“Mama, can we please finalise the stuff about my birthday party? We only have one week left to plan now,” Mbali said, as she finished up her coffee. Her mother, Thembi, was getting ready to go to her stokvel meeting, as she usually did on the second Sunday of each month.

“Mbali, I told you that I have sorted out everything concerning your party. Now I have to go. I don’t want to be late. Your father has already ordered and paid for the sheep for the braai,” said her mother. The older woman then went to her bedroom to fetch her purse, and the shawl that she liked to throw around her shoulders, even when the sun was blazing hot.

“No Mama, I told you and Dad that I want to organise it myself. I will ask Khwezi to help me. I already have a venue in mind.”

“Huh? What? What is this nonsense about a ‘lit party’ you told Ntando about, Mbali? You know that we don’t have money to pay for those things,” said Thembi, a bit shaken up.

This was not what Mbali wanted to hear.

“I want my twenty-first birthday party to be the best Ma! I have invited many of my friends from varsity. Here you are,” she said, handing over a long list of friends – a list that filled a whole foolscap page. Her mother was shocked to see so many people. She looked at Mbali in disbelief, shaking her head.

“This is not happening Mbali. I told you that we will have a small party with a few friends and family, that’s all,” she said firmly, giving her back the paper. “Here take it; we can’t afford this. You know we are pensioners for goodness sake. Even Ntando is still on internship and is not earning much.”

“No Mama, you are being stingy because it’s me! When my brother turned 21 you did everything he wanted. But when it’s me you claim not to have money? And you want me to believe that!? I can’t,” said Mbali, sulking. She stormed out of the house, banging the door so hard the door frame shook.

“Mbali! Hey Mbali come back here! Come here!” shouted Thembi, but Mbali was already walking down the street, heading towards Ta-Vido’s Place, a popular tshisanyama spot that was loved by the youth in the township.

Thembi peeped through the window and saw her daughter crossing the road, and she knew exactly where she was going. This was the spot where Mbali and her friends hung out almost every Friday. In fact, also on any other day when they wanted to meet guys who were loaded with cash, and did not mind spending a few rands on gorgeous young and sassy ladies like Mbali and her friends.

***

Tell us: Do you think its right for young women to expect men they have just met to buy them drinks?