When Monday morning came, Baska was given the keys to the taxi he would be driving. He was so excited that he asked one of the other taxi drivers to take a picture of him holding the keys and standing next to the taxi – a brand-new white Quantum – and he sent the picture to his beloved Zanele. Baska realised that now that he would be behind the wheel, the people of Mrova would be compelled to give him a little respect because of the power he possessed as a taxi driver.

He also figured that he would come across so many people in the confined space of the taxi, his comfort zone, that he would finally be able to get the answers to the questions that had been lingering in his mind, like tips on how to be a good parent. Little did he know that he should have been careful what he was wishing for, because the people from Mrova were a different breed.

Baska was ready to take on the new job and the responsibilities that came with being a taxi driver. He had put on his best Sunday outfit that morning. Now he checked that everything was in order in the taxi, like the tyres, the oil and the water. When all was ready, he drove to the taxi rank and picked up his first load of passengers for the day. On the front seat right next to Baska his old buddy MaBoots slid into the seat. MaBoots helped Baska to collect the taxi fare from passengers but didn’t pay his own fare. Baska didn’t say anything about this, but just drove out of the taxi rank, heading from town to Welasi.

“Hey Baska, I’m so proud of you for getting the promotion!” MaBoots said when they were on the road. “I will give you some advice, because you know very well that that’s the best I can do.”

Baska knew very well that that was the best MaBoots could do, since he refused to pay taxi fare. But what he didn’t know, was that MaBoots was a true Mrova descendent who lived his life through frugal deals.

Baska stroked his beard with his left hand and steered with his right hand. “Eish my friend, I’m in a bit of a pickle,” he sighed.

MaBoots nodded. “I know, my friend, everyone is talking about it and my advice to you is not to worry about a thing because your baby will know no hunger. You struck gold by impregnating Zanele, her family is one of the wealthiest families to ever land here in Mrova, so you know they will take good care of your baby.”

“Take me for instance,” MaBoots went on smugly, “I have three baby mamas, yet I don’t even contribute a single cent towards my kids’ upbringing because I too struck gold. My baby mamas come from the wealthy families of taxi owners, so I know they can afford to raise my kids. I may not have the best relationship with my baby mamas, their parents or my kids because they all see me as a gold digger. But to be frank with you, I’d rather be classified as a gold digger than to let my kids go to bed hungry. Truth be told, I’m not a gold digger, I am an opportunist. I saw opportunities to mess around with some of the most beautiful girls from Mrova who came from wealthy families and if that’s wrong then I don’t want to be right … Though I wish I could make things right with my baby mamas, so I can get in on the family loot. I know there’s plenty of money to spare.”

A lady sitting on the front row of the taxi made a little coughing noise as if she were clearing her throat. “Unamanga k’shubile (You lie things aren’t that great),” she muttered for all to hear.

Everyone in the taxi chuckled, except for MaBoots, who looked angrily at the lady but didn’t cuss her, probably because it was clear that most people in the taxi agreed with her. If an argument were to break out between the two of them, he would lose by popular demand. He decided to refocus his attention on Baska, the man of the hour.

“I don’t even miss my baby mamas that much, but I do miss the benefits of being with them. They showered me with gifts, it was Christmas all day, everyday, and twice on Sundays. So you have to wake up and smell the coffee and reap the benefits of being with Zanele while you still can. That way, even if she finds another guy to be the father to your baby, you will know that at least you had a handful of that money before things went south. Once the baby is born, she will cast you out because she’ll realise that she’s way out of your league.”

Baska shook his head, his eyes on the road. “But bro, I don’t care about her family’s wealth. I want to create my own empire so I can have a legacy for my unborn child. I don’t want to rely on her parents’ wealth to raise my baby; I have too much love and respect for Zanele and her parents. I wouldn’t dream of a world where they assumed I am with Zanele because of their family’s wealth. I just want to earn her parents’ love and respect and treat their daughter the same way I would like to see others extend love and respect to my unborn child.”

MaBoots laughed a sinister laugh and shook his head. “My friend you’re so naive. No wonder everyone assumes you won’t amount to anything. My advice to you is to get that money while you still can and stop acting like a fool.”

Then MaBoots asked to be dropped off at the fire station in Extension Four and got off the taxi with an evil grin on his face.

Tell us: What do you think of MaBoots’ opinion?