Chapter 1
Ever since I started taking a taxi, I started observing things like objects, people, and the surrounding environment. I had started appreciating the small things and those small things made me smile. I always came out at 5 p.m. sharp at school and I will sometimes walk alone or with both of my friends, one who is short and one who was about my height and size. They will always drop me at the taxi rank that went to Skhumbuza and other places. I had always made sure that I sit by the window in the second row where I didn’t have to always step out of the taxi so people can go out. I had observed how different seats made me comfortable e.g., the seats at the back it was always hard to get out because you had to bend to get out and I wore a skirt to school so... Then there was the sit that almost brought every student’s nightmare alive and that is the front sit!! I avoided that sit with all my might and the strength from God. The thought of counting money and giving back change did not sound pleasing at all.
You may think I am just exaggerating but I’m not and it’s not as simple as you may view it now reader. The taxi was only R12 but the people in my era dared to bring R50 or even more and imagine 10 people giving you big money and by that time there’s no change in the taxi. You will hear people screaming and shouting for their change and the mood will turn sour in just a few minutes. The taxi drivers and the people in the taxi had always expected us as students to sit in the front seat. I mean why? For what reason? , just because I go to school does not mean I have to count the money and when school is over it means math is over. I was not about to fry my brain in a taxi when I still had about 265 days of school to go through.
While in the taxi I would put on my earphones and play music on medium volume. Every sound except my music zoned out and I would sit there peering through the broken window watching and judging people and objects as the taxi drove to different places to drop different individuals with different personalities, looks, and behavior. Every 20 minutes it was compulsory to repeat where each one of us was going so the driver knew his next destination. When I had my earphones on I would always recall my school-day and the small good parts about it. The more I went deeper into reflecting about my day, the more I had cringed and I would scream ‘arghh or sis man’ in a low voice. What I loved about this moment is I would start daydreaming about my crush and I would remember; all his small gestures, movement, and the way he talked on that specific day and that would brighten me up quickly.
For the rest of the journey, I would keep quiet and the taxi would often stop to pick up other people going in the same direction as me. This had sometimes irritated me especially if I was worn out but on other days it was my savior because I never felt like going home and doing my chores. On these dreadful specific days, I would often drag my feet as I was getting closer and closer to home.
I had always stopped by the red-colored and green flat next to the shell garage I had often bought electricity from. I would then walk another 5 minutes before arriving home. They were days where I decided to take the long route to get home because of personal reasons and sometimes I decided to take the short way which was entering through the sliding door.
After opening the sliding door I would often see my ravishingly dramatic grandmother on the brown and white soft carpet smiling towards me with loving eyes and a sweet innocent smile. I would then turn in the direction of my aunt. After doing this I would smile pleasantly at both of them and greet them. I would then rush quickly to my mother’s room where she was working to attack her with kisses and hugs or sometimes pour all the things that were troubling me to her. I would also greet her and run along to my bedroom where I would spend hours reading one of my favorite classic English stories, Jane Eyre.
Later on, I would then go bathe if I felt like it also if had the energy for it. I would soak myself in the boiling hot water filled with lavender bubble bath and sea salt that embraced every part of my body and calmed all my nerves. I had always the tunes of Lebo Mathosa peaceful playing in the background especially one of her songs called ‘free and should’ve been me.’ Savory aromas of flavorsome, pleasant, wholesome food my aunt had been preparing would make me bathe quickly without fail.
Cleaning the bathtub after bathing had always brought out my slothful side and my mom would always complain about not cleaning the bathtub properly. I would often hear her say ” Khethiwe why can’t you for once clean the bathtub in a proper way, come back here and fix this mess/nonsense!′ she would command. Following this, we would all sit down on the couches and enjoy the scrumptious meal my aunt had prepared and we would watch the usual series we watched every day, laughter and small conversations were exchanged at this time.
Later on, I would leave everyone and go to the kitchen to wash the dishes while jamming to songs I loved at that time and thereafter clean the floor and take my leave to go brush my teeth and floss.
And well that is that was my everyday routine.
