The Library

 

It all started at the end of matric. 

My grade 12 year was marked by long distances walking to and from school. I went to a former "Indian" school as I also lived in a former "Indian" school at home in South Africa, Durban. 

My parents figured that by going to that school I would probably have better education. Learn to Speak English. All of which would increase my chances of finding a job. I liked the idea as well. My family was not a wealthy family but I could go and attend those schools. 

I barely spoke a word of English. I would just sit in class and just listen. All the other kids who had gotten used to it were having conversations. I could not hold a conversation and that hit my confidence level. I knew that for a better chance especially job interviews are held in English. 

Well colonialism and Apartheid meant that most companies were owned by Europeans, and Indians were usually given managerial roles in most companies. I would say mostly because they spoke English at their homes. 

There was a field that I used to pass by as I was on my journey to and from school. I was  a separation of two Areas, a location for the Africans and one for the Indians and mixed raced, Newlands West, and Newlands East. There was nothing special about the field except that it was a point of departure between those that lived on these separate places.

I didn't have money to go to University. My parents could not afford it. I had to take a gap year, even though that is for those that can afford it. Or at least, that is what I would tell my former classmates when I accidentally met them in town. I also thought that coming up with a sure story does not invite sympathy. 

I went to one of the neighbors whom we met at our church who offered a job to cut the yard grass. It looked that they were far ahead of my home. Obviously because they could hire me to cut the grass on some weekends. I also was allowed to go into the house if not grass had to be cut, just to watch football with the man of that house. He had always seemed as not having anybody to come chill with him. 

I would watch wrestling on the Television network and British football. We did not have that in our home at that time. We watched from the WCW to WWE wrestling. Some of the greats were John Cena, my most favorite, Curt Angle, Batista, Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Edge and many more. On the football side I could watch Arsenal FC, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Liverpool, etc. 

One day, the neighbor suggested that I apply to the Universities and at Stellenbosch I could get it and apply for bursaries. I didn't think I could since I knew that University was for the people that could afford. I knew very well that even the thought of going to another province was born in me. I applied and did all that was necessary. I rested and forgot about it. 

I found a job as a direct sales person at one of the shops. It was some kind of office and we had to go visit offices and sell from dolls to calculators and all that seemed to suit the office workers. I was given to a guy that worked there whence I came. He seemed like a nice guy on day one. Smiley and welcoming. He would be frustrated if the sales are stalling.  A little like mean actually. 

On an unexpected day I had received letters and been accepted into Stellenbosch University. That was exciting. Me. Accepted. At the University far, far away. I was pumped. I loved it. I quickly applied to any funding I could find on any newspaper I could land my hands on. I did not care if I got a response or not. The fact is, I was accepted by the University I had never even heard about before.

All of that I had never been on my own. No one in my family or I new had ever even mentioned going that far. Out of the province. The day came when I had to say my good byes. Take a bus that would take me 25 hours on the road. I bid my good byes. 

I kept coming to visit in between semesters. Visiting my father and relatives. I stayed in the Western Cape, Cape Town, for about 15 years. 

When I came back the Mall was standing on that field that I was passing as I went to school everyday. The place looked very different. There was a highway street in between Newlands West and Ntuzuma. I was then a modern Road, with traffic lights. The Mall is also in-between the two places. People from both sides meet and are no longer separated by a n open field. 

Midway Crossing Mall has all types of shops you can think of, banks, fast foods, groceries and clothing and hardware. All the necessities of life. There is also a library in the Mall. The library is very modern and has Wifi access, a computer lab and a study area.

 

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The study area is the place that is quiet and has very nice sitting. When it comes to productivity and a place of stillness. I need silence to focus. The views are amazing. Thee show the road on that field I used to walk on when I went to school. They show the buildings on the area called WestRich that I used to pass through as I went to school. 

When ever I sit on the library at the Mall it even reminds me of how school used to be like. The late coming as it was far, the girls I used to like. So many words that I spoke, thought, that never reached the target audience... The girl I liked. The teacher romances or what it seemed like to us as kids.