Zinhle, who had gone to do a school project with Nzuzo, comes home.

“Did you remember to give my name for the cake stand at the Food and Fun Fair?”

“Oh, yes I did. They are happy to get your help. Actually, the principal called me in today and asked how you and Mbeko are doing after the family loss. He apologised, saying he has been very busy and almost forgot about us. I told him everything. He asked for your phone number and promised he will try his best to help us.”

“Ah! These people and their diplomacy!”

“Did you tell him I am working?” Mbeko asks.

“Yes, I told him you are in training, that you can only know you have been hired next week.”

Mbeko feels that he cannot go on withholding the truth; it might land him in much trouble.

“Actually, I am no longer going to that Italian restaurant. I went for another interview this morning in the Waterfront, but they did not take me. There were too many job seekers at the place.”

“Intoni? And now you’re coming with stories of flu and what what! What’s wrong with you, Mbeko? Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself? I used to feel sorry when your father used to call you a ‘good-for-nothing’. Now I’m tempted to do the same. You are such a disappointment. What are you going to do? So you and I will be spending our days here, looking at each other and living on air? Mbeko, you need to toughen up!” she scolds him.

Mbeko doesn’t know what to do now. What will become of him? He had been dreaming of working hard so he could take the family out of their shack. Now it looks like he is doomed to misery. He starts thinking of going back to the Italian restaurant the next day and telling them that he had flu. That is a good reason to stay away, if you are working in a restaurant.

An alert from his phone warns him that his battery is dying. “I am going to Tony’s. Shall I take your phone along with mine to get charged?” he asks his mother.

“At least there is something you’re good at! Here we go. Hurry up before it really gets dark.”

So Mbeko walks with the two cellphones in his bag, to other side of the road. He just hopes he does not meet with muggers who have grown in numbers lately in the area. Thinking about what happened to him during the day, he shudders. He crosses the road to the other side. At least he can breathe some fresh air.

***

Tell us: How are you feeling about Mbeko at this point in the story?