Tears of a
broken man
By Teboho
Masakala
Sitting
around the table was Lerato, a very beautiful mother of two children preparing
dinner clad in a white dress with her head scarf on which she adores so much
and always puts on. She takes a look at her two children Bongiwe and Boitumelo,
the twelve year olds twin girls chatting happily as she’s about to dish. “Dinner
is served my angels” said Lerato as she dishes for the twins “What are we having
mommy?” interjected Bongiwe “Keep quiet and eat” said Boitumelo giving Bongiwe
a nasty look.
“Be quiet
girls and eat, your father will be here any minute from now” warned Lerato as
the twins ate their food quietly. A loud knock at the door was heard as Lerato
rose to open the door “My husband you are back.How was work?” said Lerato
as her husband, Thabo, a construction
worker wearing blue overalls and dirty boots stepped inside the house with his
face covered in dust. “Daddy is home” said the twins simultaneously as they
rushed to their father. “Be careful, he needs to change and wash his hands as
he is full of dust” “Keep quiet Lerato, cant you see how happy my daughters are
to see me” said Thabo as he bend down to hug the twins”
“Ok now go
finish eating” lerato echoed as the girls took their seats to finish their
food. “Let me go and change, I will be back” said Thabo as he went to the
bedroom, quickly changed clothes, washed his face and hands and went back to
the table where his wife and kids were eating.
“Your plate
is in the microwave, let me warm it up for you” “Thank you my dear wife”. The
sound of the microwave warming food was heard and minute later Lerato brought
food for Thabo “Mommy we have finished eating” said Bongiwe wiping her mouth. “Ok. Go straight to bed” “Good
night daddy and mommy” echoed the twins as they hopped straight to their room.
“How was
work today baby” “It was hectic, being a construction worker is not easy. We working
very hard but earning too little” “I know my husband but the R1200 you earning
helps here at home, we buy food and clothes for the girls but…” “But its
little” interjected Thabo “I know but you
are the only one working, I have been unemployed for five years now” “Yes my
wife and I want the best for my children, since I am the bread winner I will do
everything. I have no qualifications, construction work is the only work I
know” “Hush now my husband” If I had a chance to go to school I would have been
a doctor now. But because I was born poor I never went to school. At least you
are a teacher by profession” “Yes but I have been unemployed for five years,
the teaching degree is useless” said Lerato.
“I will help
you get work. I will keep my ears on the ground and if I hear something will
tell you” “You are very supportive Thabo” “I will do anything for my family”
“It’s late, you have work tomorrow. Finish up eating and lets sleep” “Lol”
Thabo giggled as he finished eating and the two went to bed.
The next day
Thabo came home late as usual during the night and went straight to greet the
girls who were playing “Daddy” said the girls as they hugged him and continued
playing “Hi honey was work today?” asked Lerato. “It was ok and I have some
news, I heard that the is a teaching post going to open at the primary school
that is thirty minutes away from here. Heard they need a maths teacher” “Really”
“Yes and can you give me your curriculum vitae to pass on to the school
principal? I work with his brother and I will ask him to pass it on to him” “Wow”
Lerato jumped happily “I know you haven’t been working for five years and I
have been supporting our family with the little money we get” “Its been hard
for the past five years not working. I feel useless as I can’t help you look
after our family. You looking after us alone while I have a teaching degree
that I can’t use. I am a useless wife to you Thabo “Hush now you are not
useless” “I promise you that if I get the job I wont change and will still love
you” “Hush now. I know you wont change” “I will still love you like always and
wont change. I know you are just a construction worker but you take good care of
our family and for the past five years you have been looking after us. The
girls are happy and you have been faithful to me. I promise I wont change” “Tomorrow
I will give your curriculum vitae to my colleague to give to the principal of
the school. I know you are very qualified and you will be hired on the spot”
“Thank you my lovely husband. You have been very supportive and never cheated
on me” Lerato cried “Hush now, don’t cry. Its late lets go to sleep” said Thabo
as he wiped off his wife’s tears.
“Wake up
Thabo you are going to be late for work” said Lerato as she shook Thabo and
helped him rise from the bed as he struggled to stand up straight due to still
being sleepy “I have prepared water for you. Your food will be ready in a
while” said Lerato as Thabo poured water in the waskom, took out his face cloth
and bathed. “Food is ready; here eat quickly before you get late” “Don’t forget
your curriculum vitae. I will pass it on to the principal” “I pray I get the
job.” “You will my sweetheart” “Here is my curriculum vitae” Lerato tucked it
in Thabo’s bag “I have to get going now or I will be late” “Don’t forget to
give the curriculum vitae to the principal” “I wont” said Thabo as he stormed
out of the house. Lerato looked at her
husband as he hurried to the construction truck and in her heart prayed to get
the job as she has not been working for five years with her husband earning
R1200 being the only income.
“What
a day at work. I am so tired” said Thabo as he entered the house sweating and
tired in the evening “Where are my girls?” “Asleep, they went to bed early
today” “Ok” “Did you give the principal my curriculum vitae” “Yes honey I did
and I am expecting feedback tomorrow” “I hope and pray I get the job “Me too, I
know you will, I have been supporting you all along and I know you will get the job” “Lets wait for
tomorrow and hear what the principal say” “I am very tired. I am not going to
eat today. I am heading straight to slumber land” said Thabo yawning “Will join
you later I want to finish washing dishes” “Goodnight in advance” said Thabo
heading to bed.
“Lerato!!!Lerato.
My wife I have good news for you” said Thabo excitedly as he stormed into the
house “What is it Thabo, you nearly gave me a heart attack” “Sit down my wife”
said Thabo pulling a chair for his wife as she perched on it silently “I got
feedback regarding your curriculum vitae and the principal wants you to come
for an interview tomorrow” “Wow. Really” said Lerato jumping so hard she nearly
fell down “Tomorrow you must get ready and be prepared. The interview is at
eleven o’clock at the school” “Thank you so much my husband” as she hugged
Thabo. Thabo hugged his wife he loved dearly as the two were happy for the
prospect of the interview.
“Today is
the day. Are you ready for it?” said Thabo looking at Lerato who was getting
ready having combed her hair “Yes I am” she replied. “Look at the time. I must
get going now or I will be late for work. Good luck on your interview. I pray
you get the job” said Thabo giving his wife a kiss on the cheek as he left the
house. Lerato quickly got ready. Took her bag and went to the school.
She waited
patiently at the reception before meeting the school principal, an old man
about fifty years old with a bald head. The principal looked at Lerato’s curriculum
vitae numerous times asking her endless questions. “I am impressed by your
curriculum vitae. We have long needed a maths teacher. You are hired. Welcomed
to Maruping primary school” said the principal shaking Lerato’s hand “Thank you
sir” shereplied trying not to scream “See you tomorrow on your first day”
“Thank you sir” she replied as she left the office jumping, ululating and
dancing.
“I got the
job my husband” she jumped on Thabo as soon as he stepped into the house “Yes I
did. Our life will change now” “I am so happy for you my wife” “I will be
earning R25 000, will be able to buy a better house” she said “I am happy for
you my darling” said Thabo hugging his wife and then allowed her to prepare
food. The girls joined them at the table for dinner as they shared the good
news with them.
“Today is my
first day and I am so excited yet scared” “You will do well. Teaching is in
your blood” “I know but…” “No but, you will do well” interjected Thabo “Ok” she
sighed “I better be going or I will be late. It’s also cold today” “See you
later” “Good luck on your first day as a teacher” said Thabo after putting on his
big black construction boots and left the house. Lerato’s first day went well
and was welcomed at the school, showed the classes she will teach and enjoyed
her first day.
“How was
your first day?” said Thabo during dinner “fine. I loved it. The leaners welcomed me and it felt good to teach after
five years” “That’s nice” “I better eat and sleep. I am tired. We digged many
holes on the road today.Construction work not easy” “Ok. Good night then” said
Lerato as his husband took two slices of bread and left for bed.
Things went
fine for the family with everything well, Lerato doing well at her work but
sadly Thabo was retrenched from his work as the company moved to Durban and had
to retrench some people and Thabo had to break the sad news to his wife “Good
evening” said Thabo looking depressed as he sat down “Thabo are you fine?” He
kept quiet not looking at her “Thabo talk to me. What is it?” again he looked
at her. A tear came out of his eyes” “I have been retrenched at work” “Why?”
“The company is moving to Durban and they are retrenching and I have been
fired” he looked at her crying. “Don’t worry I am here. Will look after you and
the girls. You looked after me for five years while I was not working and you
helped me get my job so I will look after you” said Lerato patting him on the
shoulder. “Thank you” “I will tell the girls don’t worry.” “You are my
blessing” he said “Now go rest” she held his hand and led him to the bedroom,
helped him untie his shoe laces as he lied on the bed.
For the
first two months things went well but Lerato become tired of giving money to
Thabo, she suddenly changing and since his husband was unemployed. She saw him
as nothing and became mean anda total
monster ordering him around and making him wash dishes, clean the house and
wash her own underwear. Money changed Lerato so much she forgot all the good
things Thabo did for her while she was not working. She came home from work
looking angry as she saw Thabo sitting quietly “Hey wena Thabo. Where is my
food? I am hungry” “My wife I am sorry I didn’t…” “Shut up. You useless man”
she slapped him twice in the face “You are useless, I support you with my own
money and you don’t cook? Where is my food you stupid idiot?” she took the
broom and hit him on the head as poor Thabo tried to run away “Don’t you run
away from me. Come here” “Baby why are you mean to me? I used to take care of
you while I was working….” “Shut up. I am not your baby. Don’t tell me about
that nonsense called construction work; you were not even able to afford me, my
hair and nails. Don’t tell me about that change you were getting, I am earning
more now and I am the boss. Now go and cook for me. I want tea and take this
shoes, go and wash them now” “Ok” said Thabo as he hurried to cook for Lerato
and making tea bringing it to her “What is
this? Tea? You call this tea?” she threw it at him, the hot water burned his
back as he tried to duck the coffee mug which hit his back “Go and make a
better tea for me now and you are sleeping on the floor today and not on my
bed. You useless unemployed man” said Lerato giving him two hot slaps across
the face.
The abuse
continued on Thabo, he remembered how he helped Lerato get the teaching job,
looking after her for five years. But that Lerato was gone. Only a monster was
left. The abuse on Thabo continued as she did everything Lerato wanted, she
didn’t care about himand she had an affair, making him sleep on the floor
without blankets and food. The only time Thabo managed to eat was when she was
at work but she always found out and locked him outside without food. Poor
Thabo will cry and miss their happy days which were gone. Lerato became a
monster every day starving Thabo, hitting her with anything she could hold,
poor Thabo became a slave of the abuse from his wife.
“I can’t live
like this anymore, I have lost weight” said Thabo looking at himself and how
skinny he has became because of depression and abuse from his wife. He had
scars on his face, body and his hands had scars also “I cannot take it anymore.
For the past six months I have suffered abuse and the painful part is I have to
hide this from my children, they don’t know how much their mother is abusing
me. I can’t take it anymore. I am sleeping on the floor, I don’t get food and
since I have not been working Lerato is treating me like dirt. I am nothing in
this house” he cried “I am going to the police to ask for help. The abuse is
too much, I am going to the police to ask for help” said Thabo crying as he
rose up from the chair after a conversation with himself. He locked the house
as the children were at school as he made his way to the police station.
Entering the police station he sat on the queue (line).
“How can we
help you sir” said a policeman addressing Thabo “I am here to open a case” “Ok
sir a case of what?who do you want arrested? “My wife, she abuses me
everyday, she beats me with anything she
gets her hands on and you see this scars all over my body?” he showed the
policeman the scars “They were caused by
her. Please go and arrest her, I cant take the abuse” said Thabo crying “lol. hahahaha”
the policeman laughed “You are abused by a woman? You can’t be man enough
instead you want us to arrest your wife? You can’t handle her? What kin of a
man are you? A coward who is beaten by his wife? Hahahah” said the police man
laughing and mocking Thabo.
Thabo left
the police station crying and was shocked at how the policeman treated him. The
person who was supposed to help him laughed at him and made a mockery of him.
He returned home, ashamed, crying and feeling useless. “Heywena Thabo, what
were you doing at the police station?” “Me?, I never…” Thabo stuttered very
scared “Stop lying, that policeman you spoke to is my boyfriend” “Boyfriend?
Are you cheating on me?” “What do you expect me to do with you? You are not man
enough, you are not even half a man, that policeman has money and works a
decent job unlike you a former construction worker. You piece of trash you
tried to get me arrested?” she slapped him four times, two on the face and two
on the head “Don’t try to push me. Next time I will kill you. You useless piece
of trash, get away from me. Go and cook I’m hungry” “Yes my wife” “Your wife?
Don’t call me that I am not your wife”. Said Lerato throwing a spoon at his face
as he hurried to the kitchen to cook and half an hour later bringing them to
her.
“What is it?
You calling this food?” she shouted at him as the twins entered “Mommy why are
you always shouting at daddy and why are you always treating him like this”
said Bongiwe crying “Shut up, go to your rooms or I will kill you” the twins
ran to their room very scared. “Now wena Thabo you turning my children against
me you idiot” “No I am not” he replied shaking and scared “Shut up” Thabo kept
quiet, looked at her and said “I am tired of you beating me, look at me I am
bruised all over my body.” “Thabo don’t speak nonsense here” “But its true
Lerato you beat me. Since I lost my work few months ago you treated me like
dirt” a tear came out of Thabo’s left eye “You are dirt cant you see? You are
rubbish” “But Lerato I cant take it anymore. I am dumping you, its over, I
think we must separate” “hahahaha” she laughed “You think you can leave me? You
are not leaving me. I own you, I feed you, this house is now mine, I am the
head of this house and you are not leaving me” “I am Lerato” “Don’t talk back
when I talk Thabo” She hit him with her fists so much his nose bled “Now you
listen to me, if you ever try to leave me, I will threaten you with rape. I
will arrest you for rape. South African jail is ready for rapists and do try to
leave me and see what will happen to you. You will rot in jail and my children won’t
even visit you. Now get out of here” She shouted at Thabo as he left her and
sat on the cold floor.
Thabo
suffered from depression, his two daughters saw this but were scared of their
mother who told them to stay away from him. Even though they loved their
father, they only spoke to him when she was not around and he did everything in
his power to hide the pain for the sake of his girls and assured them it will
be fine.
g and scared “Shut up” Thabo kept
quiet, looked at her and said “I am tired of you beating me, look at me I am
bruised all over my body.” “Thabo don’t speak nonsense here” “But its true
Lerato you beat me. Since I lost my work few months ago you treated me like
dirt” a tear came out of Thabo’s left eye “You are dirt cant you see? You are
rubbish” “But Lerato I cant take it anymore. I am dumping you, its over, I
think we must separate” “hahahaha” she laughed “You think you can leave me? You
are not leaving me. I own you, I feed you, this house is now mine, I am the
head of this house and you are not leaving me” “I am Lerato” “Don’t talk back
when I talk Thabo” She hit him with her fists so much his nose bled “Now you
listen to me, if you ever try to leave me, I will threaten you with rape. I
will arrest you for rape. South African jail is ready for rapists and do try to
leave me and see what will happen to you. You will rot in jail and my children won’t
even visit you. Now get out of here” She shouted at Thabo as he left her and
sat on the cold floor.
“I can’t
take it anymore. The best way to escape this abuse is to kill myself, I cant
live like this, too much depression, its been months now, I cant take it” said
Thabo talking alone as Lerato had just left for work “Lerato treats me like
dirt, ever since I lost my work I am useless, I cant even face my daughters.
The police cant help me but instead they laugh at me, Lerato is even cheating
on me with a policeman, for months she has been seen with him at restaurants
and since I am useless, its hard for me.” He cried remembering how good life
used to be. He stood up went to the kitchen, took out a pen and wrote “My dear daughters Bongiwe and Boitumelo
forgive me for what I did. Hope you will understand one day. Your mother knows
why I did this”Thabo took the letter, folded it and put it on the table as
he took a rope from the drawer, stepped on the chair and hanged it tighter to
the ceiling pole. He took another part of the rope staring at it for few
seconds “My daughters please forgive me for this” he took the rope, put it
around his neck and let the chair go as he struggled to breath and after
kicking for few seconds as he continued struggling to breath, he died. The
letter was on the table and after forty five minutes after Thabo killed
himself, the girls came home from school and they screamed so hard seeing their
father’s lifeless body hanging from the rope “Daddy don’t leave us. We still
need you” shouted Bongiwe comforting Boitumelo his twin sister “This is enough,
we cant live without daddy” said Boitumelo “Look he left a letter here on the
table, they looked at the letter, read it and cried hysterically as Lerato
entered into the house “What is this screaming I hear from outside?” “You
killed him mommy. You made daddy kill himself we hate you” “What Thabo…what
have you done” Lerato screamed looking at his lifeless body hanging from the
roof. “We following daddy” said Boitumelo as she took two knives from the
drawer and gave one to her sister. “We saw how badly you treated daddy. We can’t
live with a monster such as you Mama” said Boitumelo “We want our daddy and we
will be with him in death” said Bongiwe as she stabbed herself followed by her
sister “Nooooo. Please, I can’t lose you. No my girls” said Lerato crying as
the girls bled to death “You caused all of this Mama. I hope you are happy now
and got what you wanted. You killed Daddy, hope you will enjoy life now” said
Boitumelo as she closed her eyes and peacefully died.
Lerato cried
loudly looking at the three dead bodies “Thabo I am sorry, I didn’t mean to
abuse you. Forgive me please, I know you loved me but since I started working I
saw you as nothing and abused you” she cried painfully ‘I have now lost you
Thabo and our two daughters. I am sorry” she continued crying looking at the
three dead bodies in the room. “I have caused by husband to kill himself, I was
abusing him so much that I now lost the father of my children and my two
daughters. I can’t live without my husband and daughters” she took the bloody
knife from Boitumelo “I rather die also than spend my life in jail and without
my children. Forgive me Thabo for abusing you. Forgive me my daughters. I will
be with you in death” she stabbed herself on the stomach “I will now be with my
family in death” she uttered as she breathed her last, fell down and died.
Copyright(C) Teboho Masakala
Copyright 2015
Author Teboho Masakala
