So this evening I get the phone call. The worst phone call in the universe! A phone call I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

My homie BK is with me. He starts laughing. Laughing and commiserating at the same time.

“You poor dumb idiot!” he says. He’s spilling his Coke, he’s laughing so much. “Dang, Lex! I feel for you, my brother. My heart aches, cos I know what lies ahead. So much frikken grief, so much stress. And I should know, right? I’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Well, two T-shirts!”

Me – I can’t even speak. It’s like some giant hand is around my throat. Squeezing the life out of me: my life, my future, my dreams.

And today started off so well for me. A blessed day, as my mama would call it. One of those golden days when the world is treating you like a first-class citizen. Early this morning I get the email from the college:

Dear Mr Letsapa, just to inform you that your application

has been successful. You have been registered for our

first-year course in Journalism. Lectures begin 13 January.

See you then. And heartiest congratulations.

Dang! That is news I’ve been longing to hear – since late October! I scream out at the top of my voice from being so happy. My mama rushes in, dressed in her smart headmistress suit, thinking something terrible has happened.

“I got in, Mama! Oh man, my future is about to start!”

She cooks me my favourite breakfast, bacon and potato cakes, to celebrate, even though she is running late for her school Assembly. She can’t stop smiling. For Mama, education is the key to all success and happiness and a perfect life.

“A journalist! Oh Lekoko, imagine, a journalist in the family. You must phone your father.”

I phone my dad. But he is away on business, his second wife says. She’s acting pretty nice though. “I’ll tell him the minute he phones. Congratulations, Lex.”

And then I have to phone all my friends with the good news, even though it’s still early. Refilwe my cousin; Sidney our neighbourhood nerd who has just completed second-year law; my homie BK of course. Then all the relatives.

So my phone has been buzzing with happy calls all day. Until this evening’s shocker.

And what a shocker it turns out to be!

I don’t even recognise the number. But I answer with a cheery tone, expecting more congratulating.

“Hi there, Lex!” I don’t recognise the voice either. A female voice. A loud female voice.

“So Lex, why haven’t you called me, you naughty boy? I’ve been waiting and waiting, hoping and hoping. Is this any way to treat your special lady?”

Naughty boy? Naughty boy!? Now that rings a bell. But a vague, distant bell.

“Sorry, who is this?” I ask.

“Lexie Letsapa. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten my twentieth birthday party. It was only four weeks ago.”

***

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