by Carol Gibbs
Gabriel practises in the hokkie with two pieces of iron. He undoes the buttons of his shirt and peers at his chest and then he runs his palms up and down to feel for hairs. Alongside the promise from Mr Atlas is a picture of a Daisy gun. When he’s saved enough money Gabriel is going to write to America to order his Daisy gun. We don’t believe it will arrive, because America is far away and the money will surely get lost when it crosses the sea.
Gabriel has been visiting his friend Kevin, and the minute he turns the corner into our road I know something’s up. He pedals against the wind and his legs go round so fast they look like circles. His calves are getting big from doing exercises with Mr Atlas. I can see his mouth moving as the wind plays with his words. When he pulls on his brakes I can hear him.
“C-c-come and see the p-p-p-etrified tree. Th-th-they found the tree when they dug the hole for the s-s-sewage pipes.”
Gabriel lifts me onto the crossbar of his bike, all thoughts of his superior rank gone from his head in the excitement. We wobble a bit and then he picks up speed and we race over the railway line. Gabriel flings out his hand and flicks his fingers to indicate a right turn, then he brakes in a cloud of dust and loose stones.
There it lies in a hole in the ground, surrounded by a knot of excited people. It’s ten feet long and the foreman tells us it’s thousands of years old. He’s powerless against the hordes of children elbowing one another out of the way and sliding into the hole on their bums. Gabriel joins them and I follow him.
“The f-foreman says they’re taking the t-t-tree to the Cape Town M-Museum. Wh-when we visit Grandma we’ll be a-aable to see the t-tree whenever we l-l-like.”
I will feel important and will tell visitors to the museum that it’s our tree and we were part of the magic when they found it.
“Th-th-they would never have been laying the p-p-pipes in the f-first place if we didn’t n-need to sh-sh-shit.” Now that Gabriel is growing up, he uses swear words he wouldn’t dare say before.
I’m out of sight, sitting on my haunches looking for birds’ eggs in the hedge, when I overhear Mrs Beelders talking to Mrs Selbourne.
“I miss my Sylvia so much. Some days I don’t know what to do with myself.”
Then she changes the subject. “D’you hear the commotion at the Le Seuers’ last night? You must take your hat off to that poor woman. How she gets up to go to work the next morning, I’ll never know.”
“And what about the children?” adds Mrs Selbourne. “They’re caught up in all of it. Not exactly the right setting to learn self-esteem.”
“Ag, shame!”
“They’re sweet kids, though, except for the endless sniffing. Thank heavens for the nurse. She does what she can under the circumstances.”
Aunty Dolly says it’s bad to hate your father, but after the goings-on last night I can’t help it. I shift in my hiding place and try to stand up but my legs won’t listen.
“Maybe they’ll get divorced. But where would she go? A bookkeeper’s salary doesn’t go far.”
“There are rumours that Social Welfare have stepped in. The girls are going to boarding school. I’m sure they’ve seen enough to last them a lifetime.”
“Gabriel is going to Naval College and Jackie is with his grandmother.”
“It’s such a shame. I’ll miss Colleen.”
“Poor Mrs Le Seuer!”
“Maybe when he knocks at the gate St Peter will say, you can’t come in.” Mrs Selbourne sounds embarrassed to say it. She adds abruptly, “I’d better get going.”
And then they’re gone.
Maybe they don’t understand. Desiree says we’ll be better off with no Friday brandy. I want to run home, but I’m glued to the spot because both my feet are asleep. When my feet listen I skip down the road singing lustily.
All things bright and beautiful …
GLOSSARY
A
aan die brand
on fire (literal) – “Let’s party”
abba
carry, piggyback
achtung
attention
af
severed (refers to missing finger)
afdak
lean-to (shed roof)
afval
tripe
ag man
oh, pity or sorrow
ag my moeder
oh my mother (literal) – term expressing admiration or affection
ag shame
oh shame, term of endearment
ag siestog
oh shame (ditto)
ag sis
expression of disgust
ai
expression of wonder, bemusement or surprise
aia
nanny
aikona
no way
a-nee-a
oh no
allemagtig
almighty – expression of surprise
alles van die beste
everything of the best
Antie/Tannie
auntie (literal) a polite form of address
arme skepsel
poor soul
asseblief
please
B
babbie
Indian or Muslim shopkeeper
babbalas
hangover
balie
bucket as in lavatory bucket removal system
bangbroek
coward, scaredy pants
bedonnerd
mad, crazy behoedmiddel vir kinders preventative medicine for children
beskuit
rusk
beurt
turn
blerrie
corruption of the expletive “bloody”
bliksems
scoundrels (derogatory expletive) bobbejaan spider baboon spider
boggers
buggers
boer bread
traditional home-made farm loaf
boeretroos
farmer’s comfort (literal) – brandy in coffee
boer maak ’n plan
farmer makes a plan
boerseep
home-made farm soap
bolla
bun (as in hair style)
bollemakiesie
somersault
bones
wooden sticks, percussion instrument used by Klopse
borrie
turmeric
bredie
stew
bring bietjie behoedmiddel
bring a little preventative medicine (as in natural remedy)
broeks
panties
brommer
buzzer or grumbler (literal), a bluebottle fly
broos
bruised (as in bruised fruit)
D
Daar kom die Alabama
Here comes the Alabama – traditional song about the American sailing ship the Alabama
daar kom ’n dag
the day will come
dagga
mortar
dannabolle (dennebolle)
pine cones
dans
dance
das schmeckt sehr gut
that really tastes good
dennepitte
pine nuts
De Oogen de Here sien in alle platzen
The eyes of the Lord are all-seeing
Der Fuhrer
the leader, meaning Adolf Hitler
die man is nou dood
the culprit is dead – nobody will own up
dis waar
it’s true
donner
assault, beat up
Djy is die prikker in my Primus stoof
You are the pricker (for clearing the paraffin nozzle) in my Primus stove (sexual allusion)
dop
drink, booze
dronk
drunk
duiwelskos
devil’s food (literal), a plant
E
eina
ouch
ek het ’n soft spot
vir hom
I have a soft spot for him, I am fond of him
ek’s
I am
Emma Kalema
the name of a woman in a traditional song
En ek’s hoogs bedonnerd en ver van die huis
And I’m highly crazy and far from home
F
foefie
fart, shit
fokken
fucking – expletive
G
gee da stukkie stokvis
give me that piece of stockfish
gemors
mess
ghoen
big glass marble
glassies
marbles
goed
good
goema
a traditional handheld drum
gril
shudder
Guten morgen
Good morning
Guy hettie hare nie
The effigy (Guy Fawkes) has no hair
H
haai
gosh, wow, expression of surprise
haai shame
oh shame (literal) – an expression of affection or appreciation
haar pa
her father
haarsnyer
hair cutter (literal), hair dresser
haasbek
rabbit mouth (literal) front teeth missing
halfnaartjie
half-caste
hallie-ha
childish saying expressing concern
handlanger
workman’s assistant
hap
a bite
hau
expression of surprise or shock
heavy
someone with a bad attitude or who might cause trouble
heilig
sacred, holy
help-my-trap
help-me-pedal (literal) – a power-assisted bicycle
hoer
whore
hok
shed, as in tool shed or hoenderhok fowl run
hokkie
small shed
Hoog Hollands
High Dutch
hokaai
stop
hotnotjies
little Hottentots (literal) – coloured children
hotnotsvye
Hottentots’ figs (literal) – fruit of Carpobrotus edulis, a Cape delicacy
hum-dum-dawlie
earthworm
I
ironies
iron marbles
J
ja
yes
jammer
sorry
jammerlap
sorry cloth (literal), a damp cloth used at table, instead of a serviette, to wipe fingers
jislaaik
gosh, jeez – expressing surprise or admiration
jou hol man
your arse man, derogatory expression
jou ma se
your mother’s … (vulgar implication) jou voet in ’n visblik your foot in a fish can (literal), disparaging expression
jukskei
yoke pins used to separate oxen; a game played with same
jy kan nie van Hom wegkruip nie
you can’t hide from Him (God)
jy praat mos gek
you’re talking nonsense
jy vat nie aan ’n ander man se goed nie
you don’t touch another man’s possessions
K
kaaings
pork scratchings
kaffirpot
kaffir pot (literal), three-legged iron pot used for cooking over live coals
karos
cured pelt of a wild animal
kakabalie
toilet bucket, used in bucket-removal system
kakabalie man
man who empties toilet bucket
kennetjie game played with two sticks, also called tip-cat
kerfuffle
smooching
klap
smack
kleilat
traditional game played with sticks loaded with wet clay
klonkie
young coloured child
Klopse
traditional Cape Town song-and-dance troupes, also known as coons or minstrels
knopkierie
weighted stick, a traditional weapon
knyp
pinch,
kolskoot
a shot that hits the mark, bull’s eye
kom
come
kom gou
come quickly
kom veilig tuis
get home safely
kom was julle hande
come and wash your hands
koppie
cup
kotsing
vomiting
kraak a slang
term describing someone of mixed descent
kroes
krinkly, curly, describing hair
kry nou julle rigting
find your direction (literal), settle down, find your spot
kyk
look
kyk ma dra haar dood aan die blomme
look, mother is killing herself carrying the flowers
L
laager
wagons drawn into a circle (for protection)
lick and a promise
a quick wash (with a promise of a thorough one later)
liefde
love
loop
walk (literal), go, get out
loopdop
a last drink, one for the road
los haar uit
leave her alone
M
ma
(short for maar), but
maar wag
but wait
Mazeltov
Yiddish expression, congratulations
Mêdem
Madam (literal)
mêdempie
