Nolwazi was in the office doing paperwork the next day when Sive came in looking like business. 

“I’m off to do a collection run,” she said, as she fetched the book to see how many customers it would be. 

When she returned two hours later, Nolwazi was sitting at her desk, her head in her hands.

“What happened?” Sive asked.

“Nothing. I just phoned SPAR and they said, ‘We have suppliers,’ and then they hung up on me.”

She lay her head on the table and mumbled into the pages on the desk. “How was your collection run?”

Sive dropped onto her chair. “I couldn’t get three and Ma Ndosi gave me a full story.”

She shared with Nolwazi what Ma Ndosi had told her: that they couldn’t pay back the chickens and eggs they took last month. 

“UNdosi uthathe yonke imali yami! The bastard has another woman and took all my money to spend on her,” Sive said, mimicking Ma Ndosi. 

“Poor woman. What did you say?”

“What could I say? She just kept yelling, ‘I have nothing! All I have is debt from the mashonisa, and do you know he charges a 100 per cent interest? Where am I supposed to find all that money, I’ll have to sell everything.’”

“Another write-off?” Nolwazi asked. Sive nodded. “We can’t keep losing money on people who won’t pay us back. What are we going to do?” 

Over the six months they had been running their business, they had lost over R1000 in bad credit to customers. 

“Samke and Lerato are right: we need a new plan otherwise we’ll go out of business.”

“You’re starting to sound like Lerato,” Sive laughed.

It was funny but true. Nolwazi knew how people were. She had experience with them taking things on credit at the spaza shop, even beers from the shebeen. Credit was the commodity of the community. But it was really bad for business.

“I think it’s time we made your delicious pumpkin fritters for Ma Ruby,” said Nolwazi, perking up. We need some more of her ‘words of wisdom’.”

***

Sive and Nolwazi went next door with their ingredients and made delicious fritters. Ma Ruby put on the kettle for tea after she had managed to get rid of Bra Mike, who had somehow smelled the fritters from way down the street. 

“But you know I can’t help myself, your food is the only thing that keeps me alive,” Bra Mike begged.

“Sive, give him some, who knows when he’ll eat again,” Ma Ruby ordered.

“It’s your own fault I can’t stay away, you’ve put some kolobela in my food, I’m bewitched.” 

“In that case, go and bother Sive, it’s her who’s bewitched you.” Ma Ruby laughed so hard she almost spilled her cup of tea.

When she had seen Bra Mike out, Ma Ruby came back to join them in the kitchen.

“He’s like this dog I used to have,” said Ma Ruby annoyed, “he could smell if I was cooking a mile away. Now where were we?”  

When they told her they didn’t know where to start looking for an outlet they could sell to, she scratched her head. 

“I just might be able to help you,” she said. “I have a friend, Thapelo, but we all call her Honey. We started our businesses around the same time, I told you the story? The one whose bakkie got stolen. She ran a spaza but now she runs her own mini-market. I can give her a call. But ladies, you will need to show her a packaged product. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly. And have you registered your business and got compliance?”

“Tick to both of those,” said Nolwazi. “Yoh, I was so nervous when they sent that health inspector.” 

“That’s good,” said Ma Ruby. “Because you will need that to apply for that loan to grow.” 

***

Sive and Nolwazi spent days ‘interviewing’ butcheries to cut and clean and wrap their meat. 

They had received every type of comment and question from their business to their relationship statuses. Nolwazi came home dejected by the emotional rollercoaster of each day. 

Even though they found a butchery that gave them a good offer, Nolwazi felt a little insulted. Some of the comments they expected, but the others were a complete blow.

“You’d last longer as Slay Queens.”

“So, you’re the tag-team, ooBabes be Chicken (Babes of the Chicken)?”

“Kanti amajita enu athini ngale chicken business (what do your boyfriends say about your chicken business)? If you were mine, you’d be on my arm 24/7, not running around selling headless chickens.”

They had to call off other meetings when people couldn’t stop laughing when they recognised Nolwazi from the video that blew up the internet of her chasing chickens after Masoja. She was a regular meme now.

But that was OK: come Friday, she would be a meme with her own packaged chickens. A meme with her own brand. They had eventually found a butcher who took them seriously and would package their meat at a good price. The stickers were done. Finally they would have a product that could compete and that they could take to Ma Honey.

Nolwazi went to bed tired but at peace. 

***

The next morning Samke came around to inspect their wrapped chicken. 

“You girls are such an inspiration,” she said. “I’m ready to rebrand my business and take it to a new level.”

“You just did your brand last year. What do you want to change now?” asked Sive.

“Not change, level up. I’ve been thinking of opening another salon, you know, start a little franchise.”

“Isn’t that too soon?” asked Nolwazi. “Have you worked out your overheads? And will you be able to cover new employees, rental and equipment?”

“You know what, you’re starting to sound like Lerato,” Samke rolled her eyes, and Sive smiled broadly. 

“You can’t play it too safe in this business. Salons are popping up every other day ekasi.”

“So why do it?”

“You know, Nolwazi, watch and learn, you have a way to go.” She grabbed her bag and headed for the door. “Imagine if that was my attitude, I would still be doing my friends’ hair for parties and not running a business.” She flicked her braids. “Let me know when I can go and buy some chicken to braai from Ma Honey’s. And of course, we’ll need a ‘splash’ to advertise — two young entrepreneurs making their dreams come true. I can just see it.”

“We don’t have the contract yet. Ma Honey might not like our product,” Nolwazi laughed.

“How could she not?” said Samke. “Everyone has to know about ooBabes be Chicken,” she laughed, as she flounced off.