"May I present.”
Seems to clear its throat a bit.
“The always soppy!"
The sock's voice boomed.
Surprisingly for something so small.
"The boys that love themselves some drama!”
*Lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve*
"Not more than they love their Queen!”
*Got that right!*
The deep voice shouted from somewhere behind the big plant leaves.
Quite loud.
"My Fair Lady!
Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Drama Queeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeens!"
As if announcing a heavy weight boxing match.
Four socks emerge from behind a tree and slowly moves to the open ground.
Whisteling.
Familiar tune.
They were all black and white striped socks.
Can these socks whistle.
Nia definitely enjoyed it.
She was whistling too.
She knew the tune.
The socks know her well.
"I've got sunshine.
On a cloudy day."
*Sunshiiiiiiii-e-iiiiiiiiiine*
"Sher! My girl!
Woooooo-hooooooooooo!"
*Whistle whistle whistle*
Nia was excited.
Really ecstatic.
My girl was one of her favourite songs.
And that made me love her more.
She was definitely my girl.
My Fair Lady.
My sweetpea.
Suddenly.
“Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.”
These voices came from behind the tree.
The black and purple sock turned and it was almost like it was upset.
It kept singing though.
“I guess, you say, what can make me feel this way…”
*My girl*
*My girl*
“My girl!”
“Abuh buh buh buh .
Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.”
The same voices from behind the tree.
Nia looked.
Curious.
“All I want!”
This voice, again, took Nia by surprise.
It sounded almost like the white and yellow daisy.
Sharp.
High pitched.
But Nia smiled.
“Abuh buh buh buh .”
“All I need!”
“Abuh buh buh buh.”
“No! No! No!”
Shouted the black and purple sock.
It shrivelled up a bit.
“It’s not your turn yet!”
“Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.”
“I want you back!”
The black and purple sock turns around.
Totally puffed up.
I didn’t think a sock could ever look upset.
This one did.
Coiled and stretched.
Like the cotton threads were ready to snap.
Creases around the purple tip.
Most of the leg like it was inflated.
Just below the purple that touched the knees, it was squeezed tight.
Like the purple was being choked.
But it was a fist.
The hole totally open at the top.
It then belted out a loud scream.
As if sharpened by the grip of the choke.
“You never listen!”
Nia shook her head.
“Here we go.
Just like you.”
She smirks.
“Why don’t you ever listen to me?”
“Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.
Abuh buh buh buh.”
The voices from behind the tree just carried on.
Ignoring the pleas of the black and purple sock.
The black and white striped ones stopped singing.
Cowered in a corner.
All took out needles and started mending.
Their holes.
“You never listen to me.”
All of them whining.
“You never never listen.”
They hid under the plant leaves.
A few were hard to hear.
They were just mumbling.
“God, why can’t you just listen?”
Almost a whisper.
“Abuh buh buh buh.”
“I want you back!”
The voices from behind the tree much louder.
They slowly emerged from behind the tree.
Three rainbow coloured socks.
They were her favourite.
Nia went completely girly when she sees or talks about rainbows.
Starts talking coochie-coochie-coo stuff.
Starts seeing pink elephants that poops butterflies and they cough up bubbles that turn to jelly tots.
She could actually taste them too.
Goochie-coochie-chewy.
Mmmmmmm.
Pumpkin pies and honeybuns.
Umf.
Girls.
Definitely from Venus.
Bright star and all.
Much worse as they get older.
Very s-e-riu-o-s.
The mood swings.
Nia most certainly had them
My sweetpea.
Fair Lady.
My Fair Lady.
Nia had already lost a few, socks; that’s why they were few.
And odd.
“Look.”
Nia whispered.
Almost in my ear.
I loved that.
She pointed to the socks cowering in the corner.
Behind the leaves.
Before I could look, the three rainbow socks stopped singing.
“Why are you looking at them, My Fair Lady?
I thought I was your favourite!”
The sharp voice.
Much pitchy-er.
Almost like it was about to throw a fit.
A tantrum.
“I thought I was your forever.”
The one in the middle whispered.
Took out a needle and started mending.
It looked pathetic.
Totally limp.
Like it had no life in it any more.
Almost sad.
Hanging on the ground.
“You don’t love me anymore!”
The two that were standing yelled almost at once.
Sharp.
*Peek-a-boo*
*Whisper*
“What did I do wrong!?
Tell me. Is it me?”
Nia was laughing hard at this point.
She was lying on her back.
I loved it when Nia was like this.
Like she didn’t have a care in the world.
Free.
Care free.
For her I would embarrass myself.
Anytime.
Only to make her laugh like this.
My Fair Lady.
Tippy toes.
Fairy.
Doe eyes.
Fluttering.
Fluttering only for me.
Snap out of it.
*Snap*
I had to be careful.
I was starting to fall.
Again.
No.
Not again.
I can’t.
My headache was pounding.
Hard.
Just behind my eyes.
We have to move.
“Come, let’s go.”
I tried to sound casual.
I was confused though.
*I see-you*
*Whisper*
Nia was still laughing out loud.
Tears rolling down her face.
Didn’t blame her.
It sure was a pathetic performance.
Real drama queens.
Barely made it through the son
gs.
Stopped right at Nia’s favourite parts.
Probably revenge.
Umf.
Ha-ha-ha!
The socks had a personality of their own.
Utopia and I are one.
Enough said.
Ha-ha.
“Come. Before they show us how they make soap.”
“What soap?”
Nia stopped laughing.
Took some effort.
She was in stitches.
“Sorry, sorry.”
She said.
“Those socks under the leaves were just too funny.
Burying their heads in the ground like that.
Haha!
Like ostriches.
Leaves like wings.”
Still laughing out loud.
But she quickly stopped.
“Sorry, Sher.
Tell me about the soap.”
“Are you serious?”
We really didn’t have time for this.
I was sweating much more than before.
Headache pounding like crazy.
*Peek-a-boo*
*Whispers louder*
“Yes.
Pretty, please.”
Sad puppy face.
I loved that face.
Doe eyes fluttering.
How could I say no.
“Look.”
I pointed at a stream to our left.
“Put your backs into it!”
Barking.
Deep voice.
Loud.
“That’s not how you make Boer-soap!
Put your backs into it.
I’ll smack you with this whip!”
It was swinging what looked like some dried grass.
Poor secret socks.
All with twigs.
Stirring away.
Didn’t seem to mind the barking.
No.
“It’s not hot enough.”
They were whining.
“Where’s the fat?
More please, more.
Make sure it’s soft!”
Whines.
“Is that?”
“Yes.”
I interrupted.
Shuuu.
*Shuuu*
Best you don’t know.
“And that’s the caustic soda.”
Nia looked.
Astonished.
Six, big brown socks were pouring lots of caustic soda into the fat.
The others were stirring.
“Not so much, soda!”
Whining.
“Softer.”
Whinier.
“Backs into it!
This is Boer-soap!
No Omo, mo’ Surf or Maq is your friend.
No!
Only the best for My Fair Lady.
Colours bright!
Whites white!
Boer-soap, Boer-soap!
My Fair Lady loves Boer-soap!”
Loudest.
Whiniest.
Nia was smiling, but she didn’t find this funny.
No.
She looked amazed.
If there was one thing Nia obsessed about, it was Boer-soap.
Made it herself.
Of course.
She was a farm girl.
After all.
Real Boer-girl.
Always complaining about her hands.
Itching.
Like the skin was slightly eaten away.
The effects of the soda.
Boer-soap sure made colours bright and kept whites white.
But it damaged the skin.
And.
It damaged the fabric.
But Nia obsessed away.
Obsess.
Socks kept disappearing.
Nia could obsess.
Those that remained were always busy mending.
Mending their hurt feelings.
Holes caused by her obsession.
I loved this about Nia.
Her obsession with Boer-soap.
My sweetpea.
Obsessed.
She'll be the death of me.
“Come. We should really get going.”
The headache pounded.
I was hot.
“Come, this way.”
“Backs into it.”
Whining.
Real drama queen.
*I see-you*
*Whispers*
“No wait. Look!”
I knew this was going to hold us up.
Nia pointed to a few socks that were busy washing themselves near the edge of the stream.
If anything, Nia enjoyed doing washing.
She took a whole day off, just to do her washing.
And to see these socks in action, seemed to fascinate her.
I wondered if looking at the socks washing themselves was the same as washing them herself.
She said she found it therapeutic.
It was one of the things she enjoyed doing the most.
All lost in her thoughts, while keeping her colours bright and her whites white.
“Look, Sher. Isn’t that cute. Is that a pine cone?”
I nodded.
Yes.
Nia put her hand to her mouth.
A blue sock lay stretched out across the pine cone.
It looked like it was lying on its back.
However you can picture that.
Umf.
“Grip me tight!!
I want to be clean clean clean!”
Whining.
Two red socks stood on either side of the pine cone.
Each holding the ends of the sock on either side.
When the one pulled, the other slacked a bit and then vice versa.
Scrubbing the blue sock across the pine cone.
“Harder harder harder!
I want to be fresh fresh fresh!
My Fair Lady must always wear me clean and fresh!
Harder!”
This up and down voice was hard to make out.
It sort of blurted the words, as it was pulled across the bumps of the pine cone.
Nia just looked. Didn’t blink once.
She seemed totally captivated.
I looked at her.
I could look at this face forever.
When she looks wrapped up in a world that is entirely her own.
Her eyes as if they were filled with endless possibilities.
Like they have not seen enough of life.
Like she knows that there is so much more to see.
Her face expressed such enthusiasm for life.
I loved this face most of all.
The face of hope.
Good hope.
With all Nia has been through, she never lost this hope.
It gave me hope.
It silenced the past.
For many years I had almost completely forgotten.
Reminded only by a smell, or a taste.
The smell was the worst.
Especially if it came from someone.
I could see the horrid image in front of me and I wouldn’t be able to hide it.
My body language said it all.
People must have felt offended.
I’m sorry.
It couldn’t be helped.
The brain was strange that way.
I cringed a bit.
“Is everything okay?”
Nia looked at me concerned, but still kept an eye on the socks.
“Yes,” I lied.
The headache was much worse.
And I felt like I was on fire.
All focussed around my chest.
“Please, sweetpea. We must go. We don’t have much time and there is so much more to see.
Come.”
Nia still looked at the socks.
Smiled.
Then looked at me.
A grateful look on her face.
Nia could never say thank you to me.
I never understoo
d why; always thought it was pride.
But I could be wrong.
“Sure, Sherwin.”
This time she didn’t mock me.
“Let’s go. I am ready for more.”
She smiled wide.
Beautiful white teeth.
viii
“Your dad was outside the hospital when I came to see you.”
I looked at Nia for a second.
She looked at me enquiringly.
But her eyes were like one trying to reach for a memory.
Like she wanted to place what I was telling her in time.
Hopefully find a place at least.
Giving up, she returns her gaze to me.
“He was smoking his pipe.
You know. The one he loves so much.”
Nia nods.
She knows that pipe well.
Her father didn’t want anyone else touching it.
But, being Nia, she not only got to touch it, but even got to fill it up with tobacco.
Black & White.
She could light the pipe for him too.
Glad that she never picked up that habit.
Uhm.
She was daddy’s girl.
And he made sure that I understood that well and good.
“He was sitting in his bakkie.
That Toyota Stallion.”
Car had gone from scrap yard and back again, but he wouldn’t let it go.
Still all the original parts.
His Dependable Stallion.
That’s what he used to call it.
Piece of crap.
“I couldn’t believe he brought Kitty with.”
What was the man thinking, I always thought to myself.
Kitty was no mere puss.
No.
It was a huge cat.
Cheetah.
Tame.
Umf.
I didn’t trust that tame business.
I had imagined the day would come when the wild cat in that puss would snap and lash out.
Hopefully not with my sweetpea nearby.
I cringed every time I was near it.
It was breath taking though.
Its body so agile.
You could see it was powerful.
It purred just like a house cat.
But with added volume and bass to it.
Almost a growl.
It gave me the creeps.
I really didn’t like cats.
Sneaky
[email protected] And this one, I didn’t trust at all.
Nia loved them of course and, of course, adored Kitty.
She named him Kitty.
He was a present from her father.
“She was standing on the back of the bakkie. Not even a leash.”
Umf.
Ha-ha-ha!
“Hahaha! I had thought to stand guard at the hospital door, in case she smelled blood and attacked all the patients. But then I thought she would attack me first. Hahahaha!”
Umf.
Nia looked at me and smiled.
She knew I didn’t like Kitty very much.
She picked up one of the black stones and held it up to her cheek.
It was a Zen stone.
Immediately started giggling.
“What?”
I asked her.
“Why are you giggling?”
She took the stone away from her cheek and looked at it inquisitively.
She put it closer to her face.
Doe eyes.
Focused on the stone.
Exploring it.
Like she was seeing things, but not sure what it was.
She turned the black stone in her hand.
Bit her lip.
Totally focused.
I enjoyed this face about Nia too.
There’s no face about Nia I didn’t like.
Except the one I saw on that day.
At the hospital.
“Are those…lips?”
She asked. “Yes. Hahahaha!”
Nia looked at the stone and smiled.
“I could swear I felt lips nibbling on my cheek. Lots of them.
Really ticklish.
Wow.”
She touched the stone with her right index finger.
She gushed, then giggled.
“It’s really soothing and ticklish. All at once.”