Several months later after the wedding Thulisile Gumede went to stay with Bhekizulu at his mother’s house in Zola. In the early morning she was seen in the yard sweeping up the dust. Joseph drove by hooting his Chev, Thulisile glanced up mid-sweep to see him.

Bhekizulu’s merry days had expired; it was time to get back to work. Thulisile helped him pack his bags into the boot. He went on to join Joseph in the front seat, after closing the door Joseph started the vehicle, slowly he started to reverse. “I forgot to kiss you goodbye” said Bhekizulu to his wife while smiling at her. Thulisile ran with a kiss as Joseph slowly drove away. As they drove off Bhekizulu paid homage to his infatuated lover by tipping his hat in her direction.

Months later at Scotland firm, everybody was called to the floor. Their Afrikaner boss Terrence Wessels and Rudolf, their manager, were on the stand and the staff gathered at the storage basement.

“I know these are tough times for all of us. I’m sorry to say that the company is also struggling, because of this we are having to shut down.” said Rudolf sadly. After hearing the bad news Bhekizulu’s head fell down in defeat, while the other laborers caused an uproar.

“Is there a problem?” asked Hanna, while the security workers threw their hands up in the air as they walked out one by one.  “Will they double our payment?” asked Bhekizulu. Hanna was bitter in his response, “Did you not read your contracts? We don’t issue pensions, or any kind of compensation for that matter.” Their boss left the stage and the light caught his gold ring as he walked, Rudolf sighed while joining him shortly after.

“The devil knows I have to come back for that ring!”, said Bhekizulu. Joseph and Bhekizulu kept staring at the door that their boss had departed from.

Later that night Thulisile was in her room with the lights out when she heard Joseph’s car close by. She then heard her husband’s voice. She opened her bedroom window to see if it was really him. Thulisile rushed to the kitchen to help him with his bags as he battled to push himself through the door. His mother was disheartened to see Bhekizulu. In the sitting room he explained everything to them.

“Those bastards won’t pay us after so many years!” said Bhekizulu. The women sat listening while staring at an old clock across the table, they were both disappointed by the event.

The next day Bhekizulu was out for the entire day, Thulisile sat outside on the bench thinking hard about her one year child, Sizakele who was playing on the dry land near the gate. By nightfall Bhekizulu came back home drunk, from her dark room Thulisile could hear chairs, plates and other kitchen objects crash.

“What time is it? Why do you come back home drunk everyday? And then start making noise in my house! You just won’t change! You’re just like you father – you’re nothing but trouble! I hope you get out of my house soon!” yelled Mrs Gumede. She struggled to understand his response because he was drunk and slurring.

The next day after the fight, his mother came home from work before sundown to kick them all out of her house. As per usual when she arrived Bhekizulu was not home yet. “I’m sorry to let you go my child but Bhekizulu has gotten out of control.” said Mrs Gumede to her daughter-in-law. While she was talking to Thulisile an old truck stopped outside the house, a group of boys who had been playing in the dirt opened the gate.

Mrs Gumede helped Thulisile pack some clothes, bedding, a few chairs, pots and a few other things into the back of the truck. Thulisile sat in the front of the truck with her child while her mother-in-law tried to explain that this was not easy for her but she did not have the strength to fight with her son anymore. “May god be with you throughout this.” said Mrs Gumede and with that she stood aside so that the truck could drive away.

That night Bhekizulu came home drunk and banged on the door. “I know you’re not sleeping in there! I can see your bed room window light on from all the way down here!” he shouted and banged on the door again. “Open the door woman!” he screamed. Mrs Gumede opened the kitchen window and shouted at her son, “I told you to stop drinking over the past few weeks. Get away from my house and don’t come back! I have found another place for you and Thulisile to stay at. She left earlier with all your belongings.” Bhekizulu loudly replied, “This house was my investment. I spent all my time working on it and building it! I’m not going anywhere!”

This angered Mrs Gumede and she said “I am done babying you Bhekizulu, now leave and if you come back here I will have to call the police!” and with that she quickly closed her window. “You’re kicking me out?” cried Bhekizulu while staring at the closed window.

He walked clumsily into the informal settlement, the place had no electricity but he managed to find his way in the dark and entered the fenced-gate. Bhekizulu opened the door to find Thulisile and Sizakele sitting next to a burning pot on the stove. Lit by candles the interior had two rooms, the sitting room and kitchen were interlinked  and the bedroom was portioned off by a curtain for privacy. When Bhekizulu walked in she gave him the plastic bag filled with their money. He closed the door behind him and sat down on the bed with the money and began to count it. Shortly afterwards Thulisile joined him and sat nearby.

When he had finished counting the money he stood up, blew out the candles and got ready to head out again. Just before he was out the door Thulisile stopped him and said, “Maybe you shouldn’t have argued with your mother.” As she said that Bhekizulu became extremely angry and smacked her.

 

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Tell us what do you think: Bhekizulu’s behaviour is getting out of hand, what do you think makes him behave the way he does? What are some of the things Thulisile could do to help him out?