Manuela Cardiga's Blog, page 48
February 7, 2015
WIN INCREDIBLE PRIZES!
Join us for two hours, Febr 7th, at 18:00 GMT at the Facebook Virtual Book Party. For STARCROSSED by Suzanne Carroll!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1393419004299164/
WDA Publishing’s MANGO BOVEL Division is proud to present Suzanne Carroll’s new book - STARCROSSED.
A desperate student deprived by an assignment of her computer and her smart-phone, begs her mother for advice on how to go through life with out Apps or search engines; and ends up learning about the power of persistence, and the lengths an inventive mind and a constant heart and will go to find it's other half.
After all, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have Twitter…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/18WAMvi
AMAZING GIVE-AWAYS!
WDA Novels, including a SIGNED PRINT EDITION OF "STARCROSSED"andthe chance to have your own LOVE STORY published as an E-Book!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1393419004299164/
WDA Publishing’s MANGO BOVEL Division is proud to present Suzanne Carroll’s new book - STARCROSSED.
A desperate student deprived by an assignment of her computer and her smart-phone, begs her mother for advice on how to go through life with out Apps or search engines; and ends up learning about the power of persistence, and the lengths an inventive mind and a constant heart and will go to find it's other half.
After all, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have Twitter…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/18WAMvi
AMAZING GIVE-AWAYS!
WDA Novels, including a SIGNED PRINT EDITION OF "STARCROSSED"andthe chance to have your own LOVE STORY published as an E-Book!
ROMEO AND JULIET DIDN’T HAVE TWITTER…
Join us for two hours, Febr 7th, at 18:00 GMT at the Facebook Virtual Book Party. For STARCROSSED by Suzanne Carroll!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1393419004299164/
WDA Publishing’s MANGO BOVEL Division is proud to present Suzanne Carroll’s new book - STARCROSSED.
A desperate student deprived by an assignment of her computer and her smart-phone, begs her mother for advice on how to go through life with out Apps or search engines; and ends up learning about the power of persistence, and the lengths an inventive mind and a constant heart and will go to find it's other half.
After all, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have Twitter…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/18WAMvi
JOIN US AND WIN INCREDIBLE PRIZES!
AMAZING BOOK PARTY - STARCROSSED by Suzanne Carroll
Join us for two hours, Febr 7th, at 18:00 GMT at the Facebook Virtual Book Party.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1393419004299164/
ROMEO AND JULIET DIDN’T HAVE TWITTER…
WDA Publishing’s MANGO BOVEL Division is proud to present Suzanne Carroll’s new book - STARCROSSED.
A desperate student deprived by an assignment of her computer and her smart-phone, begs her mother for advice on how to go through life with out Apps or search engines; and ends up learning about the power of persistence, and the lengths an inventive mind and a constant heart and will go to find it's other half.
After all, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have Twitter…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/18WAMvi
February 5, 2015
READ MY FLASH PLAY FREE!
Be warned...It is irrelevant, inconsequent, and politically incorrect.
Unless you LOVE Shoes. Then you will completely understand.
CLICK FOR PRISON BREAK FAST AT TIFFANY'S
Unless you LOVE Shoes. Then you will completely understand.
CLICK FOR PRISON BREAK FAST AT TIFFANY'S
February 3, 2015
WELL I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINEharder and harderto...
WELL I HEARD IT
THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE
harder and harder
to pretend belief
when all that love
has ever brought
is grief
Manuela Cardiga
THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE
harder and harder
to pretend belief
when all that love
has ever brought
is grief
Manuela Cardiga
REVIEW for SAMSON by Danie AdendorffI have finished read...
REVIEW for SAMSON by Danie Adendorff
I have finished reading Danie Adendorff's SAMSON for the third time, and for the third time I have cried. Because Samson breaks my heart.
Samson is a a wonderful boy with a good heart and a bad temper doing his best in a harsh and unforgiving world. He is a boy struggling to bringing the ethics and values of his ancestors to bear on a corrupt and corrupting society. Samson courageously fights for justice and truth with the frail weapons of a child: belief and sincerity.
Samson wins, and in winning breaks our hearts.
SAMSON it is not a black African story, anymore than The Diary of Anne Frank is a Jewish story. It is a human story. A universal story told with crushing simplicity; the bitterest story of how childhood - the sweetest of times - can be poisoned by the treachery of the very society that should nurture and shelter our most vulnerable treasures: our children.
Manuela Cardiga
CLICK FOR SAMSON
I have finished reading Danie Adendorff's SAMSON for the third time, and for the third time I have cried. Because Samson breaks my heart.
Samson is a a wonderful boy with a good heart and a bad temper doing his best in a harsh and unforgiving world. He is a boy struggling to bringing the ethics and values of his ancestors to bear on a corrupt and corrupting society. Samson courageously fights for justice and truth with the frail weapons of a child: belief and sincerity.
Samson wins, and in winning breaks our hearts.
SAMSON it is not a black African story, anymore than The Diary of Anne Frank is a Jewish story. It is a human story. A universal story told with crushing simplicity; the bitterest story of how childhood - the sweetest of times - can be poisoned by the treachery of the very society that should nurture and shelter our most vulnerable treasures: our children.
Manuela Cardiga
CLICK FOR SAMSON
February 1, 2015
PAWNING PEARL- Part 36
Pearl sat in the Clinic waiting room nervously flipping through an ancient magazine.
HOW TO MAKE BEAUTY TREATMENTS WITH WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR KITCHEN! blared the title of the article. Egg-white face peels...Avocado face masks...Cucumber face masks, exfoliating scrubs with olive oil and table salt...
“Mrs Chabalala? Please come in.”
Pearl got up and walked into a tiny white cubicle hung with bright wax-crayon pictures of vegetables and fruit drawn by children of varying artistic ability. The nutritionist, a tiny woman in a white coat ushered her in.
To one side was a dented filing-cabinet painted bright red and a scale, a tall sliding ruler with which to measure children’s heights; next to the desk a white wood and glass medicine locker with lots of vials and bottles with colourful liquids and pills inside. And two chairs, of course, one swivel chair behind the desk, and the second - wood painted sky-blue - looking distinctly rickety and overworked, opposite it. The woman gestured invitingly towards it, and Pearl gingerly lowered herself into the chair. It squeaked, and Pearl cleared her throat. "Hello."
“Hello, Mrs Chabalala. I have here Thalie’s reports forwarded by Dr de Bruin's office and his recommendations.” The tiny woman smiled, “Next week, you bring in Thalie, but I like to meet the caregivers first , to see what the family situation is, so we can be completely honest; and understand and help each other.”
“I am not Mrs, I am Miss Chabalala - Pearl - and that sounds very fine to me.”
“Pearl! How pretty. Pearl are you Thalie’s Mother?”
“No Madam, I am not. But I look after her, and I love her very much.”
“Pearl, I ask this - you don’t have to answer - but I ask for good reason: are you HIV infected?”
“No, Madam, I am not.”
“Good. It is hard to deal with a sick child. Harder still when you are sick yourself. This way, we need only worry about Thalie.”
“Please, Madam? What is your name?”
“OH! I am sorry Pearl! I am Heather Umlozi, I am a nutritionist, that means I will help you to choose foods - plan a diet - to keep Thalie stronger for longer.”
Pearl smiled. “Yes Madam, I know that.”
“Good! Now! I see from what Dr de Bruin says, Thalie is small for her age, and thin.”
“Yes, Madam, she is.”
“That is common in HIV positive children. You see, the children with HIV use up more energy than healthy children, and the sicker they get, the more energy they need. Now, a lot of people have trouble giving their children the right food. Because they are very poor, or live in a place with no refrigerator.”
“We are not poor, we are very very lucky. We have healthy food, and a refrigerator, and clean water.”
“Excellent, but having good healthy food does not mean it is the right food for a little girl like Thalie. Thalie must eat fats and proteins and vitamins. The right kinds of foods. So if you make pap for the family, for Thalie you add a spoon of butter."
Pearl frowned. "Butter? Not margarine?" She took a small notebook out of her purse and a pen.
"Yes, butter, if you can get it! Now for a fat child you would not do that. She does not need extra fat or energy. With a fat child we must encourage the body to burn what is stored. But Thalie has nothing stored. So we must give what she needs for a normal life, and a little more to fight with, and another little bit to encourage her to store up a little fat.Maybe put on some weight. "
Pearl nodded. "Butter..." She wrote it down, "In the pap..."
"So in the porridge or the pap you add a little butter in the morning, or you beat an egg and mix it in when the porridge is cooking, or the mash potatoes. But always cook the egg very well. Raw eggs may have bacteria, so no eggs sunny-side up; or soft boiled, OK?"
Pearl obediently made a note: ALWAYS COOK THE EGGS...NO RUNNY EGGS! She sighed, Thalie loved her eggs sunny-side up...
"Scrambled eggs or boiled eggs or mixed in the food, are very good way to add extra protein. Foods like beans are good for protein too, though animal protein is better. But if you can’t get it, beans are very good. Nuts too. Nuts are vegetable meat” She smiled, which brings us to my favourite! Peanuts! I love peanuts. Very good food for skinny children, bad for fat children!”
Pearl smiled “Thalie loves peanut butter.”
“Most children love peanut butter.” She nodded at Pearl, “I know what you thinking. Very expensive in a supermarket, peanut butter, but easy and cheap to make at home. And healthier too! I will give you a recipe.“ Pearl nodded and made another note in her little book.
“Vegetables, now. Very important. She must eat them.”
Pearl sighed: “Now that may be a problem…”
“For the little ones I tell the mothers to use colours. Green, and red, and yellow and orange…AND never soak the vegetables too long, takes away the vitamins. Like when you have your hands in the water too long? And your fingers get wrinkly? Soaking is bad for nutrients. And I tell you a secret, vegetables are even better for you if you eat them at the same time as oranges, or with lemon juice. Vitamin C mixed with the vegetables make it easier for the body to use the nutrients.”
“What if I liquidize carrots in orange juice?”
“Good idea, very good idea. She eats the vegetables AND the vitamin C combined!"”
Pearl smiled back, and Mrs Umlozi continued: “Every day, Thalie must eat a little extra something to give her that special energy. So between breakfast and lunch maybe you give her a slice of bread or two with peanut butter, or a glass of milk, a little later maybe a hand-full with nuts, like this!” And she cupped her hand to demonstrate.
“If you can - and you have said you have means - a banana and a slice of cheese. Or mash up avocado with a little sugar, it is very good nutrition. Fry onions, add them to the mash, or the pap.” Mrs Umlozi frowned, “And make sure, always that your kitchen in very very clean. Your pots and pans, your plates and cups, your forks and spoons. Bad germs give children like Thalie bad tummy problems. They get diarrhoea, or vomiting, and that makes them even weaker.”
Pearl nodded. “So everything very clean, all the water boiled, all the vegetables washed very clean.”
Mrs Umlozi nodded. "Yes. Thalie's biggest enemy will be infection by bacteria or viruses that will take advantage of the fact that HIV has left her with very few defences. we must build her strength, keep the energy level high, so the medication can help her."
"Yes, Dr. de Bruin has given me the prescription. He asked me to speak to you about how to give it to Thalie."
Mrs Umlozi sighed: "It does not taste good at all, but she must take it. An adult will understand, but a child, no. So mix it in with a small portion of something to disguise the taste. Like ice cream, or peanut butter, or jam. But it must be a little bit only, so you can be sure she eats it all and takes the full dose."
Pearl smiled. "Ice-cream...Thalie will eat huge amounts!"
"Now, yes. Later...Later maybe not. Thalie has been fairly healthy?"
"Yes! Only thin, and small. But happy, and healthy, with so much energy!"
"When did you notice she was not growing?"
"We have only had Thalie a few months. She was living on the streets when we took her in, so we thought that was why she was so thin."
"I see. She is a very lucky little girl. I wish all my children were as lucky."
"Lucky, Mrs Umlozi? Thalie has a deadly disease. She may not live another year. How can she be lucky?"
"Pearl, every day I see Aids orphans who have no-one to care for them; or if they do, the caregivers are afraid of contamination and don't hug them, touch them, show them affection. I see children who do not have the most important sustenance: love. Your love will feed and sustain Thalie's spirit, even as you feed her body with nutrients and medication. Again and again I have seen that where there is passionate love for a child, miracles happen. No healing, my dear, but happiness for that child in the time they have, and quality of life. Love equals quality of life. I wish people understood that."
Pearl nodded, "I agree with you Mrs Umlozi. That is what I want for Thalie. I know it will not be a long life, but it can be a good life. That is not so different from the ambition other parents have for their children: a good life."
"No, it is not. I think we will do good work together for Thalie. So start supplementing her diet..." Mrs Umlozi handed Pearl a brightly coloured booklet. "This will help, it is mostly what we talked about, with some ideas for recipes and uses of traditional food, and ingredients; And next week you bring Thalie to meet me."
"Thank you, Mrs Umlozi, I will." Peal got up and shook Mrs Umlozi's gloved hand. "Thank you. What you have said...It makes me feel not so helpless. There is a lot I can do, and I will do it. You have shown me how I can fight." Pearl shrugged, "I am a fighter, if I cannot fight, I am lost. You are blessed, Mrs Umlozi."
"Pearl, God has blessed me that I can help children, and God has blessed you too; but I think you are not just blessed. I think you are a blessing."
TO BE CONTINUED
Manuela Cardiga
HOW TO MAKE BEAUTY TREATMENTS WITH WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR KITCHEN! blared the title of the article. Egg-white face peels...Avocado face masks...Cucumber face masks, exfoliating scrubs with olive oil and table salt...
“Mrs Chabalala? Please come in.”
Pearl got up and walked into a tiny white cubicle hung with bright wax-crayon pictures of vegetables and fruit drawn by children of varying artistic ability. The nutritionist, a tiny woman in a white coat ushered her in.
To one side was a dented filing-cabinet painted bright red and a scale, a tall sliding ruler with which to measure children’s heights; next to the desk a white wood and glass medicine locker with lots of vials and bottles with colourful liquids and pills inside. And two chairs, of course, one swivel chair behind the desk, and the second - wood painted sky-blue - looking distinctly rickety and overworked, opposite it. The woman gestured invitingly towards it, and Pearl gingerly lowered herself into the chair. It squeaked, and Pearl cleared her throat. "Hello."
“Hello, Mrs Chabalala. I have here Thalie’s reports forwarded by Dr de Bruin's office and his recommendations.” The tiny woman smiled, “Next week, you bring in Thalie, but I like to meet the caregivers first , to see what the family situation is, so we can be completely honest; and understand and help each other.”
“I am not Mrs, I am Miss Chabalala - Pearl - and that sounds very fine to me.”
“Pearl! How pretty. Pearl are you Thalie’s Mother?”
“No Madam, I am not. But I look after her, and I love her very much.”
“Pearl, I ask this - you don’t have to answer - but I ask for good reason: are you HIV infected?”
“No, Madam, I am not.”
“Good. It is hard to deal with a sick child. Harder still when you are sick yourself. This way, we need only worry about Thalie.”
“Please, Madam? What is your name?”
“OH! I am sorry Pearl! I am Heather Umlozi, I am a nutritionist, that means I will help you to choose foods - plan a diet - to keep Thalie stronger for longer.”
Pearl smiled. “Yes Madam, I know that.”
“Good! Now! I see from what Dr de Bruin says, Thalie is small for her age, and thin.”
“Yes, Madam, she is.”
“That is common in HIV positive children. You see, the children with HIV use up more energy than healthy children, and the sicker they get, the more energy they need. Now, a lot of people have trouble giving their children the right food. Because they are very poor, or live in a place with no refrigerator.”
“We are not poor, we are very very lucky. We have healthy food, and a refrigerator, and clean water.”
“Excellent, but having good healthy food does not mean it is the right food for a little girl like Thalie. Thalie must eat fats and proteins and vitamins. The right kinds of foods. So if you make pap for the family, for Thalie you add a spoon of butter."
Pearl frowned. "Butter? Not margarine?" She took a small notebook out of her purse and a pen.
"Yes, butter, if you can get it! Now for a fat child you would not do that. She does not need extra fat or energy. With a fat child we must encourage the body to burn what is stored. But Thalie has nothing stored. So we must give what she needs for a normal life, and a little more to fight with, and another little bit to encourage her to store up a little fat.Maybe put on some weight. "
Pearl nodded. "Butter..." She wrote it down, "In the pap..."
"So in the porridge or the pap you add a little butter in the morning, or you beat an egg and mix it in when the porridge is cooking, or the mash potatoes. But always cook the egg very well. Raw eggs may have bacteria, so no eggs sunny-side up; or soft boiled, OK?"
Pearl obediently made a note: ALWAYS COOK THE EGGS...NO RUNNY EGGS! She sighed, Thalie loved her eggs sunny-side up...
"Scrambled eggs or boiled eggs or mixed in the food, are very good way to add extra protein. Foods like beans are good for protein too, though animal protein is better. But if you can’t get it, beans are very good. Nuts too. Nuts are vegetable meat” She smiled, which brings us to my favourite! Peanuts! I love peanuts. Very good food for skinny children, bad for fat children!”
Pearl smiled “Thalie loves peanut butter.”
“Most children love peanut butter.” She nodded at Pearl, “I know what you thinking. Very expensive in a supermarket, peanut butter, but easy and cheap to make at home. And healthier too! I will give you a recipe.“ Pearl nodded and made another note in her little book.
“Vegetables, now. Very important. She must eat them.”
Pearl sighed: “Now that may be a problem…”
“For the little ones I tell the mothers to use colours. Green, and red, and yellow and orange…AND never soak the vegetables too long, takes away the vitamins. Like when you have your hands in the water too long? And your fingers get wrinkly? Soaking is bad for nutrients. And I tell you a secret, vegetables are even better for you if you eat them at the same time as oranges, or with lemon juice. Vitamin C mixed with the vegetables make it easier for the body to use the nutrients.”
“What if I liquidize carrots in orange juice?”
“Good idea, very good idea. She eats the vegetables AND the vitamin C combined!"”
Pearl smiled back, and Mrs Umlozi continued: “Every day, Thalie must eat a little extra something to give her that special energy. So between breakfast and lunch maybe you give her a slice of bread or two with peanut butter, or a glass of milk, a little later maybe a hand-full with nuts, like this!” And she cupped her hand to demonstrate.
“If you can - and you have said you have means - a banana and a slice of cheese. Or mash up avocado with a little sugar, it is very good nutrition. Fry onions, add them to the mash, or the pap.” Mrs Umlozi frowned, “And make sure, always that your kitchen in very very clean. Your pots and pans, your plates and cups, your forks and spoons. Bad germs give children like Thalie bad tummy problems. They get diarrhoea, or vomiting, and that makes them even weaker.”
Pearl nodded. “So everything very clean, all the water boiled, all the vegetables washed very clean.”
Mrs Umlozi nodded. "Yes. Thalie's biggest enemy will be infection by bacteria or viruses that will take advantage of the fact that HIV has left her with very few defences. we must build her strength, keep the energy level high, so the medication can help her."
"Yes, Dr. de Bruin has given me the prescription. He asked me to speak to you about how to give it to Thalie."
Mrs Umlozi sighed: "It does not taste good at all, but she must take it. An adult will understand, but a child, no. So mix it in with a small portion of something to disguise the taste. Like ice cream, or peanut butter, or jam. But it must be a little bit only, so you can be sure she eats it all and takes the full dose."
Pearl smiled. "Ice-cream...Thalie will eat huge amounts!"
"Now, yes. Later...Later maybe not. Thalie has been fairly healthy?"
"Yes! Only thin, and small. But happy, and healthy, with so much energy!"
"When did you notice she was not growing?"
"We have only had Thalie a few months. She was living on the streets when we took her in, so we thought that was why she was so thin."
"I see. She is a very lucky little girl. I wish all my children were as lucky."
"Lucky, Mrs Umlozi? Thalie has a deadly disease. She may not live another year. How can she be lucky?"
"Pearl, every day I see Aids orphans who have no-one to care for them; or if they do, the caregivers are afraid of contamination and don't hug them, touch them, show them affection. I see children who do not have the most important sustenance: love. Your love will feed and sustain Thalie's spirit, even as you feed her body with nutrients and medication. Again and again I have seen that where there is passionate love for a child, miracles happen. No healing, my dear, but happiness for that child in the time they have, and quality of life. Love equals quality of life. I wish people understood that."
Pearl nodded, "I agree with you Mrs Umlozi. That is what I want for Thalie. I know it will not be a long life, but it can be a good life. That is not so different from the ambition other parents have for their children: a good life."
"No, it is not. I think we will do good work together for Thalie. So start supplementing her diet..." Mrs Umlozi handed Pearl a brightly coloured booklet. "This will help, it is mostly what we talked about, with some ideas for recipes and uses of traditional food, and ingredients; And next week you bring Thalie to meet me."
"Thank you, Mrs Umlozi, I will." Peal got up and shook Mrs Umlozi's gloved hand. "Thank you. What you have said...It makes me feel not so helpless. There is a lot I can do, and I will do it. You have shown me how I can fight." Pearl shrugged, "I am a fighter, if I cannot fight, I am lost. You are blessed, Mrs Umlozi."
"Pearl, God has blessed me that I can help children, and God has blessed you too; but I think you are not just blessed. I think you are a blessing."
TO BE CONTINUED
Manuela Cardiga
January 29, 2015
PAWNING PEARL - Part 35
Later that evening, the children tucked away in bed, Simon and Pearl sat across from each other at the kitchen table, a fat steaming glossy-brown tea-pot between them.
Pearl shyly reached across and touched Simon's hand. He took her slim cool fingers in his. "Pearl...There is so much I want to say to you, so much we must discuss..."
"Yes. There is, and we must make a list."
"A LIST?"
"Yes. Right now I want to kiss you, but that must be the last item on our list."
"It must?"
"Yes."
"Oh! Ok. First things first then. I want us to move upstairs."
"Upstairs?"
"Yes, the penthouse is empty. It has five bedrooms, and a terrace, and it is very fine. Perfect for our family. And it makes business-sense too: am getting no rent for it, it is too expensive. So I rent this one, make some money AND we have more space."
"Yes, it sounds very good." Pearl nodded, "We can each have a bedroom and the children can have a play-room too."
Simon hesitated "About the bedroom thing? Maybe we can have a study, a playroom, the children have their own rooms, and we share?"
Pearl frowned. "I don't quite get what you mean, Mr. Thambisa."
Simon stammered: "I thought, you know...We might share?"
"Mr. Thambisa, I am not a Hilbrow rent-girl!"
"I am asking you to marry me, woman! Will you?"
"Marry you?"
"Yes, Pearl."
"Oh! Yes, I suppose so."
"You suppose so?" Simon gaped at her in crushed bewilderment "You don't sound excited. I thought you...loved me."
"I do. Very very much. But..."
"BUT?"
"I think we should wait. I think we must be sure. You must be sure."
"But am sure!"
"You are a man. Men are never quite sure. And you have not done what men do. You have not had a crazy time."
"A crazy time?"
´"Run around with the wrong girl, get your heart broken, make mistakes."
"Well!" cried Simon, offended, "I am a serious man, a traditional man! Forgive me that I did no run around with fast girls from the townships! Or take up with bad women and spend my money on drink and drugs!"
Pearl giggled. "I forgive you...I just think...If a man has made some very bad mistakes, it teaches him to recognise good things when he sees them. You see...Good things are not always very exciting at first glance. I am not very exciting. Maybe one day you wake up and think: everyday with Pearl is the same. Everyday."
"Pearl," Simon exclaimed, feelingly, "My life has never been so exciting, or expensive!"
Pearl giggled, "You are a very funny man, Mr. Thambisa...And I agree to moving upstairs, and we talk about this engagement another time. You have paid Lobolo, but I have not met your mother, I have not prepared food for your family. I too am a traditional woman."
"My mother!" Simon stared at her horrified. "I have not seen or spoken to my mother in 20 years."
"Never mind! Now, first! Isaiah: he must start the school next week. He is in health, he is clever, he will do well and be a merit to you, Simon."
"Yes, I agree. He is a good boy, clever and brave and loyal."
Pearl smiled proudly, "He is most deserving. Now, about Thalie..." she sucked in her breath in a sudden sob. "Thalie we must speak to. We must tell her as much as she can understand."
"Why must we? Tell a baby she will die? No Pearl!"
"Yes. It is her right. We will not say she will die. We will say she is ill. We will say we will be working to make her feel better."
"And school? Thalie does not go to school? You saw how excited she was about that, much more than Isaiah."
"I will speak to the Director tomorrow when I take in Isaiah's papers. See what he says. And tomorrow night we speak as a family. We talk about going upstairs, going to school, and Thalie taking special medicine. Dr. de Bruin has made me an appointment with a nutritionist to set a special diet for Thalie; reinforce her immune system."
"I agree, Pearl, it is a very good plan, a Master-plan. Is there anything else on your list?"
Pearl frowned. "No...not that I can think of."
"You are forgetful, woman!" Simon reached across the table, "What about my kiss?"
MC
Pearl shyly reached across and touched Simon's hand. He took her slim cool fingers in his. "Pearl...There is so much I want to say to you, so much we must discuss..."
"Yes. There is, and we must make a list."
"A LIST?"
"Yes. Right now I want to kiss you, but that must be the last item on our list."
"It must?"
"Yes."
"Oh! Ok. First things first then. I want us to move upstairs."
"Upstairs?"
"Yes, the penthouse is empty. It has five bedrooms, and a terrace, and it is very fine. Perfect for our family. And it makes business-sense too: am getting no rent for it, it is too expensive. So I rent this one, make some money AND we have more space."
"Yes, it sounds very good." Pearl nodded, "We can each have a bedroom and the children can have a play-room too."
Simon hesitated "About the bedroom thing? Maybe we can have a study, a playroom, the children have their own rooms, and we share?"
Pearl frowned. "I don't quite get what you mean, Mr. Thambisa."
Simon stammered: "I thought, you know...We might share?"
"Mr. Thambisa, I am not a Hilbrow rent-girl!"
"I am asking you to marry me, woman! Will you?"
"Marry you?"
"Yes, Pearl."
"Oh! Yes, I suppose so."
"You suppose so?" Simon gaped at her in crushed bewilderment "You don't sound excited. I thought you...loved me."
"I do. Very very much. But..."
"BUT?"
"I think we should wait. I think we must be sure. You must be sure."
"But am sure!"
"You are a man. Men are never quite sure. And you have not done what men do. You have not had a crazy time."
"A crazy time?"
´"Run around with the wrong girl, get your heart broken, make mistakes."
"Well!" cried Simon, offended, "I am a serious man, a traditional man! Forgive me that I did no run around with fast girls from the townships! Or take up with bad women and spend my money on drink and drugs!"
Pearl giggled. "I forgive you...I just think...If a man has made some very bad mistakes, it teaches him to recognise good things when he sees them. You see...Good things are not always very exciting at first glance. I am not very exciting. Maybe one day you wake up and think: everyday with Pearl is the same. Everyday."
"Pearl," Simon exclaimed, feelingly, "My life has never been so exciting, or expensive!"
Pearl giggled, "You are a very funny man, Mr. Thambisa...And I agree to moving upstairs, and we talk about this engagement another time. You have paid Lobolo, but I have not met your mother, I have not prepared food for your family. I too am a traditional woman."
"My mother!" Simon stared at her horrified. "I have not seen or spoken to my mother in 20 years."
"Never mind! Now, first! Isaiah: he must start the school next week. He is in health, he is clever, he will do well and be a merit to you, Simon."
"Yes, I agree. He is a good boy, clever and brave and loyal."
Pearl smiled proudly, "He is most deserving. Now, about Thalie..." she sucked in her breath in a sudden sob. "Thalie we must speak to. We must tell her as much as she can understand."
"Why must we? Tell a baby she will die? No Pearl!"
"Yes. It is her right. We will not say she will die. We will say she is ill. We will say we will be working to make her feel better."
"And school? Thalie does not go to school? You saw how excited she was about that, much more than Isaiah."
"I will speak to the Director tomorrow when I take in Isaiah's papers. See what he says. And tomorrow night we speak as a family. We talk about going upstairs, going to school, and Thalie taking special medicine. Dr. de Bruin has made me an appointment with a nutritionist to set a special diet for Thalie; reinforce her immune system."
"I agree, Pearl, it is a very good plan, a Master-plan. Is there anything else on your list?"
Pearl frowned. "No...not that I can think of."
"You are forgetful, woman!" Simon reached across the table, "What about my kiss?"
MC
January 27, 2015
WRITER's BLOCK - Licking it and LOVING it!
FOREPLAY(oops that spellcheck…FOREWORD)
Hello, hello!
Welcome to my world!
If you are reading this, something about the subject entranced you…
Or the divine cover (which is my own design by the way).
If it entranced you, chances are you have WRITER’S BLOCK!
The question is: DO YOU REALLY HAVE WRITER’S BLOCK?
Or are you one of those people who have intellectual hypochondria and “acquire” any fascinating syndrome or trauma as a fashion accessory or talking point at parties?
“Hi! I’m Maggie! I have writer’s block…Well, no…I’m not a writer yet. I haven’t written anything…Why? Well…I have writer’s block…How do I know I have writer’s block if I haven’t written anything? Well…It’s a soul thing you know…What is my writing method??? DIDN’T I TELL YOU I HAVE WRITER’S BLOCK? HOW THE FUCK SHOULD I KNOW WHAT MY WRITING METHOD IS IF I HAVE FUCKING WRITER’S BLOCK?”
Oops…Can you tell who is going home alone from the Literary Soiree tonight?
By the way? If you are allergic to occasional gratuitous profanity, DROP THIS BOOK! (wait, it’s an e-book, so don’t DROP it)
We are literary not LITERAL here, ok?
Let’s establish some guidelines so I don’t get sued. (I know you-all out in the USA are particularly litigious, so let me cover my admittedly luscious ass quickly here)
1. This book contains ADULT MATERIAL.
(I always envision little penises and vaginas pressed between the pages? But no, we may however MENTION penises and vaginas, so be warned. Why would we mention penises and vaginas in a book about Writer’s Block? Well…I don’t KNOW! I wrote this in a frenzy of inspiration…)
2. Keep on a high shelf out and of reach of children. (The penis and vagina thing. We don’t want children suspecting we have them.)
3. The Author does not guarantee the results of any of the advice contained in this book.
4. The Author does not take responsibility for any consequences that may result from following the advice contained in this book. (this includes reckless marriages to improbable Muses, or unwanted pregnancies as a result of drunken carousing)
5. The Author wrote this in a state of inebriation and therefore cannot be held accountable for any of the potentially offensive points of view expressed in this book. (if you are easily offended you may reconsider the decision to read my stuff?)
6. The Author belongs to several ethnic minorities and is therefore entitled to be POLITICALLY INCORRECT and CULTURALLY PREJUDICED and otherwise INSENSITIVE.
7. The Author is a struggling writer without a pot to pee in, so go ahead and sue anyway, SUCKER! (HI HI HI! Chardonnay is good…hics)
Manuela Cardiga
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SENSELESS ADVICE ON HOW NOT TO WRITE
"HOORAY" CRIED SHEAT THE CHURCH BAZAAR"We's got A lot in ...
"HOORAY" CRIED SHE
AT THE CHURCH BAZAAR
"We's got
A lot in common,"
Says the Whore
To the Preacher's Wife.
"We do our bits
For the community
Set aside our needs
For the common good:
You look to the Holy Rood,
I tend to the tented rod,
I kneels to the Preacher,
You kneels to God;
Difference is
You gets to partake
Of the Divine,
I gets to gargle
With Holy Wine..."
MC
AT THE CHURCH BAZAAR
"We's got
A lot in common,"
Says the Whore
To the Preacher's Wife.
"We do our bits
For the community
Set aside our needs
For the common good:
You look to the Holy Rood,
I tend to the tented rod,
I kneels to the Preacher,
You kneels to God;
Difference is
You gets to partake
Of the Divine,
I gets to gargle
With Holy Wine..."
MC
