Zama
by Gcinek ile Zwane
My stomach is groaning
for food, and I can’t seem to do anything with my bristly hair. I have all my pens, papers,
notebooks and other miscellaneous items stuffed into my spanking new blue book bag.
My aunt is in the kitchen drinking her morning mug of coffee while preparing my lunch,
yelling at me to hurry up. I gave my brand new Buccaneer shoes a quick blackening,
checked to make sure I had everything; money for transport, all my books, paper, pens,
and a calculator. My aunt continues to yell at me from the kitchen.
“I’m going to leave you behind if you don’t come here this minute Zama!”
I am nervous. Knowing my aunt is going to be there makes it easier for me to go. It is
nice to have a close relative there to set me off on my new life- life in the city. Everything
has changed. Now I will see new faces every day, new school, and I’ll have to make new
friends. I know that this journey I’m embarking on will be hard but knowing that God is
with me makes it a cinch. One more look into the mirror- school shoes check, white socks
check, tunic check, shirt check... wait something is missing.