Wandile hopes he will see the girl at the taxi rank again. He buys the paper and skims through it, frequently looking up to try and find the girl’s face in the crowd, her soft features, her innocent yet mysterious eyes, roasted-coffee-bean skin, natural afro. There is no sign of her.
It is time to board the taxi.
She isn’t there – he searches but he can’t find her face in the crowd.
*****
Nolwazi sleeps in, only waking up around 10 a.m. It is Friday and she is thinking of travelling to Witbank to spend the weekend with her family. She misses her parents and her siblings.
She makes a cup of coffee then heads down to the shop by the taxi rank to buy bread. She thinks of the guy in the taxi again. What was it about him? Nolwazi is not very experienced regarding dating, relationships or falling in love. She isn’t sure what this feeling is for this man. But she wants to be in his arms. It’s strange, more of a memory than a desire.
A car hoots and she realises that she has walked out into the road without knowing it and almost been hit. She is shaken back to the present. While she is waiting in the queue at the bread shop her eyes are caught by a bright poster on the wall, advertising a drag racing event at the Block C showgrounds. She needs to meet people, she thinks. She can’t be obsessing about some stranger in a taxi. Maybe she should go to the event and make some friends, instead of going home.
*****
At work Wandile and Menzi are discussing the weekend.
“Man, I’m going to be in your hood tomorrow,” says Menzi.
“Oh yeah? What’s happening?” asks Wandile.
“My brother has these racing events that he plans with his buddies and they’re having one tomorrow in the Block C showgrounds. He’s racing, so I’m going there to give my support.”
“Oh that sounds cool. Maybe I will stop by. Call me when you get there.”
“Yeah sure, bring Precious – or is she too old for that kind of stuff?”
“Did you just call my wife old? That is not cool man.”
“Hade Jo, I just meant that being a mature woman, maybe she will not enjoy such events.”
“I’ll ask her,” says Wandile, even though he suspects that its true Precious won’t be interested.
***
Tell us what you think: Where might Wandile and Precious ‘know’ each other from?