It all took place in the dusty squatter camp somewhere near Mitchells Plain. Or maybe not near Mitchells Plain. Whatever, it took place in a squatter camp somewhere in Cape Town. Let's move on.
The sun just came up, the golden glaze falling gently upon the shacks, or in
upper-class language, 'informal settlements'... or in
politically sensitive language, 'informal housing structures until the government decides to provide more housing', or so the story goes.
Usually there's music playing in the background to invoke the senses of the viewer and make them more inclined to accept the story line. So, pretend you're hearing music in the background. Moving on.
Two men awoke, in two different shacks, in the normal manner... by the smell of fire, as one of the nearby informal settlements emitted thick black smoke, with people screaming and a few of them running, holding buckets, to the nearby tap that supplies water to fifty shacks in the squatter camp area.
As the story goes, both awoke preparing themselves for the day that lies ahead. A person reading this should, by now, have come to the realization, that the two men mentioned in the paragraph above should play a fundamental role, as it is custom to mention the main characters near the beginning.
The two men from different shacks happened, just by chance, to be friends who were both looking for work, who live in the same area in the same row of shacks, two shacks away from each other. I know, random.
Due to the increasing unemployment rate and government promises not happening, both were desperate to accept any job available, even below the government’s minimum wage. Both ended up looking for a job for months, and became so despondent that they decided not to look for a job anymore. In terms of the
strict definition of unemployment, as both were not actively looking for a job, they do not count as unemployed.
If you were wandering, or before you make assumptions take the following into consideration: In order to break away from tradition, the main characters have no names. It seems a little anti-climactic, as it should. So, in order to distinguish between the two, let’s say one had a beanie on and the other had worn-out shoes that were falling apart faster than Zimbabwe’s inflation was increasing in 2009. Anyway, the story continues.
Both were sitting near a waste-dump heap wandering what to do with their lives. It was as if time slowed down, or at least it would if this was a movie. The one with the beanie turned to face the other, staring deep into the other one’s eyes, or at least, his face. There was an expression of constipation on the one with the shoes’ face; he must be deep in thought. Suddenly, not really, but let’s say it was, the one with the shoes shouted that he had an idea.
He explained his idea to the one with the beanie, as they sat near the waste-dump. The scene was something special. Two men, sitting on a rubbish heap, just talking, with planes flying in the background. Those flying on the planes towards Cape Town, with window seats, get to see a view of informal settlements... ah, what a welcoming site indeed.
Anyway, his idea impressed the other one, and both agreed to follow the plan tomorrow. In order to create a little climax, the idea will not be stated plainly, but you have to read on to find out what this mysterious plan is that captivated the one with the beanie, what plan it is that will change their lives forever.
The next morning both woke up early, even before someone’s shack caught fire due to illegal cabling or paraffin lamps. Both were filled with an emotion not felt before. You as the reader can decide what emotion, so that we ensure reader participation in the story. Anyway, they met at the usual spot in the morning, the same community gathering spot where all come together, the tap. There was a spark between them, must be the excitement of hope or purpose, or maybe it was the illegal power cable shooting sparks.
Later on that day, both walked to the nearest
Shoprite. All was going according to plan. When they got to Shoprite, they hid themselves from those in the vicinity, waiting. What is it that they could be waiting for? What are they up to? I guess it’s time to find out, because opportunity has just presented itself.
Both saw the gap, and took it, or more likely ran across it to the other side where the Shoprite trollies stood. No one was watching. The one with the shoe grabbed the nearest trolley, while the other ran beside him encouraging him to run faster by saying, “Let’s go, let go” saying a swear word every now and then for further motivation.
They run for five minutes pushing the trolley until the stopped. It was safe. They pushed the trolley the entire day, rested at night under a bridge, only to wake up next morning to push the trolley again. They would take turns pushing the trolley until they reached their destination. Just where is it that they are going to? What could be their next destination, the next step of the life-changing plan?
A few days later they finally reached their destination. It was some kind of forest with trees. All that was in the trolley was a stolen axe and a few other random items, discarded worn out items collected along the way. Use your imagination for the other items as the only relevant item is the axe. Anyway, the one with the beanie took out the axe while the one with the shoes inspected the area.
Something was about to happen, it might be serious, the only serious part in this whole story, maybe even a real climate point. The one with the shoes had his back facing the one with the beanie and the now with the axe as well. It did not seem as if the one with the shoes knew that the one with the beanie and axe was behind him. This is another part they in the movies this scene would be slowed down, accompanied by dramatic, but softly played music... maybe like something from the
Lord of the Rings soundtrack? The one with the beanie and axe, raised the axe above his head and swung…
…and swung the axe into the nearby tree and said, “Should I start cutting down this tree or did you find a better one. It seems as if it was a false alarm, no climax. Both took turns chopping wood all day, piling the wood in the trolley. The one with the shoes looked around and said, “You know, all that’s missing is a stream, some sheep and a mountain as a backdrop, and this place would look kwaai.” They camped out in the woods that night.
The story continues in the morning as nothing interesting happened apart from the one with the shoe sleeping twenty metres away from the one with the beanie. On that day, they chopped the last of the wood that they wanted, then packed up and prepared to leave.
In case you, the reader was wondering what they ate throughout their entire trip, this is one of those parts where you assume they ate something at some time and ate enough, even if just enough to sustain them. Let your imagination fill in the gaps.
It was nearing the time for their next step. They journeyed once more to another destination, another place to get to, and another step in their life changing plan. They finally arrived. Their destination: a random busy road, you can decide where. Anyway, they set up on the pavement, placing the wood in an orderly manner, waiting for people to stop and buy wood.
Five days later, they finally made enough for the final part of their plan. Just what could the final step of their plan be, that took five days of selling wood? What could it be, that made these two men, journey so far, braving the elements? What is it that has inspired these men? Why are there so many questions? I guess we’re about to find out.
This is it, the final step. They journeyed with the empty trolley for what seemed like most of the day. Finally they stopped. Their final destination was one that every person from Cape Town should know well, part of what it means to be from Cape Town, a place that is so vital, so important, and so crucial: The Fisheries.
This is it, the moment the two were waiting for. They walked in together; a sense of pride and accomplishment filled them as they reached the counter. They could hardly believe this was happening. They looked at each other, knowing that their plan was finally coming to a close; they would complete the final step together. The one with the beanie took out the money, while the one with the shoes said, “a polony Gatsby and a Cabana juice”
The two walked out, divided the Gatsby in halve and ate it. Every bit, enjoyable, their
marginal utility seemed to increase with every bite. Their plan had worked. And so the story ends, with the two of them making their way back, taking turns to sit in the trolley while the other one pushes, all the way home. The end
No really, that was the end of the story. This is just to say at the end of the story, that the story dragged a great deal, and chances are you wasted a great deal of time. Anyway, at least you know now, at the end, after you read it all and wasted your time. The end. No really, the end.
