“Get this movie rolling,” I tell Tefo. “Here’s a rant for your followers.”
I let rip. Big time. Mostly I am ranting at Simon for his insane text. I have already blocked him from my phone. Jerk!
“Don’t you understand? This lockdown is about saving lives. If you go wandering around, sneaking out of your home, who knows where you will come across the virus – or where this virus will come across you. And then you will carry it back to the people you love!”
I rant on for quite a while with Tefo zooming in on me.
When I’m quite finished, he smiles and nods. That makes me feel good.
“Now for some meditation,” he says. “Time to let all that aggro float away.”
After meditation we chat again. Through the fence, across the wide gap of grass and concrete between us. Before I go in for supper, I ask him to say the poem again so I can remember it.
Together we recite:
“Two men looked through prison bars.
One saw mud, the other saw stars.”
I think I’m seeing the stars.
*****
And so the lockdown days pass. Yoga. Then study time. Then meditation and a few hours of talking with Tefo. So strange! We never run out of things to talk about. We never run out of questions to ask.
One morning, I make him join me in a dance-a-thon.
“Kez, please don’t make me! My rhythm is a disaster.”
But I am merciless. “Hey, I learned your yoga moves. Now you follow my dance moves. That’s only fair, Tefo. And I want this podcasted too!”
He is right! His sense of rhythm is just not happening. But like a brave soldier, he triumphs over his embarrassment until he is enjoying the music, two left feet and all. Even my nerdy brother Aaron comes out to join in.
*****
And the lockdown days pass. Will it be extended? We don’t know yet. It dawns on me suddenly: once lockdown is over, Tefo will go back to varsity. It is not a happy thought.
“I’ve got a great idea,” Tefo says. “What if we ask everyone this: What is the first thing you will do when the lockdown is over? The very, very first thing.”
I think it’s a great idea too.
“And you, Kez,” Tefo asks. “What will your first thing be?”
I already know. I think I have known for a few days now. But I don’t want to say it out loud. Just in case I’m reading the signs wrongly. Just in case I’m imagining things and Tefo isn’t feeling what I’m feeling.
“No,” I argue. “You first. This is your idea.”
Tefo suggests we should both write it down. I rush inside to get a paper and a koki. On either side of the fence, we scribble our answers. And then we both hold them up.
I will jump over this fence, Kez, and I will wrap my arms around you and – if you are okay with it – I will kiss you, my love. You are so special!
I’m glad his sign says that. I’m glad I haven’t been imagining things. Because all I have written on my paper is ditto.
For the first time ever, I have fallen in love with a guy’s spirit, with his character – and not just some tall, handsome, rhythmic body.
*****
Tell us: What is the very first thing you will do when this lockdown is over?
