had taught him all the tricks; taught him to use drugs, but they were just using small amounts so they could not be addicted.

Michael liked sniffing cocaine, it helped him to relax and forget his problems. Instead of using a little, he became a daily user. They only went to look for work month-end because that’s when they were only hired. Michael only got daily jobs like washing cars, fixing carpentry, gardening and other piece jobs.

Most of their money was from drugs and snatching other people’s wallets. Daniel could pay rent, Michael bought himself fancy clothes and a new Smartphone. Daniel didn’t like fancy things like Michael, he ignored them since their lifestyle was different. During the first days of the month, the people’s wallets sold drugs downtown. They swapped locations every time they knew they stole a lot. Michael chased girls at the tavern. One girl, Lesedi, showed an interest in him so he would take her in the shack.

“Michael, are you serious about me?” Lesedi asked.

“What do you mean, baby?” he asked.

“Am I going to be the only one?” she asked.

“Yes, I love you.” he smiled.

He had sex with her but she wasn’t the only one in his life. He dated any woman who got attracted to him. It made him never return home.

He wasn’t the only one who didn’t travel back to Zimbabwe. They had forsaken their families and forget their roots. Family back home was worried about them, they searched and never found them.

Michael’s life had become one of drugs and stealing. To this day, his family doesn’t know where is. He never returned home. He didn’t think what will happen if he died. Daniel also hasn’t returned home. They lost all contact and didn’t care what will happen to them. South Africa has become their home.

***

Tell us: Why do you think young people easily get distracted by the glitz and glamour and forget their goals?