Sally’s suggestion stuck in my mind as I left the mall. What was she implying? Her promise that she would contact me shortly left me unconvinced. What could she show me that could make any difference? She was so young – so inexperienced. If she did contact me I would simply offer some or other excuse that I was unavailable. End of story.
Standing in the driveway before a closed gate is a red Volkswagen Jetta. I recognised the car belonging to my sister Francis and my brother-in-law Steve. They seldom visited on week days. Something was up I thought as I pressed the remote and followed them up the driveway.
“Jesus Martin everyone has been trying to get hold of you today.....Angela said we must rush over and see if you are okay. She thought you might have been murdered or something!”
Francis yelled stepping from the car. I was surprised by his sister’s agility, never considering her the athletic type, perhaps because of her full figure. Steve, climbing out more calmly, stood by the open passenger door silently. I guessed he had learned to wait for her outbursts to subside before saying a word. It had taken me almost all of his adolescent years to get to grips with his sister’s moods.
“Hello Francis good to see you too. As you can see I’m still in one piece.”
I replied as he walked toward the front door.
“That’s not funny Martin. You’d better phone Angela before she sends the police looking for you and hurry up I need to pee....come on Steve”
Steve shook my hand as he stepped onto the porch. I waited until I saw Francis disappear down the passage.
“Is she still taking her sedatives?”
“Said she doesn’t need them anymore. They apparently suppress her true personality. Think she read it in one of those woman magazines. Can’t really argue the fact. Seems anything printed in those glamour articles is more believable than her balding husband’s opinion”
I peeped through the open doorway. Francis was still in the toilet.
“How do you stay so patient with her? Even though I love her as a sister I would have probably had her locked away by now”
Steve rubbed his belly which I noticed with a sense of pleasure was larger than my own.
“She loves to cook. Veggies, salads, meat. The whole shebang. Most woman these days starve their husbands with take-a-ways but not my Fran”
I had expected my brother-in-law to agree with me not side with my sister. Obviously the poor soul had been brainwashed. There could be no other logical explanation. That for a lousy plate of food. Such weak resistance.
“Would you like a beer?”
Steve glared at me as if I had cursed out loud.
“On a Monday night Francis would never allow that but I won’t mind a cup of tea”
The telephone in the hallway rang. Francis stepped from the toilet.
“Put on the kettle so long”
I replied lifting the receiver as Steve walked to the kitchen.
“Hi Martin speaking”
I answered with nervous anticipation. Francis stands behind me arms folded. Was she aware of something that I wasn’t?
“Hello Martin do you still remember me your wife? What the hell is going on there?”
Missy barks at something. There is a knock on the front door. Two familiar heads peek through the open door.
“It’s been one heck of a day Angie. I was bathing and left the cell-phone on the rim of the bath incase you should call. By accident it slipped into the water.”
Francis walks toward the front door.
“Can I help you?”
The girls glance across her shoulder.
“We’d like to speak to Martin. We have something for him to say thanks for helping us out next door!”
They wave from the doorway. Francis gazes at them and then at her brother.
“What time was that Martin?”
Angela on the line enquired.
“What time was what?”
I scratch behind my ear. Francis invites the girls in. They walk pass me toward the kitchen. I see Jane has a small gift wrapped box in her hand. She smiles and winks as she passes close-by.
“About twelve or so I can’t remember.”
Francis shows the girls into the kitchen. As they disappear from his sight Francis pokes her head around the corner and waves a short plump finger at me.
“Since when do you have a bath in the middle of the day Martin?” Didn’t you have lessons today?”
In the background I hear the girls chatting to Steve.
“I injured my toe. Andy is covering my lessons. I thought a warm bath would help reduce the pain”
“Oh my poor baby- are you having a tough time?”
One of the girls laugh out loud from some remark Steve made. I try to cover the mouth-piece but my efforts to conceal the noise are in vain.
“Who’s laughing like that? Do you have company Martin?”
“It’s only Francis. They came over because they couldn’t get hold of me either?”
I rubbed the nape of my neck. The fibs were increasing rapidly. Out of the corner of my eye I see another set of headlights enter the driveway. In the light flowing from the porch lamp I see a white VW Beetle park behind the station wagon. Missy barks from her position behind the fence suspended between the side of the garage and the house.
“I didn’t realize Francis had such a high-pitch laugh on her. Don’t forget to hang the damp towels on the washing line and put your dirty clothes in the green basket the other one is for the ironing…”
I mumbled something that resembled some sort of confirmation. My attention was drawn to the open doorway- to the sound of feet approaching. As another familiar face peered around the corner of the open door I almost dropped the receiver.
“Angie can I phone you back a little bit later?”
“That’s fine. I would like to have a quick word with Francis though”
I placed the receiver on the side-table indicating to my latest guest that I would be with him shortly. I stepped into the kitchen. There was no-one. I hear voices through the open window on the back porch. I step through the back door and see the four of them sitting on the steps of the porch drinking hot beverages.
“Francis - Angela wants a word with you”
As Francis makes her way to the telephone the girls approach me.
“We have something for you. We hope you will like it”
I take the small package from Jane’s hand.
“You really didn’t need to get me anything. I just did what any neighbor would do. Isn’t that true Steve?”
I asked my brother-in-law who sat silently watching the proceedings with concern and astonishment.
“Sure….nothing wrong extending a helping hand”
Steve peered anxiously at the kitchen door almost as if he feared Francis hearing that he approved of something that she might not have.
“Well aren’t you going to open it?”
Mitchell asked lifting the cup to her lips.
“In a moment I have some-one waiting at the front door.”
I stepped softly down the hallway to the front door spitting my ear on the conversation between Francis and Angela. Were they talking about me? Surely my own sister would not say anything that might place me in trouble with Angela? Not since I was the one that introduced Steve to her a few years ago.
I walked through the front door to find my latest guest walking on the grass patch in front of the house with a large black garbage bag in his left hand.
“Pat this is a surprise. How did you know where I live?”
My eyes drifted to the Volkswagen. It was unoccupied.
I breathed a sigh of relief. For a brief second I had a glimpse of Pat’s wife and five nameless children clambering from the car blankets, pillows and suitcases in hand.
“Saw the address on the front of your identity document while I was taking shelter in your wagon this afternoon. Said to myself was such a shame that Marty couldn’t reel one in so I said to the missus I need to go back to the lake after the storm subsided and see if I can’t snag one for old Marty. Low and behold old Pat nipped one right in the lip. Struggled like crazy at first…..”
I watched Pat smile from ear to ear as he lifted the black bag. At least I now knew what was in the bag and how many missing teeth the old man had.
“You shouldn’t have. Really you didn’t need to”
What the hell was I going to do with the fish?
Old Pat seemed to have read my mind.
“Don’t fret about it son. Might want to place it the freezer me thinks the ice might have turned into water by now”
I sighed softly as Pat walked towards the porch.
“Bring it through to the kitchen”
I whispered as we strode past Francis who was still on the telephone with Angela.
What the hell were they talking about?
In the kitchen I stoop and open the bottom door of the fridge to remove the bottom tray and place the fish inside. As I shut the door softly I gaze through the kitchen window. The girls are kneeling behind Steve. What are they up to? I wonder as I step closer to the window.
In South Africa today security plays a vital part in any business or private home. This book and the volumes to follow, will guide you step by step through the essential precautionary measures to be taken in protecting your family and valuables. From employing security guards, evacuation of your site and security measures to burglar bars and alarms in your private home.
a Book compiled by me from experience gained after 10 years in the security industry as Industrial relations officer with Nosa qualifications, 1st Aid, fire protection and also S.O.B. grade A.
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