~Nomandla~ 

I am losing my job on my first day. God why are you letting the devil control my life like this? Am I not suffering enough? I finished school when I was 19 I haven’t worked or went to college since then. I have been at home for 7 years with no luck of bursary or getting a job. Now I get this opportunity then one stupid mistake ruin everything.   

I was looking at Mr Lawson. His eyes lightened up the room in a bad way  he was angry. Have you ever opened a dark room then see A car or a dog looking at you from inside the room? That’s how Mr Lawson’s eyes looked like. I was crying Londeka wasn’t making it any easy she was busy presenting her pitch on how I should be fired and never come back and how clumsy and classless I am. Mr Lawson was not saying a word. He was looking at us fuming with anger  

Mr Lawson: …… 

Me: I am so sorry Mr Lawson please don’t fi… 

Londeka: You got fired the minute you dropped that tr…..!  

Mr Lawson: Shut up Londeka!!!!  

Londeka: Sorry Mr Law……. 

Mr Lawson hit the table hard . I saw the door open Mrs Lawson walked in  

Her: What’s going o……  

She looked at the broken cups . I couldn’t read her reaction to this. Oh god I am fired  

Mr Lawson: Ellen did you show this girl how to carry a tray?   

Oh her name is Ellen  

Mrs Lawson: I thought I asked Londy to teach her everything ?   

She smiled looking at Londeka  

Londeka: I di….  

Me: She only said I shouldn’t touch the furniture Mrs Lawson  Londeka:  

Londeka gave me death stare Mrs Lawson looked at Londeka 

Mrs Lawson: Londy?   

Londeka: I am sorry Mrs Lawson we didn’t have enough time. When you left it was already Mr Lawson’s tea time  

Mr Lawson: If you Didn’t teach her anything then why were you going on about firing her?  Who should be fired here?  L 

Londeka: Mr Lawson?  

Mrs Lawson looked at Londeka then her husband shocked  

Mrs Lawson: She said that?  

Mr Lawson: Londeka this is her first day. You should’ve carried the tray and let her carry the cookies  

Londeka: I am sorry Mr Lawson :’(  

Mrs Lawson: I need to go talk to Londy in the house. Nomandla dear stay here. Don’t clean I will be back   Me: Okay Mrs Lawson  

She walked out with Londeka. I looked at Mr Lawson  

Me: I am so sorry Mr Lawson  

Him: Hey its okay don’t mind her she is lying you are not clumsy. I hired you because you are neat  

Me: I thought Mrs Lawson hired me?  

He smiled then sat down  

Him: My wife lives in East London she doesn’t know people around here. I saw you with Mrs Nyembezi your mother?  

Me: Yes  

Him: Your mother always do the groceries for the local school  

Me: Oh …… 

Him: How is Londeka treating you?   

Me: Mr Lawson?  

Him: Is she bullying you?   

I smiled

Me: Yes  

Him: Your mother always do the groceries for the local school  

Me: Oh …… 

Him: How is Londeka treating you?   

Me: Mr Lawson?  

Him: Is she bullying you?   

I smiled yes she is making me uncomfortable but that girl needs that job as much as I do  

Me: No she is nice Mr Lawson  

Him: You don’t have to defend her. I know she doesn’t like you  

Me: She thinks I am this clueless village girl other than that she is fine Lawson  

Him: Don’t let her bully you okay? You need to stand up to her    

Me: Yes Mr Lawson  

~Londeka~ 

This girl is unbelievable . How can she be so clumsy? She is proving me right. She shouldn’t be here. I don’t know why Mrs Lawson hired her. She doesn’t belong here. We got to the house.   Mrs Lawson: Sit dear  

I sat down  Me: ……….. 

Her: Londy?  

Me: Mrs Lawson  

Her: What is going on?  

Me: We were late Mrs Lawson. I was gonna teach her everything when we get back to the house  Her: That’s not what I am asking  

Me: Oh?  

Her: Are you jealous of that girl? Do you think she is a threat to your job or we might love her more than we love you?  

I looked down  

Me: ………….. 

Her: Londy you’ve been working for us for years. We love you. We will never do that to you. We found you someone to help you because we don’t want you to work hard there’s a lot to do around here . We are not replacing you okay?  

Me: Okay Mrs Lawson 

She hugged me then broke the hug  

Her: Now go clean the office   

Me: Me? Why not her! She did that I didn’t!   

Mrs Lawson:………. 

Me: I am sorry Mrs Lawson. I will go clean   

Her: Off you go dear  

She stood up. I walked out. She stood up she went to the supermarket. I can’t believe I will clean a mess I didn’t cause! This is that girl’s fault!   

~Nomandla~ 

Mrs Lawson is a sweet soul so is her husband. They are good people. I was so scared I thought I lost my job. I have never been that scared in my life. I thought that man was gonna slap me in the face. I am really happy they stood up for me. From now on I have to be careful. I won’t be lucky all the time. Now I see Londeka don’t like me. I will make sure I stay far away from her and do my chores. Anyway right now I am dusting the furniture. I split that coffee I should be the one cleaning but they insisted that she cleans it. I feel really bad because that was my mess not hers.  

I was in the living room cleaning. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around. It is Londeka  

Me: I am sorry you had to clean my mess  

Londeka: Farm girl what’s your story?  

Me: I don’t understand?  

Her: Are you trying to make my bosses hate me?  

Me: Why would you say something like that? No  

Her: Why did you say I didn’t reach you anything?  

Me: Because you didn’t teach me anything. The first thing you did when you saw me was look down on me And insult me. You are the one who want to get me fired. Did you hear yourself when you were telling Mr Lawson to fire me?  

Her: I have never met such a clumsy person you can’t blame me! You don’t belong here you should Litter around the supermarket! You are just perfect for picking up papers not for this!     

Me: Wow  

Her: Now finish what you are doing. I have to teach you a few things  

She walked away  

Me: Londeka She turned around  

Her: Yes?  

Me: How old are you?   

Her: Excuse me?  

Me: How old are you?   

Her: 25 years old I don’t even know why I am talking you it’s not like you gonna do anything about it  

She kept walking  

Me: Londeka  

She turned around she was angry now  

Her: Nomandla?  

Me: What you did at Mr Lawson’s office was what an old maid would do  

Her: Excuse me?   

I turned around. I started dusting the wall unity  

Me: