They are Coming

Chapter 24

94 Chapter 24 In 1980, when Independence was achieved, everything seemed possible. Zimbabwe became a land of vast opportunity. This was especially so in the cities where even the buildings, the tarred roads and streetlights seemed to reflect the mood of hope and celebration. Ngwenya and MaNdlovu were amongst the many couples who moved to the city infected by the excitement. When they first arrived, they lived with one of Ngwenya’s brothers, Better, who rented two rooms in Makokoba Township. Better also found Ngwenya a job at Perlin Shoes, where he had been working for some time. A year later Better, a bachelor, died from a mysterious illness and Ngwenya and MaNdlovu took on the house and the rent. Four years later, during those terrible years of Gukurahundi, Ngwenya was promoted to foreman in the shoe factory. As he saved money meticulously , three years later, in 1988, just after the Unity Accord, he’d managed to buy the two-roomed house in Lobengula Township, where they now lived. They’d met the policeman Tshabalala on the day they arrived in Lobengula . They were offloading their furniture and kitchen utensils when he’d strolled over to watch. Seeing his uniform, Ngwenya had been alarmed, for stories were rife of people being conned into bad housing deals. Then the policeman, a glass of beer in hand, had politely greeted them, and introduced himself. ‘My name is Tshabalala. I’m your neighbour,’ he said, using the glass to indicate the house to the left. ‘I was just about to take off my uniform when I saw you through the window and I thought you could use a hand, seeing that our madam here is heavy with child.’ Ngwenya was glad to accept his offer. ‘Ah, good then,’ Tshabalala went 95 on, in a friendly fashion. ‘I was wondering when the new owners would arrive – it’s not good for a house to remain empty, otherwise goblins might move in and make it their base of operations.’ They’d all laughed and Tshabalala put down his beer and helped Ngwenya to carry in all the remaining furniture. As he did so he chatted as if they were old friends, and indeed there did seem something oddly familiar about him. He told them that he had a wife, and a son, Freeman, who were currently visiting his wife’s mother. When they’d finished, the two men stood at the gate exchanging a little of their life histories. Suddenly, the new neighbour stopped Ngwenya mid-flow, ‘Did you say Wildberg Ranch? That’s why you seem familiar. You’re Foreman Ngwenya. We met on a couple of occasions,’ and he stuck out his hand, ‘Never-Say-Never!’ *** Tshabalala, still balancing the beer on his head, removes one of his shoes. His audience clap their hands and whistle; someone yells ‘NeverSay -Never!’ and bursts out laughing. Tshabalala puts on the shoe again, removes the bottle from his head and bows; then he walks towards the door of bottle store, a big drunken smile on his face. Seeing Ngwenya, he stops and stares at him, as if he is trying to remember something. His smile has been replaced by a careful expression. Suddenly, he turns round, and lurches toward Mbambo, who always has a liquid lunch, and after his confrontation with MaVundla quickly sought solace with a beer. Tshabalala slaps Mbambo on the back, says something, and the two men laugh. Ngwenya has never seen them laughing together like this before. In fact, if he recalls correctly, they rarely ever speak to each other; they’d been on opposite sides during the war, after all. To do him justice, Tshabalala had made overtures toward Mbambo when he’d first arrived, but Mbambo had denied knowing him, denied ever being at the ranch, and as Tshabalala confided to Ngwenya one evening, ‘I can’t abide a liar.’ But here they were, talking and laughing. ‘Never-Say-Never!’ Mbambo shouts raising his beer. ‘Never-Say-Never!’ Tshabalala echoes. ‘Cheers!’ And they clink bottles. Ngwenya is hurt. He’s known the policeman a long time; after all, he helped him with thirty-four head of cattle, and here he was shunning him and preferring to laugh with that sell-out. He turns to go back to his stall, his heart heavy, and as he does so, Mbambo brushes past him, not 96 returning to his place on...