The wind has a sharp edge to it this morning. It cuts through your bone right down to the marrow, eliminating friendly smiles and warm good morning greetings. Facial expressions are stone cold.

In the corner of the carriage there’s a man standing looking very annoyed with himself and the rest of the world. His badly swollen eye is surrounded by a deep purple colour.

The carriage is crowded which gives it a warm but rather stuffy ambience.

“Eksê bra, wat het dan giste’ aan’ gebeu’? Jou oeg was ‘an nog oraait toe ôs tjaila,” a guy enquires from him.

“’n Man voel bad luck. Het ampe’ niks geslaapie, soe die dag moet maa’ gou gan,” he replies straight-faced and matter-of-factly.

The train glides into Koeberg station where a younger guy joins the conversation.

“Aweh guys. That’s a pretty nasty shiner we’ve got there,” he greets the other two with an expression of curiosity on his face.

“What happened bra?” he teases.

“Laat ek ma’ explain anners gaan julle dik hou,” Mr Black Eye says reluctantly.

“Gail se hondjie tjank en complain in sy box giste aan’.”
“Oh, so she decides to keep it warm in bed by you guys,” the younger guy interjects.

“Exactly, but ek warn haa’… Just keep that little brat by you, not between us please.”

“Sy moan, what is it with you? Why don’t you like the dog?”

“The dog is spoiled rotten, complain ek.”

“Off to sleep I go about 11 o’clock,” he continues to explain.

“So what then? Where does the blue eye comes from?” the younger guy persists.

“Wait!” Mr Black Eye exclaims and continues.

“After a while I feel a gentle lick in my face. I’m thinking… awe Gail is on the ball. Still half asleep but checking this is the move,” the fingers on his left hand gently running over his swollen eye.

We stop at Maitland station where a gust of icy cold wind accompanies commuters as they enter the carriage.
“My broe what happened to your eye?” the younger guy asks again as the train leaves the station.

“Buddy I half open my one eye, wanting to kiss Gail and I look straight into the dog’s ugly face. I grab the dog by the scruff. It screams. Gail wakes up also screaming; ‘Where’s Chloe?’ The next moment the dog is flying across the room, crashing onto her dressing table with all the stuff on it flying all over the place.”

“Ek skrik my mos ampe’ dood ouens!” he tells his friends, both listening in amazement.

“When I look again, I just saw stars as Gail accidently smacks me with the left hand. Then she hit me with the right elbow when she jumped out of bed to get the dog as it was screeching like its life is in danger.”

“My hele mood gespoil. Any idea of romance down the tubes bra,” he concludes looking disappointed and again touching his swollen eye.

“Buddy your wife is mos heavy. She almost hit you to hell and gone bra!” the young teaser exclaims.

We arrive at Salt River station and as we exit the carriage, a lady walks past the carriage with a poodle under her arm.

Mr Black Eye frowns and mutters, “Elke hond kry sy dag. One day is one day.”

***

Urban Dictionary

oeg – The Afrikaaps version of “oog” which is the
Afrikaans word for “eye”.
tjaila – Used in different South African languages including
Afrikaans meaning “to go home / leave work” and
sometimes in Afrikaaps as “to score from a hustle”.

ôs – The Afrikaaps version of “ons” which is the
Afrikaans word for “us /we”.
ampe – The Afrikaaps version of “amper” which is the
Afrikaans word for “almost”.
dik hou – Afrikaaps for “persist”.
ôs – The Afrikaaps word for “ons” which is Afrikaans for
“us / we”.
hondjie – The Afrikaans diminutive of “hond” which is the
Afrikaans word for “dog”.
tjank – Afrikaans for the act of “cry” which is mostly used
for unnecessary or unjustified wailing as opposed to
the somewhat more dignified “huil”.
blue eye – Cape colloquial which was derived from the
Afrikaans term “blou oog” which in English is a
“black eye”.
“Eksê bra, wat het dan giste’ aan’ gebeu’? Jou oeg was ‘an nog oraait toe ôs tjaila.”
“Hey buddy, what happened last night? Your eye was still alright when we left work.”

“’n Man voel bad luck. Het ampe’ niks geslaapie, soe die dag moet maa’ gou gan.”
“I’m feeling bad luck. I had almost no sleep, so this day should rather go quickly.”
“Laat ek ma’ explain anners gaan julle dik hou.”
“Let me rather explain otherwise you will keep persisting.”
“Gail se hondjie tjank en complain in sy box giste aan’.”
“Gail’s little dog was crying and complaining in its box last night.”
“Ek skrik my mos ampe’ dood ouens!”
“I got a fright that almost caused my death guys.”
“My hele mood gespoil.”
“My entire mood spoiled.”
“Elke hond kry sy dag.”
“Every dog gets its day.”