“I don’t understand.” I said to myself aloud. “There has been a mistake or my phone is crazy.”

“You are mad because the network doesn’t allow you to send your wife money?” Martin said laughing, which pissed me off even more.

“It’s not the network Martin, my money, it’s all gone.”

“How, that can’t be possible.”

I felt like I was going crazy. Just last month I represented the Mayor and won the case; Eighty thousands Rands was deposited in my account. Not to mention my savings and all…”

Heat came over me like I was going to faint.

“Sbu, you need to breathe. Do not pass out on me. Do you want me to call a doctor? An ambulance maybe?”

“Just explain to me how hundred-thousands of rands disappeared in my account. Can you do that for me?”

“I don’t know man, I can’t explain it. Even if somebody knew your pin they wouldn’t have took all your money at once. Did you say you sent that woman money?”

“Only thirty-thousand,”

“I don’t know, all I know is that there are many ways people can steal from you.”

“This just doesn’t make sense…”

People passing by were starting to stare at us. How does money disappear in one’s account, just like that?

“Maybe she saw your pin when you transferred the money in her account.”

“Even so, she never went anywhere near my phone.”

“People are clever out there Sbu. Just breathe and think of a way to get your money back. Go to the bank or something, maybe they’ll be able to explain. Right now all you need to do is to pull yourself together for Mr Stofberg! He is waiting for us in his office.”

When I got in the building my entire body was shaking, I just couldn’t understand what was suddenly happening. Stofberg was not alone; he had the entire board. None of them vouched for me, even after years and years of hard work and making sure to win all my cases. When I was told to pack my things and leave the building, it was just the final straw. I was so desperate to prove to them that I was innocent, to an extent that I shouted to Liz when I left.

“Liz, tell them, tell them that woman only came here that day and it was the first time I met her. Please tell them, I don’t know that woman, I have nothing to do with her.”

“Sbu, there is no need to make a fool of yourself in front of everyone. You should have kept your relationship with that woman strictly professional.”

Liz continued answering phones, pretending not to hear me. It was like the whole world had turned against me. I was asked to sell my shares, and kindly advised not to set my foot in the building until my name was cleared. Nothing else mattered to me; all I wanted was to find out how my money disappeared from my account. When I got home I found all of Mantoa and the kids’ things gone.

“Why the hell did you take everything without bothering to tell me?” I shouted at her over the phone.

“I came home last night and found that you were not there,” she said calmly. “I thought we could talk, clearly you were enjoying the night with one of your floozies. By the way, there were people at the house looking for you.”

“What people?”

“The parents of the girl you impregnated. Ke lapile Sbu! Every year we have to face your girlfriend-drama.”

“Babe please, I was arrested.”

“For what? Stealing someone’s girlfriend? I’m not even interested in what you have to say, I’m tired.”

Tears filled my eyes. For the first time in my life I felt helpless and I realised just how much I needed my wife beside me. All those years of cheating and mistreating her came back flashing in my mind. When she was in labour with our first born child I wasn’t there for her, but out with Nomsa, in a fancy hotel in Port Elizabeth.

“Mantoa babe, please come back home. I’m sorry for everything. I want us to fix things, I have learnt my lesson.” I cried over the phone unashamedly.

“I wonder which one of your girlfriends taught you how to fake tears, and I don’t care. Your stupid sorry don’t mean anything to me not anymore. I’m still waiting for the kids’ school fees money. If you don’t want to send it just say so, I’ll make a plan.”

She hung up.

My head buzzed. I felt like everything was just a cruel dream which I’d soon wake up from. Like I’d find my wife asleep next to me, and the kids budging in our bedroom immediately after they wake up, interrupting our love-making. I made a sandwich for myself, my hands shaking badly. After a bite or two I pushed the plate away and went to take a shower. I put on my suit and left for the bank.

“I need you to explain to me how the hell my money disappeared?” I yelled at the teller.

“Sir, I need you to calm down so I can check on the system what could have happened.”

It took almost thirty minutes, with me sitting there restlessly watching the woman busy on her computer. She printed out my bank statement and showed it to me.

“This here shows that you sent thirty-thousand rands to this account and after that you deposited a hundred-thousand, five-hundred rands into the same account.”

“What? I did no such thing. Call me the bloody manager, you don’t know what you are talking about.”

When the manager came he supported the story.

“How the hell do you explain all this? The bank stole my money, I want my money!”

Another guy who worked at teller three came to us. He looked like a nerd in his big glasses. He looked at my statement and frowned.

“There could only be one explanation to this: the account you transferred money to must have been inserted a virus of some sort. Once you transferred money into it straight from your account, you made it easier for them to log in your account and transfer all the money. There are pretty dangerous, clever people out there.”

I left the bank with my head spinning. I was left with five hundrend rands in my wallet. I drove to Savanna Mall and went to Cofi Polokwane. It was a quiet Wednesday and so I enjoyed drowning my sorrows. When I drove home everything was just spinning. When I called Nomsa to come and drive me her phone was answered by a guy. I got in the car, not sure if it was a good idea driving in my state. All I needed was my bed and nothing else. I forced myself to drive although my eyes were tired and weak. The only thing I remember of that day was another car hooting in front of me and the cars’ lights blinding me. My car lost control and hit something, then everything went blank.

***

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