Evening approaches, Tito looks mommy on her face and with great concern asks;
'Mommy, where is my father?'
'Don't worry he is coming tomorrow.'
Another Evening approaches, Tito looks mommy on her face and with great concern asks;
'Mommy, where is my father?'
'Don't worry he is coming tomorrow.' Same answer from mommy.
Another Evening approaches, Tito looks mommy on her face and with great concern asks;
'Mommy, where is my father?'
'Go straight into your bed and sleep. Stop asking this question,'
Mommy is starting to be irritated by this question.
Indecisive, and unsure of what to do, listless with an inability to express any attitude, Tito is now in fear of contradiction.
With that very loud yelling from mommy, Tito goes straight into bed, very terrified.
Tito is concerned since it has been weeks without his father coming back home. The father would take some few days without returning home. Tito is used to that, as he knows that his father will eventually come home, no matter how many days he takes away.
Tito's young brother, lives with his grandmother at mommy's village, only Tito and mommy stay together in a single room.
She has transferred to the town called Lobatse from Mahalapye – where she was first deployed in her first job.
Mommy still works for the government.
They stay in the town of Lobatse. This is the same town where his father's family lives.
This town is one of Botswana's historically rich towns. It was once visited by the likes of Nelson Mandela during apartheid era in the neighbouring country, South Africa. Samora Machel, the former president of Mozambique did pay some visit too to this town during conflicts in his home country.
The next evening, approaches Tito looks mommy on her face and with great concern asks:
'Mommy, where is my father?'
'I swear to God, I'll smash you down to this ground.' 'Ask me that question again!
Uncompromising mommy yelling very loud.
In shock! Tito goes straight into a corner of the room.
The following evening, approaches Tito looks mommy on her face and with great concern.
Recalling how horrific it was the previous day;
'I will never ask mommy that same question again,' Tito quietly talks to himself, terrified.
He does not ask this question anymore, at least for now.
It is in the summer of the year 1984 when a man comes through the gate.
'Hi Tito how are you'? He gives a welcoming smile as he greets Tito. 'I'm fine'; He answers wondering in his mind who the man could be.
'He seems very close to me as if we knew each other for a long time', wonders Tito as he lowers his eyes trying to recall who the man can be.
As a young boy of only six years of age, Tito's mind is not that rational enough to remember in details who he met and when. But Tito can see clearly that he is not his father.
'Where is mommy? The man asks with his face with much shame. Before Tito can answer, his mommy is behind his back with a nasty question.
'How can I help you?' she says this with a serious face. 'Tito, go and sit down, right over there' – mommy points to the shade of a peach fruit tree, for Tito to be far away from the conversation.
'I came to collect his music records'. Tito can hear this man's words as he kindly says these words to mommy.
As mommy goes into the house, the man looks at Tito. He smiles and
comes closer to him. 'How are you boy?' he says this while cuddling Tito to bring him back to happiness to show that he does not appreciate how Tito has just been treated.
As mommy comes out of the house, she brings a bag full of what Tito can see are clothes. Music records are on the other hand.
She finds Tito playing with this man and it is not easy for her to chase Tito away.
The man picks up the bag and music records.
Jumping up and down, Tito cannot resist the happiness he has just found. He follows the man to the gate.
'Come boy, don't you want some simba chips, lollipop, peanuts and raisins?' He says this with a sweet voice trying to make Tito open up. Tito ignores the annoyed look on mommy's face as he continues his conversation with this man.
'Please buy me some.' 'Let me buy you at the tuck shop over there?' He
can see on Tito's eyebrows that sudden curiosity splashes through his mind. 'Don't you want to go with me to my home?
'I'm afraid mommy will beat me up', Tito responds terribly.
'Don't worry boy I'll bring you back before the sun sets.' He says this
while feeling the misery Tito is in. 'Who are you'? Tito asks with countless interest.
He says his name which later disappears from Tito's mind as his mind is not good enough to handle names at first pick up. 'I'm your father's young brother', he adds knowing that Tito did not memorize his name.
'You'll eat this snack when we are at home, if you will really come with me'. He earnestly insists.
Simba chips, lollipop, peanuts and raisins; when all these come to Tito's mind, he is ignited with excitement. However, he worryingly asks; 'but how far is the place?'
'Do you see those houses over there?'
pointing to the mountain of a location called Peleng in the township of Lobatse:
'But it's far, Tito says tirelessly.
Don't worry, I'll pickback you if you're tired until we get there, he says this to give Tito some courage.
As Tito walks along he can see how happy this man is for Tito to have agreed to go along with him. This is a developed town and Tito cannot memorize where they pass through and what streets they go through.
When they arrive there, everyone is happy to meet Tito. New faces he has never seen before. They introduce themselves just to give Tito family welcome knowing he is too young to study their names and their relations to him.
Tito's father is not around.
Sitting on a chair made of leather, an old man with spectacles warmly welcomes Tito. 'Come and sit here my grandson', he says pointing to his knees. 'Where's your mom', he poses this question while Tito slowly eats the snack.
'Come on son, why are you not talking to me?' The old man tries to make Tito open up.
Tito is not concentrating on what is happening around him. His mind is wondering what his mommy thinks where he could be.
'I want to go home', Tito says this because of too much worry about his mommy's reaction towards his sudden disappearance.
'This is your home son, don't you worry'. The old man insists just to keep Tito away from this uneasiness.
'I'm your grandfather, son, ok!
Tito is not in the mood to listen to any of the stories. His only concern is mommy back home. He is horribly terrified of mommy.
He is terrified, scared stiff. He shames his decision to come along to this place because it is now getting late.
'I want to go home,' he whispers to the old man.' As evening approaches, Tito is brought back home.
'Where have you been?' This is the first question mommy asks as Tito arrives.
That man asked me to go with him to Peleng location, Tito answers with great fright.
'What did they give you? 'What did you eat?
'What did they say to you? ' 'Who were you with?'
Unstoppable harsh questions coming from mommy as she terribly shouts at Tito.
'I only ate simba chips, peanuts and raisins and some lollipop which that man bought at the tuck shop.' Terrified Tito answers with murmuring lips.
'Never ever go to those people, do you hear me', furiously saying this as she raises her hand to slap Tito's face.
'But why mommy,' I want my father.'
Mommy grabs her stiletto shoe, rushes straight to Tito, repeatedly hits him on this forehead, shouting,
'You talk too much, huh! You talk too much! Stop talking too much!
'Yes mom', Yes mom', is what Tito can only say to immediately end the unfavourable anger from mommy.
As days pass by, when mommy is happy laughing at Tito's jokes, Tito asks mommy.
'Mommy where is my father?'
He asks this question while pointing to one of the photos which may have mistakenly remained behind during the collection of the music records.
'Who said that is your father?'
This question from mommy shocks Tito. This is the biggest mistake Tito makes.
'Go and put it back where you took it, and I wonder who gave you the permission to search my stuff?' She reiterates this to show Tito that he should never repeat the mistake of reaching for this photo.
His father disappearing - Being warned not to ever go to his people - His music records and clothes collected by his brother - Not allowed to hear the conversation - His mommy concerned about what they gave Tito to eat –
What they said to Tito – Who Tito saw at that place! From this day on, Tito tries to solve this puzzle!