It was Saturday the 14th of May in the morning when Jerry had a conversation with his mom, Ma-Jerry.

“So did Sipho manage to help you Jerry?” Ma-Jerry asked.

“Uh, he did promise he’d come back to me,” Jerry answered.

“I was suggesting that you see a prophet before you go to the interview, it will come in handy.” Ma-Jerry suggested. Jerry’s family was a very ritualistic family; he knew that he had to go to the prophet.

Sipho came later that mid-afternoon; his face wasn’t welcoming at all.

“Dumela Ma-Jerry,” Sipho greeted Jerry’s mom as he headed straight to the outside toilet where Jerry was busy with the laundry.

“I knew I could count on you,” Jerry said excitedly.

“Jerry, can I see you in private,” Sipho supplicated as he led the way to jerry’s backroom. “This is the amount I managed to accumulate last night. Jerry said as he handed rolled hundred rand notes, he unfolded the notes and gave them to Jerry.

Jerry was content about the cash; he knew it was a beginning of a new life for him and his family. He had no words to tell how happy he was, he man-hugged Sipho and promised to bring it with interest.

“That is fourteen hundred bucks, I’m glad it will and I hope it will cover all your needs. It broke my heart seeing you graduate and sit at home doing nothing like us, the township wolfs. I hope you won’t forget me in your jubilant world,” Sipho said as he got up from the couch where he was sitting.

Jerry was standing, leaning on a grey wooden dressing table in his backroom. They shook hands as he walked Sipho outside his yard.

“Sala hantle Ma-Jerry,” Sipho said as the passed the door of the kitchen of the four-roomed house.

“Bye!” Ma-Jerry replied, sitting on a wooden framed sofa, facing the kitchen door.

Jerry went straight to his mom after he had walked Sipho out of the gate. He sat on the sofa facing the television set in the mini-living room.

“I can judge from the smile, from a mile that you have a loyal friend. Well, as we spoke, tomorrow morning you need to go and see Ma-Mpinga the prophet. She will guide you on what to do during the interview process,” Ma-Jerry whispered.

It was the 15th of May and the weather was chilly. Jerry was on his way to Lindela Metrorail station in Makula section not far from Twala section. He got on to the station fifteen minutes before the 8:00 a.m. train advanced. There were no ticket guards and the train was mangobe, a ride-free. He got off at Pilot Metrorail Station in Goba section in Katlehong.

Ma-Mpinga’s place was few streets from the railway station, at the last street called Mavuso. Jerry arrived and there was no client at that moment, along the he way he had been murmuring in his mind about standing a queue.

The 64 year-old gran called him inside the round shaped hut. He took off his shoes as he knew all the commandments.

“I last saw you with your mother while you were still a boy, but my consultation fees haven’t raised, am sent but the spirit to serve the nation,” Ma-Mpinga said as she drew a burning candle and opened her Holy Bible.

Jerry had already placed two separate one rand coins on the on the floor, just beside the white candle. Ma-Mpinga started praying to the Lord for strength and guidance, calling all her clan names, including Jerry’s clan names.

“Dube, Mbuyazi, Fuze, Mapholoba, guide me to direct your grandson,” Ma-Mpinga pleaded to the ancestors.

A chance was given to Jerry to plead for all his demands to his forefathers.

“I see light, which slowly fades as you’re asking for luck for the job interview. The ancestors are angry at your father for neglecting them. This concludes that your father needs to go to the cemetery, apologise and plead to your grandfather to open luck through your journey of making your dreams a reality,” Ma-Mpinga said as she closed her bible.

*****

It had been 2 days since Jerry came back from the interview, the agency promised to call after a week. He was also given a task that he talk to his father about what Ma-Mpinga advised.

Jerry’s father, Dumisani, lived in Soweto. He was married to another wife after his divorce with Jerry’s mother, and Jerry was still in Leratima Primary at the time.

“I’m heading to CWJ – Central Western Jabavu,” Jerry whispered to the taxi driver from Bara taxi rank. He was sitting in the front sit in case he got lost; it had been a while since he went to see his half-brothers and sisters.

He got off at the bus stop, the house was few meters from the main road. He still remembered the house, even though it was renovated.

He opened the gate and the first person he saw on the outside passage was his step-mom. Her face was not welcoming. Jerry did not mind, after all, he came to see his father.

“Halo Ma,” Jerry greeted as he got in the kitchen.

His father’s wife, Matlokwe Dube, replied, “How are you?”

They exchanged greetings as Matlokwe offered Jerry a coffee with home baked scones. Jerry detected tension from the woman’s face; her eyes were teary every time she looked in Jerry’s direction.

***

Tell us: Why do you think the woman is looking at Jerry like this?