It was Friday, the 13th of May – the morning Jerry had received a call from the Attorney agencies. He had been reserved for an interview that following Monday morning. Jerry was very thrilled at the same time he was wretched, he had been out of university and he was lifeless-broke.

Jerry had no money to attend the interview, let alone the money to travel to work. He lived with his mother only, Josephina Ma-Jerry Kgomo, the 61-year-old was unemployed. Old-age social grant money was their only means of survival. Jerry never saw eye-to-eye with his father, Dumisani Lizwi Dube who left their home in Twala section, in the early 2000 and got married to another wife in White City –Soweto.

A local gang-member, Sipho, was the only high school friend Jerry ever had. Jerry and Sipho were best friends from fifth grade. When Jerry was admitted at the University of Tshwane to study law, their friendship plunged. But Jerry never removed himself from his old friend.

Sipho was the only help Jerry could think of, rather than going to loan sharks and be charged interest. Jerry went and searched for his old friend from the streets of Thwala Section in Katlehong, the east of Johannesburg in Gauteng.

Corner of Ngwenya and Mabona Street, there was a stake gambling circle and Sipho was always at the junction.

“Can I have a word with you?” said Jerry, wearing a red bucket hat “ispoti“. Sipho gave him a look from bottom to top.

“I”m busy, am loosing here!”

Jerry decided to wait till Sipho was finished with gambling, playing dice was a local game of neighbourhood hustlers. Jerry knew he could not play such games, he believed he was too soft for it. And before he knew it, Sipho was in his face asking what the matter was.

“Eita,” Jerry greeted with a smile.

“Sho, please make it quick, I need to bring back my lost R250 from the circle before they leave.” Sipho replied, with an inhospitable face.

“OK, can you come by my place jumpas (later),” Jerry said, and Sipho agreed and went back to the circle.

Later that night, Jerry heard a door knock outside, coming from his backroom while he was in his mother”s house. It was Sipho.

“Oh, ntanga I”m coming,” Jerry said. He got out of the house, hands filled with two coffee mugs, and a lunch box in his left armpit. “Please hold here,” Jerry said as he handed Sipho the two coffee mugs. “I”m glad you came,” he continued, as he took out a key in his hoody”s left pocket to open his backroom door.

There was a brown sofa just beside Jerry”s bed, where both they sat.

“It sounded urgent. Whatever you wanted to see me for?” Sipho asked as he took a sip from the hot cup of black coffee.

“Yeah man and thanks for coming, I will get straight to the news,” Jerry replied. “Last week Wednesday I took my mother”s last money to job-hunt. Luckily I got a call from the attorney agency this morning and I was reserved for an interview on Monday. The reason I wanted to see you, I needed you to loan me money, and I will bring it back as soon as I get paid.” Jerry said taking the last scone in the green Tupperware lunch box.

Sipho shook his head before he could reply.

“The tedious thing is, you know me when you”re desperate for something. To me this is a friendship where I don”t benefit anything.”

“I understand my friend and I apologise for being distant lately, but I”m sure I”ll make it up to you as soon as I start working.” Jerry appealed. Sipho took off his cap and he squeezed it, he had no solutions, he was broke also.

Sipho and his other gang of friends were on a run to rob people in Soweto, he knew Jerry would never agree to join him. Even the other gang members would not agree to see Jerry join them in their round, he was believed to be cocky since he was the one that graduated from that cohort.

“OK fine, I will try and help you. I and the other guys have a run in Soweto tonight, and if I manage to make more money I will definitely assist.” Sipho said as he got up from the sofa, placing the purple mug on top of the dressing table-beneath the medium framed window.

Jerry was very pleased; he did not care how the money was acquired. He shook Sipho”s right hand.

“I”ll see you tomorrow then,” Jerry said as he closed the door behind him.

***

Tell us what you think: Would you accept help or money from someone like Sipho even if you knew how he got it?