Dead in the eyes.
I didn’t look away.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you what was in here and I am also not going to ruin your view on humanity by telling you. What is in here is of shaytaan’s making. May Allah have mercy on us all.”
Wow.
Achmet now really got me curious.
I figured this Allah must be God and this shaytaan maybe satan.
The devil.
Yes.
I suddenly thought.
It started to make sense to me.
What was in that pouch?
“My contacts were fake. Police trying to get to the source of the k… stuff.”
He averts my gaze.
Like he almost said too much.
“Jamiel got caught the day after we left it in the tunnel.”
Jamiel must be 28.
“He was always in and out of jail. Seems he preferred it there.”
Who would deliberately want to stay in jail?
Some people.
Achmet must be joking.
“If Stakes didn’t mess up, Davids would probably have believed it was me. That’s why we came to your house. To get Stakes to confess. He didn’t know what Davids was on about. The LSD he stole, or the stuff he knew nothing about.”
Didn’t they come to the house because of the pouch?
Is that what Achmet was saying?
“Shocked I was when I saw you there.”
They didn’t come because of the pouch.
“He was foolish to think Davids wouldn’t catch onto him. Davids knew about the LSD. He just wanted to see if he had taken the stuff too. So I believed.”
He looks at me.
“He hit your mother to warn Stakes. And that only meant trouble for Stakes. One would rather take a bullet, then be warned by Davids. He sure could be merciless.”
He shakes his head.
“He took you. To. If Stakes didn’t come with the money by midnight that night, he was going to kill you. What I didn’t know was that G had informed Davids that Jamiel and I took the stuff. G thought Davids believed him, but Davids had us all fooled. That’s why he was the best. Couldn’t pull a fast one on him. He had planned to kill us all. Leave us all there as examples to what he does to those that try to steal from him. Return for your mother. He said he would kill whatever family you had. All to torture Stakes.”
I just looked at him.
I knew he was going to kill me.
That’s why I fired.
But Mommy and Aunty Anne too. All over money owed by Jerry because of stolen LSD.
And here I was thinking he only enjoyed the broken-bottle-head-pipe.
But wait.
“So, you didn’t come to the house because of the pouch?”
I ask.
“No. If Davids believed I had it, there was no way he could know you took it.”
I don’t know how to explain.
I felt somehow relieved.
It wasn’t my fault that Mommy got hurt.
It was because of Jerry.
“If you hadn’t shot him.”
He shakes his head.
Yes.
I did.
Yes.
You did.
I told you.
ii
Achmet finished telling me about how he got the operation needed for his daughter, Fatima. He didn’t explain too much on what was wrong with her.
“Thanks is due to Allah that she is only a carrier.”
He looks at me.
“I’m a haemophiliac. Almost bled to death the day I got this scar. Allah warned me, but I still didn’t listen. That night was the wall in my face. The scar was a brick.”
He unconsciously seems to run his fingers along his scar.
Haemophiliac?
“Difficult to stop bleeding once I start. If Fatima were to have that too, she would surely have died.”
He shakes his head.
“You almost gave me a nice cut that night. Sure were a tough kid. As small as you were you gave me quite a workout. You would probably never have knocked yourself unconscious had I not held on with all I could muster.”
He laughs.
I manage a smile.
Then frown.
It still wasn’t funny.
I remember the look on Mommy’s face before that golf club connected hard.
I never even spoke to Mommy about it.
We didn’t speak when I got home.
All I said was that I wanted to go and stay with Uncle Farmer in Windhoek.
He was a good friend of Daddy’s.
Mommy was so confused I think.
She must have thought it to be the best to get me away.
I didn't look at her.
I couldn't.
Just barely gave her a hug good bye.
She knew nothing about Mr Davids.
Aunty Anne called the cops.
But when they arrived all was said and done.
None of us mentioned anything.
“Stakes was never seen again.”
Real loser.
He ran away.
Mommy must have thought he might come back.
I didn’t help her right, because I didn’t want to tell her what I had done.
I couldn’t let anyone find out.
That I killed Simoné’s father.
As horrible as he sounds, he was still her father.
Yes.
And you killed him.
Told you.
She’s going to hate you.
“Got myself straightened out. All praise is due to Allah.”
He smiles broadly, then frowns.
“Please say you can forgive me. I do not know what this pouch has caused you. But I am very, very sorry.”
He seems sincere.
Almost near tears again.
What could I say.
Here I was thinking I had to apologize and now this.
I still couldn’t really make sense of it all.
But I had no grudges against Achmet.
That much I knew.
“It’s alright, I forgive you.”
I wasn’t sure if that meant anything to him.
I was still the one that took it.
I still felt responsible.
I am still the one that shot Simoné’s father.
“May Allah bless you.”
He takes my hands and kisses it.
He then gets up and calls his daughter.
“Please stay for supper. Fatima, Sherwin is joining us for supper.”
I didn’t even get a chance to say anything.
Guess I was staying.
“Bismillah.”
iii
New Era
Namibia: Two-Day Dressage Tourney At Swakopmund… Backed By Kueki's Pub Seafood
26 April 2013 https://allafrica.com/stories/201304261045.html
Bo-Kaap, Cape Town.
"Simoné. There's something I must tell you.”
"Sherwynne, wait. There's something I must tell you. About that day. Tuesday, 22 January 1991. Do you remember?"
I nod.
Yes.
"Well, the day just after that one. When I didn't come to school. I sent you a note with Tash."
Simoné sighs.
Deep.
I thought it best to wait with what I had to tell her.
That I killed her father.
This would give me more time to prepare.
I had to tell her.
It is the only way.
Umf.
You think.
Ha-ha-ha.
“I wanted to tell you the day before. That Tuesday. But.”
She stops and sighs again.
“George had to come and butt his head in. I’m sure he knew what I wanted to tell you.”
What was Simoné talking about.
Did Georgie know we were going to meet?
I thought he was only following Scarface, Achmet, and 28.
Jamiel.
“I heard Pokes talking. My dad. Telling them his plans about doing something very bad.”
She must be talking about Davids.
His plans.
“I went to speak to him about it, but he told me to not stick my nose where it doesn’t belong.”
She rolls her eyes.
“He always said even though you don’t call me Dad or Daddy, doesn’t mean I am not your father. You will respect me and obey me. Long as I stay under his roof. I moved to Mah that night.”
I didn’t realise Simoné had it that bad.
I always wondered why she called her Mah.
Like it meant more mom.
Like Mah Jacobs was her mom.
“Me and Dolly never got along.”
That was her mother.
“That’s why I didn’t come to school the next day. I was still settling in. Mah Jacobs sent a note to Mr Love explaining everything. He was always a nice person.”
That was True.
Mr Love.
Great Principal.
“I.”
Simoné seems suddenly scared.
Perhaps I should confess first.
“Simoné.”
“No. Sherwynne. Please. There is something I must tell you.”
I thought she had.
About her father.
What was it that bothered her so.
Why did she always have this desperate need to say something to me.
What does it have to do with January 23rd, 1991?
“I knew where he would be. I went to go and see.”
She looks at me.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“It was raining.”
What was Simoné saying?
What does this mean?
Did she see me?
Is that what this is all about?
Was she going to confront me?
I was now more nervous.
Here I thought we were working things out.
Told you.
You’re nothing but a fool.
iv
“I was hiding behind a wall. Near those coloured duplexes.”
Simoné sat more straight on the sofa.
We were sitting in Achmet them’s lounge.
There were beautiful sketches all over the walls.
More of those scroll language things.
No drawings or pictures of people though.
Mostly flowers; trees.
Table Mountain.
The drawings were really good.
I wonder who drew them.
Probably those guys on Greenmarket.
Simoné looks at me.
She folds her arms protectively over her chest.
She looks down.
It seems as if she was about to cry.
I didn’t know what to do.
I just reacted.
I scooted closer to her and put my arms around her.
She nestled her head on my shoulder.
She then started tugging hard at my shirt.
As if she was trying to hold onto something.
She then grabs me tight and starts sobbing.
I didn’t know what this meant.
Perhaps Simoné misses her dad.
Maybe she saw as he fell to the ground.
Onto the cold, wet tar road.
Blood everywhere.
All mixed with the rain.
Washed down the drain.
I felt more responsible than ever.
This was all my fault.
I caused this.
No matter how I wanted to look at it.
I was still the one that did it.
No one forced me.
To pull the trigger.
I did that.
Yes.
Look what you did.
I needed to come clean.
Explain before she confronts me.
Maybe she thinks I did it deliberately.
But how could she.
Simoné trembles more and more.
Uncontrollably.
Her whole body seems to shake.
Fatima comes to the door.
Looks at us.
Simoné doesn’t notice.
She leaves and closes the door.
I had to say it.
It was now or never.
You are nothing but a fool.
“I shot him.”
Simoné and I say together.
End of Simoné
For Mariah Carey Cannon
“Allah is the Comforter (doer or giver of Walayah) of those who are dynamically faithful (receivers and responders of walayah - believers); He extracts them from all manner of darkness into light….” (2:257)
Recite this for protection for Moroccan Scott, Monroe, Nick, Morgan, your mom, brother, sister, your God mother, Miss Patti, your friends: Miss Winfrey, Missy E, Da Brat, your fans and yourself. When retiring to sleep and this was recited, with sincerity, Allah will protect they're house, they're neighbours and even they're surroundings. With lots of love and I'm sure my sister's too, Khaleel.
Ayat Al-Kursi
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255)
All I want for Christmas is you
...
And they lived happily ever after.
What happened to spare us the clichés.
Are you telling this story.
Uhm.
End of All I want for Christmas is you
For Premier Helen Zille
In love with my best friend
"What?"
She looked at me.
Smiled shyly.
End of In love with my best friend
In the time of Prophet Muhammad, a man asked permission to go on a military expedition. The Prophet asked the man if he had a mother, when he replied yes, Prophet Muhammad said, “Stay with her because Paradise lies beneath her feet”. (Ahmad, Al-Nasai)
Abdullah ibn Omar, a leading scholar from among Prophet Muhammad’s companions once saw a man carrying his mother on his back and going around the Holy House in Mecca. He did not complain or show any signs of annoyance; rather he kept repeating a line of poetry comparing himself to a camel. He looked at Abdullah ibn Omar and asked him whether by so doing he discharged his debt to his mother. Ibn Omar said, “No. You have not even paid back one twinge of the pain she felt when giving birth to you”.
The Aliens
"Phone... Home...E.T. home phone." E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The first time I thought I was abducted by aliens, was back in Windhoek.
Yes.
Uhm
It was a night like any other.
Nia had just sent me a sms good night.
I replied Kick Freddy’s @ss.
Meaning.
Have sweet dreams.
Uhm.
Umf.
She always got my sense of humour.
That’s what I loved about her.
I could be myself with her.
Talk about the gremblins that are hiding in a corner, cowering from Jason’s scary as hell machete. Too scared to call Scotty. He would surely beam them away from that poor girl’s head, still lying in the woods of Camp Crystal Lake.
Gag-e-ing on.
Yes.
A night like any other.
I spoke to Thurston about my experience.
He said is was simply sleep-paralysis.
But I wasn’t too sure.
Those girls looked real to me.
Three.
All blond and with dark eyes.
They were beautiful.
They each had one hand on my chest.
A pressure like no other.
Heavy.
Like something was sitting on top of me.
I tried to speak, but nothing left my mouth.
I heard them whispering.
Like a long sentence.
But each of them saying only one word each as the sentence went along them.
You cannot move.
That’s all they kept saying.
You.
Cannot.
Move.
Their voices were soft and melodic.
It didn’t seem like I was at home.
It was strange.
Only these ladies.
Each with one hand on my chest.
As beautiful as they were.
They scared me.
I couldn’t move.
I wasn’t sure what I was experiencing.
Everything seemed to be focused around my chest.
It was heavy.
I felt uncomfortable.
Really uncomfortable.
But I was helpless.
All to only the pressure of their hands.
Strange.
I prayed and they disappeared.
I could suddenly move again.
The next day I looked in the mirror.
It was there.
These things on my chest.
They never went away.
Maybe they messed with my DNA.
Or something.
Whatever they did.
It was proof.
Proof that something really happened.
Yes.
I didn’t believe that it was sleep-paralysis.
No.
I tell you.
It was aliens.
Uhm.
End of The Aliens
Whisperers
Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said,
"The Hour will not be established
(1) till two big groups fight each other whereupon there will be a great number of casualties on both sides and they will be following one and the same religious doctrine,
(2) till about thirty Dajjals (liars) appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allah's Apostle,
(3) till the religious knowledge is taken away (by the death of religious scholars)
(4) earthquakes will increase in number
(5) time will pass quickly,
(6) afflictions will appear,
(7) Al-Harj, (i.e., killing) will increase,
(8) till wealth will be in abundance--so abundant that a wealthy person will worry lest nobody should accept his Zakat(obligatory aid for the poor), and whenever he will present it to someone, that person (to whom it will be offered) will say, 'I am not in need of it,'
(9) till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings,