Sweet Konyana

Author: Liteboho Molato

Tomoso Bela-bela was a young man living in the south of the district of Maseru, in the village of Morija. Tomoso was a slender, tall guy with thick eyebrows, a long nose and a round head. His complexion was so dark that someone may have thought that he’d applied coal powder to his body, like soldiers slaying under siege. His eyes were wide open and his eyeballs were so white, like the egg from a Sesotho chicken.

Tomoso did his final year of high school in 2014, when he got his G.C.E (“Government Can Employ”) certificate. He searched all over for a job, but could not find one. He had to stay at home with his parents. He was not only treated like a frail vessel, but he was spoon-fed as well. He did everything his parents asked from him. He was the apple of his parents’ eyes, but they never knew that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

At Tomoso’s home, two cars were parked at the garage doors: a van and a red Honda Fit. He was busy polishing shoes for his mother and father, who were getting ready for their trip to a funeral at Ha-Sehlahla, up above the village of Matsieng. He carried his parents’ luggage to the van. Mr Bela-bela, Tomoso’s father, was a skinny and tall old man with a grey and black beard. His face had wrinkles and his light complexion was turning brown as he was becoming old. He got out of the house and started the van. Mrs Bela-bela was a fat woman with a dark complexion and a gap in her front teeth that exposed her beautiful smile. She followed her husband to the car and, before she climbed in, she told Tomoso to not leave the house due to the crime rate in the village.

Near the garage, the red Honda Fit was left behind. It was so spick and span that you could see your reflection in it.

“Omunye” by Distruction Boyz – one of Tomoso’s favourite house songs and his ringtone – started playing. It was his phone ringing.

He quickly took the call. It was his friend, Lekhafola.

“Hee uena san! U ntse u hopola that we have a party at Ha-Makhoathi tonight?” said Lekhafola.

“Eizaa! Man, I forgot! Let me take a quick shower, ebe ke tla le thola da.”

Tomoso threw the phone on the couch and ran to his bedroom wardrobe to look for an outfit to wear to the party. In less than five minutes, Tomoso was done taking a shower and he came out of the house holding his belt and the car keys. He started the car and quickly left the house. He shifted the gear lever rapidly, until the car was on a high speed, and then he increased the music’s volume to the max. The road was not only bumpy, it also zig-zagged. Tomoso did not decrease the car’s speed. His mind was on the party and he couldn’t be bothered to follow the road signs and robots. As he was heading to Mazenod, two lorries were in front of him and he decided to overtake them.

He heard a sound – BOOM – and then he was unconscious. The next thing he knew, he was on a hospital bed and he saw his family surrounding him. Fear laid its icy hands on him and he felt his heart beat faster. His Mum was in a pool of tears as she saw her only child with one foot in the grave.

It has been time immemorial since the day Tomoso was left paralysed with fear, with no hope for the future. However, any time he recalls that day, he remembers to be true to himself and to others, and he concludes that self-preservation is the first law of nature.