The next day I went to school, keeping busy would help me keep focus, I thought to myself. At least that’s what I thought, until Worm and his crew came along.

“Ja klein meisie! I heard you joined poetry club. Guess rugby was too much of a man’s sport for you!” Worm said and they burst in laughter.

Worm was the rugby captain and hottest jerk in the school. And he was apparently rich too. He acted like he owned the world and I disliked him.

“Let’s go gents, before Shakespeare goes off,” he continued as they walked away.

After school I went to the hospital to check on my father. I promised him that we would make a plan to save him. I got home and Tumi wasn’t there. Maybe she was still at the farm I thought. Maybe they wanted to help us. Remy arrived to check up on me.

“Eh madzala! Zkhiphan?” he greeted as he stood at the door.

“Sure Remy, Eish mfana ku-rough!” I said.

“Yini manje?” Remy asked.

“My father is sick, he has cancer and needs an operation. But it’s going to cost close to R90 000.” I said.

“Yho! Hade boy, I didn’t know. Manje what’re you going to do?” he asked

“I don’t know. Waiting for Tumi to come back and say what the Coles said about helping us with the money” I said. I preceded cleaning and cooking as we waited for Tumi to come back. She eventually arrived.

“So sis, bathini are they going to help us?” I asked curiously.

“No they won’t. Cabanga wena after ubaba worked for them for 27 years! Bathi they won’t risk losing that kind of money. How are we going to pay them back even if u baba does the operation there’s still a chance that he might die after.” Tumi said as she went to her room.

That was our only hope. If we don’t get any help from them how are we going to get that cash? I went out for a walk. There was a possibility that my father could die and there was nothing I could do. I arrived back at home much later. I could hear voices from inside the house.

“It’s the only way we can get the money,” a male voice said.

“I don’t know. I doubt Q would agree to this. Even I don’t feel comfortable with this,” Tumi responded.

I walked in and Tumi was with her no good boyfriend, Glen. They went quiet as if I had interrupted them. Glen got up and told Tumi to think about it as he left.

“Think about what?” I asked Tumi.

“So Glen says there is a way we can get hold of that money,” Tumi said.

“Glen, the thug you are dating?”

“Yes…”

“Really now? You told him about our problems? He can’t help us!” I said.

“Yes he can! Quinton we must try everything we can to help ubaba,” Tumi responded.

“Fine! How is he going to help us? Rob a bank and give us the cash?” I asked

“Something like that!” Tumi said.

“I am not going to turn into a criminal, Tumi,” I said heading into my room.

The next day I couldn’t concentrate at school, the pressure of helping my dad was getting to me. After school I went straight home; I couldn’t face my dad knowing that we couldn’t help him. I found Tumi and her boyfriend, Glen sitting and waiting for me.

“I am not doing this Tumi, I won’t do it!” I said as I entered the house.

“Just hear him out and then we will decide what to do. Please buthi wam,” Tumi pleaded.

“It’s nothing complicated or dangerous, just straight forward. You know the summer games are coming up in two weeks’ time?” he asked looking from Tumi to me. Tumi nodded and I just blankly stared at him. This was a bad idea. “Word has it that they make a whole lot of money in those shows,” Glen continued.

“So you want us to rob the game shows. How are we going to do that? It’s not like they keep the money around with them throughout the weekend,” I said

“No they don’t. A friend of mine told me that the organizers keep the money at their place throughout the weekend.” Glen said.

“Organizers I thought this was a municipal thing. Who are these organizers?” Tumi asked.

“The Coles. They are the organizers.” Glen said.

Tumi and I just looked at each other in disbelief. We possibly couldn’t rob the Coles; not just them but we couldn’t rob anyone. What if we get caught, what would our father say? Glen left; he could see that we needed to adjust to what he was suggesting us to do.

I couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about our situation. Tumi didn’t sleep either from the sounds that came from the kitchen. But we had to make a decision; the games were coming up soon.

***

Tell us: What would you do if you were in Quinton’s shoes?