Finally we are having a bit of relief from our hotter-than-usual Cape summer heat-wave. This bit of rain was more than welcome.
“Jarre ou bra… Ek het giste aand met ’n sambreel geslaap my broe,” a guy wearing a thick winter hoodie says while shaking his head.
“My broe, hoe maak djy? Slaap djy ‘an onne ’n boem of ’n brug?” the friend asks looking concerned.
He shakes his head and says, “Ek het angebou maa’ die carpenter het vannie dak afgeval. Nou moet ek wag, want hy’t concussion.”
“Sê nogal vi’ my ‘Moenie worry nie. Is Soeme en it sallie rient ’ie’”.
“Kry maa’ ieman’ annes of djy gan nog in ’n tent binne in jou hys slaap ou bra,” the friend advises staring out the window.
“Djy kannie soe heelted lê innie moonlight en die Milky Way dophou nie.”
At Parow station the guy in the hoodie steps out and as he hits the platform the friend says, ”Sort yt daai move hoo!” clearly referring to the incomplete roof.
A policeman with his cheeks hanging on his collar and his stomach over his belt enters the carriage with his very fit looking young female colleague.
“Djy kan n vekoue vang ma’ nie vi’ my nie,” I smile to myself as I wonder how he would be able to chase down a criminal.
“Wêk djy Valentine’s weekend,” she asks.
“’Niee… Ek is af. Ek raak engage oppie Sa’rag midnight net wanne it Valentines oo’slaan,” he says with obvious glee.
“Ek trou in June. Net reg vi winte warm slaap,” he adds as they look around the carriage.
“Geluk! Ek hettie gewiettie,” she says surprised.
“Ja ôs vetties is lovable. Gebou vi’ comfort,” he chirps.
”Jis menee’. Kan ek sien wat’s in ‘aai plestieksak?” he asks with authority to a suspicious looking guy and grabs it without waiting for a reply, looks into it for a minute, and gives it back.
“Dankie menee,” he says to the guy.
“Ja voo’ ek klaa’ maak wil ek settle,” he confesses.
“Was djy nog nooit getroud ‘ie?” the colleague asks.
“Ja ek was. Drie kee’ al. Is in my nature. Ek kannie genoeg kry nie,” he concludes.
Immediately like a force of nature the music starts playing in my head.
I swear the whole day I can hear Michael Jackson singing: ‘Keep on… with the force, don’t stop… Don’t stop ’til you get enough’.
***
Urban Dictionary
boem – The Afrikaaps version of “boom” meaning ‘tree’.
angebou – The Afrikaaps version of “aangebou” past tense for “aanbou”
which means “extend or enlarge a building / house”.
soeme – The Afrikaaps version of “somer” which means ‘summer’.
rient – The Afrikaaps version of “reën” which means “rain”.
hys – The Afrikaaps version of “huis” which means “house”.
hoo – The Afrikaaps version of “hoor” which means “listen” and in
this case is like saying ‘I hope you heard me’ at the end of a
statement.
Sarag – The Afrikaaps version of “Saterdag” which means “Saturday”.
vekoue – The Afrikaaps version of “verkoue” which means “a cold”.
plestieksak – The Afrikaaps version of “plastieksak” which means plastic bag.
winte – The Afrikaaps version of “winter”.
“Ek het giste aand met ’n sambreel geslaap my broe.”
“Last night I slept holding an umbrella my brother.”
“Is Soeme en it sallie rient ‘ie”
“It is summer and it won’t rain”
“Kry maa’ ieman’ annes gan djy nog in n tent binne in jou hys slaap ou bra”
“Rather find someone else (to do the roof) otherwise you will have to sleep in a tent inside your house old friend.”
”Djy kan n vekoue vang ma’ nie vi’ my nie.”
“You can catch a cold but you won’t catch me.”
“Ek trou in June. Net reg vi winte warm slaap.”
“I’m getting married in June. It’s just right for sleeping warm during winter.”
“Ja voo’ ek klaa’ maak wil ek settle.”
Before I retire (from the police force), I want to be settled down.